Internationally-recognized researcher and leader Dr. Nagy Youssef has joined Pine Rest as Vice President of Research and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine as Director of the Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine.
On December 1, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine jointly welcomed Nagy A. Youssef, M.D., Ph.D., to their respective leadership teams. Dr. Youssef brings internationally-recognized behavioral health research and leadership experience to his new roles and to West Michigan, expanding both organizations’ capacity to improve the care provided in Michigan and around the world.
Pine Rest has named Dr. Youssef as the behavioral health leader’s first ever vice president of research. In this role, he will oversee and expand Pine Rest’s current research initiatives and will extend research partnerships with statewide healthcare and educational organizations.
Dr. Youssef joins Michigan State University College of Human Medicine as professor and director of the Division of Psychiatry and Behavior Medicine, a position in which he will be committed to supporting the mission of advancing medical education, biomedical research, patient care, and service to our community.
Before his new roles at Pine Rest and MSU, Dr. Youssef was employed at The Ohio State University, where he served as director of clinical research, director of the university’s Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Program, and professor of psychiatry since 2021. Dr. Youssef has also held the role of director of the Mood Disorder and PTSD Research Lab at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center and Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia.
Pine Rest’s leaders anticipate Dr. Youssef will have an immediate impact within the organization’s education and research efforts. His work will not only improve care provided locally, but will lead to global change and innovation.
“Pine Rest’s leadership in the field of behavioral health extends beyond offering world-class care throughout our continuum and beyond consistently seeking to tailor our services to best meet the needs of Michigan residents,” stated William Sanders, D.O., vice president and chief medical officer at Pine Rest. “As one of the country’s behavioral health leaders, we must also relentlessly seek to better understand mental health, to innovate new and effective models of care and, through research, find new ways to help people everywhere thrive and live healthier lives.”
“From an academic medicine perspective, we look forward to the learning and research opportunities ahead for our medical students and residents with Dr. Youssef in his new role as director of the MSU Division of Psychiatry and Behavior Medicine,” said Aron Sousa, M.D., dean, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
“I am deeply humbled by and appreciate the support of the leadership of Dr. Sanders and Dr. Eastburg at Pine Rest, and that of Dean Sousa at Michigan State University, and am honored to join these great institutions,” stated Dr. Youssef. “I look forward to working together to provide cutting edge medical innovation that serves the Grand Rapids community and the State of Michigan. We will work together to provide the best education for our learners and scientific breakthroughs for our patients.”
Dr. Youssef’s research has been published in over 200 scientific papers and abstracts in leading peer-reviewed national and international journals, as well as book chapters and two books, and has earned numerous accolades, including annual American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Awards, among others.
“Welcoming Dr. Youssef to our team will have a significant impact not only on Pine Rest, but on our community and the state as a whole. His body of work and experience as a researcher is recognized around the world. It puts Pine Rest and West Michigan on the map as a center of some of the most cutting-edge behavioral health research on the planet,” Dr. Sanders said.
