Christopher Smyser, MD, MSCI, is a physician-scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is the A. Ernest and Jane G. Stein Professor of Developmental Neurology, Director of the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology, and Neurologist-in-Chief at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. After graduating from medical school and completing his pediatrics residency at the University of Iowa, Dr. Smyser completed training in pediatric neurology followed by neonatal neurology at Washington University in St. Louis/St. Louis Children’s Hospital where he has remained as a faculty member.

With a background in engineering, Dr. Smyser’s leading-edge research focuses on the application of advanced neuroimaging techniques to the study of premature and high-risk term-born children from infancy through adolescence to provide greater understanding of early brain development and the pathway to neurodevelopmental disabilities. He is the principal investigator for multiple longitudinal studies focused on defining the deleterious effects of prematurity, brain injury, environmental exposures, and psychosocial adversity on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric outcomes through development and application of state-of-the-art neuroimaging approaches. This and related work has yielded new insight into early brain development, while providing a platform for expanded investigation via development and application of innovative neuroimaging methods. He also directs the Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Data Coordinating Center and co-directs the Developmental Neuroimaging Core of the Washington University Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center. His work has been supported by the NINDS, NIMH, NIDA, and NICHD and the Child Neurology Foundation, March of Dimes, Dana Foundation, and Gates Foundation. He has received numerous awards for his research, including a recent MERIT Award from the NIH. He also has a strong track record of mentorship and teaching, taking great pride in the numerous successes of his trainees who have performed impactful research through their own NIH- and Foundation-supported research.