Warren D. Taylor, MD, MHSc, has been appointed as the next Assad Meymandi Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry. He will begin his role on campus on March 1, 2026.
Dr. Taylor comes to the UNC School of Medicine from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he currently serves as the James G. Blakemore Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Executive Chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Warren Taylor is joining UNC as the new chair of the department of psychiatry” said Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, MPH, Executive Dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “Dr. Taylor’s considerable talents as a clinician, researcher, teacher, and leader will be of enormous value to the Department of Psychiatry, the School of Medicine, and UNC Health.”
A recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders in older adults, Dr. Taylor provides outpatient care to elders experiencing depression and leads a prominent research group dedicated to this population.
His research centers on the neurobiology of late-life depression, focusing on the biological factors that influence the occurrence, characteristics, and outcomes of depression in older adults—with a special emphasis on pathological brain aging. Dr. Taylor employs a range of research methods, including neuroimaging, ecological and neurocognitive assessments, genetic analysis, and experimental therapeutic approaches to further our understanding of depression’s causes.
Dr. Taylor earned his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and received his MD from their College of Medicine. He completed his residency, a fellowship in geriatric psychiatry, and a master’s degree in health sciences at Duke University.
We extend our gratitude to Kenan Penaskovic for serving as Interim Chair for Psychiatry since March 2025. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Taylor to the Tar Heel faculty and to the land of the longleaf pine.