Professor Elie Karam, MD since1974, American Board Psychiatry on 1979, President of the Institute of Development, Research And Applied Care (IDRAAC). The Founder and Professor of the Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology at St. George Hospital University Medical Center, and Saint Georges University of Beirut. The Head of Medical Institute for Neuropsychological Disorders (MIND). Chairman of Epidemiology and Public Health Section of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). World Mental Health (WMH) Regional Coordinator EMRO.   He is one of the founding members of the Lebanese Psychiatric Society (LPS). He is also on the Editorial Board of several international journals.

Prof Karam have been working in the field of mental health in Lebanon for over 40 years. He started the first inpatient Psychiatry Department inside a general hospital (St Georges Hospital University Medical Center) that was inexistent at the time. After doing so, other hospitals started following the same model. He was pioneer in introducing psychiatric illnesses as medical illnesses that should be treated in general hospitals. 

In addition to his clinical expertise, Prof. Karam is a recognized leader in psychiatric research. He founded IDRAAC, in 1985, an institute solely devoted to research and community services in mental health. (www.idraac.org) at St Georges Hospital University Medical Center.  

Prof Karam has collaborated with many National and International societies like World Health organization (WHO), World Psychiatry Association (WPA). 

Prof Karam initiated the first National Survey on Mental Disorders in Lebanon and the Arab World, entitled the L.E.B.A.N.O.N. study, as part of the World Mental Health Surveys at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, and in collaboration with WHO Geneva, upon the invitation from Dr Ronald Kessler.

Prof Karam’s research has addressed a variety of important regional matters including the effects of war on the Lebanese population, and international ones such as trauma (bereavement, war, bullying, COVID-19), depression, bipolar disorders, suicide, substance use, childhood disorders, Alzheimer’s, burden and treatment of mental health disorders, temperament, genetics, resilience, etc…

The research studies of Prof Karam have contributed significantly to the understanding of various mental health disorders and their treatment modalities. He has published more than 231 scientific articles and 45 book chapters and reports which can be found on IDRAAC’s website: www.idraac.org. 

In addition, he has won several national and international awards recognizing his superb contribution to mental health nationally, regionally and internationally.