About the Chairman

Peter M. Thompson, M.D., M.S. is a professor and the Hunt Family Endowed Chair of Psychiatry. He serves as the Director of the Southwest Brain Bank and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at TTUHSC-El Paso. Dr. Thompson’s academic career is dedicated to developing improved treatments for mood disorders and educating the next generation of psychiatrists. He completed his psychiatry residency at Tufts University/New England Medical Center and Psychobiology Fellowship at the University of California at San Diego.

Dr. Thompson founded the Southwest Brain Bank in 2003 and has published his research findings on brain molecular changes in mood disorders, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependence. His work has been supported by both philanthropic organizations and the National Institute of Mental Health.

In his time as Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at TTUHSC-El Paso, the department has greatly increased its collaborations with community partners. These partnerships focus on reducing barriers to care and educating medical students and residents how to treat mental illness while incorporating language and cultural values of the border population.