Dr. Laje is a premier expert psychiatrist in the Washington, DC area treating complex and treatment-resistant illnesses. He is a part of an elite, small group of practitioners certified to provide advanced treatment options such as TMS therapy, psychopharmacology, and pharmacogenetics.
As a physician and clinical researcher, Dr. Laje offers a unique patient and clinical perspective, and can provide the most up-to-date treatment information about psychiatric illnesses. Dr. Laje has extensive speaking experience for various audiences.
After completing his medical education at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, Dr. Laje moved to the U.S. and worked at the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at Columbia University. He completed his training in general psychiatry at New York University/Bellevue Hospital in New York City, and his training in child and adolescent psychiatry through the combined program NIMH/Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. He completed a research fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in psychiatric genetics and became an Associate Clinical Investigator. His research has focused on pharmacogenetics, clinical trials and neuroimaging, as well as, pharmacological interventions to address behavioral and emotional difficulties in genetic disorders. Dr. Laje is author and co-author of peer-reviewed publications in major psychiatric and genetics journals. Dr. Laje earned a Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Research from Duke University, and received his Master of Health Care Management at Harvard University.
He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. A former member of the American Society of Human Genetics and the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics. He is a former Board member of the Washington Psychiatric Society (WPS), the Winter Conference on Brain Research (WCBR), the Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Madison House Autism Foundation, and has served on the Scientific Advisory Board of Parents and Researchers Interested in Smith-Magenis Syndrome (PRISMS). He serves on the Editorial Board of the journal Child Psychiatry & Human Development. Dr. Laje is the founder of Washington Behavioral Medicine Associates, LLC and co-founder of Maryland Institute for Neuroscience & Development Inc (MIND) a 501(c)3, non-profit organization dedicated to improving mental health outcomes.
Dr. Laje has authored over 50 scientific papers as well as several book chapters, and is listed as a co-inventor in two patents. His work is highly regarded for its innovation and quality and is highly-cited. His research has been covered by The New York Times and other major media outlets.
Research & Publications
Dr. Laje has authored over 57 peer-reviewed publications in leading psychiatric and genetics journals. His research has advanced the fields of pharmacogenetics, neuroimaging, clinical trial methodology, and psychiatric treatment optimization - work that directly informs the evidence-based care provided at Washington Behavioral Medicine Associates.
Select Publications
- Relationship of ketamine's plasma metabolites with response, diagnosis, and side effects in major depression
Biological Psychiatry, 2012 - This groundbreaking research on ketamine therapy directly supports WBMA's ketamine-assisted treatment protocols. | View Publication - The DISC locus and schizophrenia: evidence from an association study in a central European sample and from a meta-analysis across different European populations
Human Molecular Genetics, 2009 - Pharmacogenetics research that informs WBMA's genetic testing approach to psychiatric medication optimization. | View Publication - The International Consortium on Lithium Genetics (ConLiGen): an initiative by the NIMH and IGSLI to study the genetic basis of response to lithium treatment
Neuropsychobiology, 2010 - Collaborative research on treatment response prediction through genetic markers. | View Publication - Delayed diagnosis in a house of correction: Smith-Magenis syndrome due to a de novo nonsense RAI1 variant
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 2016 - Demonstrates expertise in rare genetic disorders and diagnostic precision. | View Publication - Identification of common variants associated with human hippocampal and intracranial volumes
Nature Genetics, 2012 - Large-scale neuroimaging research advancing understanding of brain structure and psychiatric conditions. | View Publication - The ENIGMA Consortium: large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data
Brain Imaging and Behavior, 2014 - Multi-institutional neuroimaging collaboration examining genetic influences on brain structure. | View Publication - Combining schizophrenia and depression polygenic risk scores improves the genetic prediction of lithium response in bipolar disorder patients
Translational Psychiatry, 2021 - Recent research on precision psychiatry and treatment personalization. | View Publication - Pathway-Specific Polygenic Scores for Predicting Clinical Lithium Treatment Response in Patients With Bipolar Disorder
Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, 2025 - Latest research advancing personalized treatment approaches for bipolar disorder. | View Publication
Research Impact: Dr. Laje's work has been cited extensively in psychiatric literature and covered by major media outlets including The New York Times. As a co-inventor on two patents, his contributions extend beyond academic research to practical clinical applications that benefit patient care.
