Mark A. Smith MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Bright Minds Biosciences
Dr. Smith is a seasoned executive in central nervous system (CNS) drug development. He has directed over 50 clinical trials across all stages of development.Prior to joining Bright Minds, Dr. Smith was Chief Medical Officer at VistaGen Therapeutics, where he led the clinical development of drug candidates in the areas of major depression, social anxiety disorder, and depression through all phases of development. Previously, Dr. Smith served as the Clinical Lead for Neuropsychiatry at Teva Pharmaceuticals, where he oversaw the strategy and clinical development of neuropsychiatric drugs with a focus on schizophrenia, sleep disorders and agitation. He also held several director positionsat AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Company, where he led the development of several novel chemical entities targeting treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.
Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, he served as a Senior Staff Scientist of the Biological Psychiatry Branch and Senior Staff Fellow of the Clinical Neuroendocrinology Branch at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
