Founding Chairman: Prof. Joel Elkes

Professor Joel Elkes has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Institute for Psychobiology in Israel since its founding over thirty years ago. He was instrumental in conceiving the notion of a national institute serving the needs of the entire Psychobiology community in Israel, rather than the academic or medical staff of a single institution, and contributed much to Israel Psychobiology.

Prof. Elkes is a close friend of the Smith family of Washington DC, beginning with a life-long friendship with the late Charles E. Smith, founder of the Institute. He also has close ties with many psychobiologists in Israel. He recently requested to be allowed to step down from the chair. We thank Prof. Elkes for his many years of activity on behalf of the Psychobiology Institute.

Joel Elkes is an acknowledged founder of the science of psychopharmacology. He is a Scientific Associate of the Academy of Psychoanalysis, Charter Fellow of Britain's Royal College of Psychiatry, and Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Honoris Causa, by the Hebrew University in June 1989.

Prof. Elkes engaged in unprecedented psychiatric work before the term "experimental psychiatry" even existed, and through his own activities helped to revolutionize the entire methodology of treatment of the mentally ill.
Beginning his scientific life in Britain in the field of physical chemistry, Joel Elkes continued by way of neuropharmacology and neurochemistry into research on the influence of drugs on electrochemical events in the brain. During a long and distinguished career in Britain, the U.S. and Israel, he founded research organizations that are today among the most respected bodies of their kind.

From the citation on the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Honoris Causa, of the Hebrew University to Joel Elkes conferred on June 26th, 1989:

"Professor Joel Elkes, Scientific Associate of the Academy of Psychoanalysis, Charter Fellow of Britain's Royal College of Psychiatry, and Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He is an acknowledged founder of the science of psychopharmacology. He engaged in unprecedented psychiatric work before the term "experimental psychiatry" even existed, and through his own activities begun more than 30 years ago, he helped to revolutionize the entire methodology of the mentally ill.
"A trailblazer in the area of social psychiatry and a preeminent researcher in a range of scientific and health- related areas. Joel Elkes helped to substantiate the link between self-awareness and the state of health and well-being. A scholar and a teacher, he has trained some of the most brilliant investigative minds of our time, and has significantly helped further the training of academic leadership in science."