Metabolic
Psychiatry

Robert Raeder is a medical scientist primarily interested in metabolic psychiatry. He is currently a Research Principal at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s (UPMC) Western Psychiatric Hospital, working within the Phillips Mood and Brain Lab under the mentorship of Professor Mary L. Phillips, MD, MD (Cantab). The lab spans three centers: the Center for Neural Circuit-Based Technology Interventions in Psychiatry, the Center for Research in Translational and Developmental Affective Neuroscience, and the Center for Translational Research Incorporating Metabolism. Robert's translational work combines neuroimaging, metabolic, and behavioral measures to elucidate how metabolic interventions, including the ketogenic diet and exogenous ketones, influence neural circuits implicated in psychiatric disorders, particularly bipolar disorder. His overarching goal is to develop a precision-medicine framework for psychiatry that integrates metabolic and neural biomarkers to optimize mental and physical health across the lifespan.

An avid runner himself, Robert also collaborates with Dr. Jeffrey Brown, lead psychologist for the Boston Marathon, to examine how psychological and physiological factors influence marathon running. Their research aims to establish best practices in psychological care for marathon runners and to elucidate bidirectional links between psychiatric vulnerabilities and endurance physiology, including factors that may predispose runners to medical encounter risks in marathon settings.

Previously, Robert served as a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, under the supervision of Professor Nicola Clayton FRS. He also holds an MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, an MA from the University of London, and a BA from Point Park University, where his early studies bridged biological sciences and the humanities.

Earlier in his career, Robert provided individualized, evidence-based nutritional interventions across diverse populations, from internationally recognized figures in fashion and entertainment to military veterans, domestic violence survivors, and formerly incarcerated individuals. His work focused on applying precision nutritional strategies to address chronic metabolic and mental health challenges, with an emphasis on measurable and sustained clinical outcomes.