India-born mental health researcher Vikram Patel is new chair of Harvard Medical School's Global Health and Social Medicine

New York, Jun 5 (PTI) India-born Vikram Patel, a well-known researcher and mental health expert, will be the next chair of the Harvard Medical School's Department of Global Health and Social Medicine.

Mumbai-born Patel, who is the Pershing Square Professor of Global Health at the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, will assume charge on September 1, according to an official announcement last week.

Patel, whose work focused on the burden of mental health problems across the life course, their association with social disadvantage, and the use of community resources for their prevention and treatment, will succeed Paul Farmer, who led the department until his death in February 2022.