Dr. Thomas Lehner passed away on November 6, 2024, at the age of 64, leaving an extraordinary legacy in science and medicine. He had been serving as the New York Genome Center’s Scientific Director of Neuropsychiatric Disease Genomics and was a Professor in the Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. He was a pioneering figure in neuropsychiatric genetics and genomics where his contributions have been monumental. Dr. Lehner was a Member Fellow and was accepted into ACNP membership in 2010.

His groundbreaking work on the genetic basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease, advanced the field enormously. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Lehner became a driving force in unraveling the complex genetic interactions that contribute to brain function and neuropsychiatric conditions by innovations in large-scale genomic studies and his skill in building interdisciplinary consortia. Without such large consortia this progress would have been impossible. During his tenure at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr. Lehner masterminded the institute’s expansion of grant support for genomics consortia-based research, a visionary effort that elevated the study of neuropsychiatric genetics to new heights. At NIMH, Thomas developed thirty NIMH Research Initiatives and took the lead for NIMH on 6 Trans-NIH Research Initiatives.

Born in Austria on August 29, 1960, Dr. Lehner earned his Ph.D. in Human Biology from the University of Vienna. Over his career, he held prominent academic and research positions at Columbia University, The Rockefeller University, Gencentrix, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the New York Genome Center (NYGC). Over the course of his career, he authored or co-authored numerous influential papers, received prestigious awards, and was a valued member of many international research initiatives. At NYGC, he created the Neuropsychiatric Disease Genomics program, a pioneering initiative that created a scientific bond through seminars and dialogue and scientific discovery through interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations.

Beyond his remarkable achievements, Dr. Lehner was known for his warmth, generosity, extraordinary optimism and humility. To convince many major research groups to work together required an individual of extraordinary personal qualities who inspired idealism and team spirit in the service of science and discovery. His mentorship left an indelible mark on countless early-career researchers, where he nurtured an environment of curiosity and mutual respect. Dr. Lehner was also a steadfast advocate for diversity and inclusion in genomics, championing efforts to reduce health disparities by including underrepresented groups in research. His strength and optimism came into sharp relief when he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia for which he received a bone marrow transplant in 2016. His address to the 25th Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program’s Patient Celebration in September 2018 reveals his optimism, humanism, bravery and determination in the context of this illness, and his capacity to relate meaningfully to all the people he met during his life’s journey.

Dr. Lehner leaves behind his beloved husband, Emmanuel, his mother, and countless friends and colleagues who were touched by his vision, compassion, and dedication. He leaves an irreplaceable void in the field of neuropsychiatric genomics.

We hope that Dr. Thomas Lehner’s legacy will continue to inspire generations of scientists and clinicians, to believe in and commit to, scientific research in the framework of large consortia that can generate robust findings that impact patient care to a degree that cannot be matched by small individual research teams.