James Harris is professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, where he is founding director of the Developmental Neuropsychiatry Clinic. He is also a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He served on the American Psychiatric Association committee that wrote the new definition of autism spectrum disorder for the DSM-5.
James Harris
Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
From this contributor
Correcting the record: Leo Kanner and the broad autism phenotype
The specter of the ‘refrigerator mother’ theory continues to haunt the history of autism. New information puts Kanner’s observations of parents into context.
Correcting the record: Leo Kanner and the broad autism phenotype
By
James Harris, Joseph Piven
26 April 2016 | 10 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Exon-skipping approach boosts levels of key Rett syndrome protein
Deleting a small region of the MECP2 gene partially restored function in neurons derived from people with Rett-associated variants.
Exon-skipping approach boosts levels of key Rett syndrome protein
Deleting a small region of the MECP2 gene partially restored function in neurons derived from people with Rett-associated variants.
By
Giorgia Guglielmi
20 March 2026 | 5 min read
Frameshift: How Caitlin Vander Weele made science communication her business
Her favorite part of research was talking about it. So she left academia and turned that passion into a successful company.
Frameshift: How Caitlin Vander Weele made science communication her business
Her favorite part of research was talking about it. So she left academia and turned that passion into a successful company.
By
Katie Moisse
19 March 2026 | 6 min read
Signs of aging vary across brain cells
Senescence presents differently depending on the cell type, toxic trigger and neighboring cells, two new studies find.
Signs of aging vary across brain cells
Senescence presents differently depending on the cell type, toxic trigger and neighboring cells, two new studies find.
By
Claudia López Lloreda
18 March 2026 | 4 min read