Captain Joe Hibbeln

Adult Psychiatrist, Barton Health, USA
Member, Science Advisory Council, Think Through Nutrition, UK

About

Captain Joe Hibbeln is a psychiatrist and lipid biochemist by training and one of the world’s leading experts on the importance of dietary fats for human brain development and function. He was one of the very first investigators to draw attention to the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in psychiatric disorders (organising a key international conference on this theme at NIH in 1998), and he is frequently sought out to communicate scientific findings in this field though major public media.

Captain Joe’s work is focused on translating basic neuroscience on the omega-3 essential fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (found in fish and seafood) into direct clinical applications, and he has published more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers to date.

In his 25 years a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service, he has contributed to advancing brain nutrition for active duty US Military and for Veterans, with a focus on reducing major depression, suicide, aggressive disorders, ADHD, pain and addictions.

As Acting Chief (2007-2021) of the Section on Nutritional Neuroscineces (SNN) at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) he developed a wide portfolio of basic and clinical science tools to advance nutrition in mental health.

He is a primary collaborator in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, Bristol, UK, examining the residual effect of nutritional insufficiencies in pregnancy in childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes and relevant gene-nutrient interactions.

Find out more

  • TL Cleave Award from the McCarrison Society, London

    Outstanding Service medal from the United States Public Health Service (USPHS)

    3 x Crisis Response Awards, from USPHS

    Gerald Klerman Award from the National Association for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression

    Independent Investigator and Young Investigator awards from NARSAD and Eagle Scout, BSA

  • Captain, Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service

    Visit ORCID for further information.

  • Joe’s research interests range from severe pathological states, including suicide and psychosis, through depression and antisocial behaviour, to normative personality in adulthood and early development.

    He believes that a substantial proportion of emotional distress in modern society might be reversed by adequate intakes of omega-3 fatty acids.

  • For a full list of publications, visit Google Scholar.