Biography
In January 2012, Dr. Links became the Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, Chief of Psychiatry, London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, Ontario.
Prior to coming to Western University, Dr. Links was holder of the Arthur Sommer Rotenberg Chair in Suicide Studies, University of Toronto for three terms. This Chair was the first in North America dedicated to suicide research. Dr. Links was the former President for the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) and former President of the Association for Research on Personality Disorders. Also he was the Acting Psychiatrist-in-Chief of the St. Michael’s Hospital’s Mental Health Service from January to June 2011. Dr. Links served as the Editor of the Journal of Personality Disorders from 2009-2011. He is currently on the Editorial Board of Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
He has published over 130 articles in scientific journals and four books. As an investigator he has received research grants from many agencies including Health and Welfare Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario.
In October 2009, Dr. Links was awarded the CASP Research Award for outstanding contributions to the field of suicide research in Canada. In May 2013, Dr. Links received the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Severe Personality Disorders.
Dr. Links leads an active interdisciplinary group of researchers with the Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry studying suicide and suicide behaviors.
Professional and Academic Experience
| 2011 | Acting Chief of Mental Health Service, St. Michael’s Hospital, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 1995 - 2011 | Management Executive Committee, St. Michael’s Hospital, Mental Health Service, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 1994 - 2011 | Deputy Chief of Psychiatry, St. Michael’s Hospital, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 2005 - 2011 | Fellowship Committee Member, University of Toronto, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 2005 & 2003 | Acting Head, Division of General Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 1998 - 2005 | Executive Committee, Division of General Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 1997 - 2002 | Chair, Emergency Psychiatry Education Subcommittee, University of Toronto, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 1993 - 1994 | Professor, McMaster University, Health Sciences, Faculty of, Psychiatry, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| 1990 - 1994 | Associate Member, McMaster University, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| 1994 - 1998 | Clinical Program Director, St. Michael’s Hospital, Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Profession
Appointments
- Professor & Chair, Dept of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University (since 2012)
- Chief, London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Mental Health Care, London, ON (since 2012
- Associate Member, University of Toronto, Medicine, Public Health Sciences, Toronto, ON (since 1996)
- Professor, University of Toronto, Medicine, Psychiatry, Toronto, ON (since 1994)
- Associate Member, Institute of Medical Science, Toronto, ON (since 1998)
Administrative Support
Research Group
Research Overview
Among the first to describe association between childhood sexual abuse and borderline personality disorder (BPD) - published report in 1988. The association has led to many investigations of etiologic model of borderline personality disorder.
Among the first to research lithium therapy in BPD - published in 1990 this research has furthered the link between serotonergic dysfunction and impulsive suicidal behaviour.
Among the first to complete a prospective naturalistic follow-up study of BPD and demonstrate prognostic significance of comorbid substance abuse and level of impulsivity -published in 1995 and 1999.
Among the first to demonstrate a psychosocial intervention for BPD based on American Psychiatric Association guidelines is effective treatment for the disorder. Published in 2009.
Among the first to describe the association between affective instability and the risk of suicide behavior in patients with BPD. Published in 2007 and 2008.