Dimitri A. Christakis


Dimitri Alexander Christakis is an American pediatrician, researcher, and author from Seattle, Washington.

Background

Dimitri received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Yale University, a Doctor of Medicine title from the University of Pennsylvania and also his Master of Public Health Degree from the University of Washington.

Career

Christakis is a professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA in the Department of Pediatrics. He is also currently serving as a Director of Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is an adjunct professor in the department of health services and his leadership role includes the Director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development at the Seattle Children’s research institute. Christakis is the editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Christakis along with his colleagues in the Christakis lab, conducted research on the risk factors of early television exposure, detailing an increased risk for the onset of attention, health, and behavioral issues in adolescents. His research also focused on how the language acquisition for children can be improved by playing blocks and how children are aggressive while watching violent cartoons at 7-10 years of age. As part of a TED speech, Christaki spoke regarding the newborn brain and media exposure on children.

Awards and honors

In 2010, he received the Research Award for Lifetime Contribution by the Academic Pediatric Association, and in 2018, was elected as Member of Washington State Academy of Sciences.

Publications