In Memoriam: Nolan Williams, M.D.
The Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Consortium deeply mourns the passing of one of its key members, Dr. Nolan Williams, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab. Dr. Williams passed away on October 8, 2025, at the age of 43.
Dr. Williams’ life work was focused on developing innovative approaches and technologies for the rapid treatment of depression, suicidality, trauma, and other neuropsychiatric conditions. He made groundbreaking contributions to the treatment of refractory depression and suicidal ideation by developing a unique protocol for modulating neural circuits that are disrupted in severe depression. This protocol, termed SAINT-SI (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy for Suicidal Ideation), uses a unique combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and MRI-guided selection of the stimulation target for each individual patient. The TMS regimen is significantly accelerated compared to the standard approach, with multiple sessions per day over the course of five days. In September 2021, the SAINT Neuromodulation System received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation Status for the treatment of refractory depression and suicidality.
In addition, Dr. Williams’ research explored pharmacological mechanisms for the rapid treatment of depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders. In collaboration with Dr. Alan Schatzberg, the Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, Dr. Williams implicated endogenous opioids in the rapid antidepressant actions of ketamine, a finding replicated by several other groups. More recently, Dr. Williams explored in an open label study the therapeutic potential of a combination of Ibogaine with magnesium to ameliorate the cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and described associated neural changes, setting the stage for controlled clinical trials in this population.
These highly innovative contributions reflect Dr. Williams’ deep commitment to confronting head on the huge challenges of treating severe depression, suicidal ideation, brain trauma and other brain disorders that cause untold suffering.
Dr. Williams received his medical education, residency training, and clinical fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he served as chief resident in both Neurology and Psychiatry. He joined Stanford University in 2015. His accomplishments have been recognized by numerous awards including from One Mind Institute, Wellcome Leap Foundation, Society of Biological Psychiatry A. E. Bennett Award, and the Klerman and Falcone Awards from the Brain Behavior Research Foundation. He joined the Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Consortium in 2020.
Dr. Williams is survived by his wife, Dr. Kristin Raj, their two children, his mother and his brother. He will be deeply missed by his research team members, his countless colleagues at Stanford University, in the Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Consortium and beyond. His dedication to his patients and to all those who struggle with mental health problems has had a major impact on the entire community of patients and their families.
Dr. Williams’ life work and his passing inspire all the members of the Pritzker Consortium to continue our collective efforts to find better strategies to understand, treat and prevent these devastating disorders.