About Walsh Research Institute

Advancing scientific research to improve the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders.

Who We Are

The non-profit Walsh Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to unraveling the biochemistry of mental disorders and development of improved clinical treatments through scientific research and medical practitioner education.  The organization was founded by William J. Walsh, PhD, FACN, an internationally recognized expert on biochemical imbalances, in 2008.  

What We Research

Walsh Research Institute’s research includes experimental studies examining roles of DNA methylation and epigenetics in schizophrenia, as well as a novel autism experiment aimed at identifying the cause of the rising rates of autism incidence.

Recently, a 10-year study of advances in neuroscience and genetics has discovered the likely cause of bipolar disorder, mania/depression switching, and promising new treatments. These findings were reported at annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Society and the Society for Neuroscience. Dr. Walsh's new book on this topic, The Essence of Bipolar Disorder, was published in October 2025.

A similar study seeking the genetic predispositions of schizophrenia is underway.

Mission

​To advance scientific research that improves the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders while educating medical practitioners worldwide in evidence-informed biochemical approaches to patient care.

Goals

Advance Scientific Research
Conduct innovative studies into the biochemical and epigenetic causes of mental health disorders
Improve
​Clinical Care
Develop evidence-informed treatment approaches based
​on scientific discover
Educate
​​Practitioners
Provide advanced physician education through published research
Share
​Knowledge
Publish scientific findings and educational resources for clinicians, researchers, and the public

Our History: The ​Pfeiffer-Walsh Association

Nutrient therapies for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder pioneered by the late Carl Pfeiffer, MD, PhD, and Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD, are used by complementary and functional medicine doctors throughout the world.  William Walsh, PhD, collaborated with Dr. Pfeiffer for 12 years in extending this medical system to include behavior disorders and ADHD.  

​After Dr. Pfeiffer’s death in 1988, Dr. Walsh co-founded the non-profit Pfeiffer Treatment Center in Illinois, which treated more than 25,000 patients, and became a world leader in advanced nutrient therapy expanding its protocols to help patients challenged by autism and Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2008, Dr. Walsh left the Pfeiffer Treatment Center and founded the Walsh Research Institute. 

The Pfeiffer Treatment Center ceased operations in August 2011 and no longer exists. 
Pfeiffer's Law states, "For every drug that benefits a patient, there is a natural substance that can achieve the same effect."
​Fortunately, there are many physicians throughout the world who use nutrient therapies in their clinical practice.
Visit our PHYSICIAN DIRECTORY page to find a practitioner

The walsh Approach

Dr. Walsh has been a pioneer in the development of advanced biochemical therapies since his collaboration with Dr. Carl Pfeiffer of Princeton, NJ in the 1980s. This approach recognizes that nutrient imbalances can alter brain levels of key neurotransmitters, disrupt gene expression of proteins and enzymes, and cripple the body’s protection against environmental toxins.

Dr. Walsh’s database containing millions of chemical factors in blood, urine and tissues has identified high-incidence imbalances in patients challenged by behavior disorders, ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.  The treatment protocol consists of a medical history, specialized lab testing, diagnosis of chemical imbalance, and individualized treatment aimed at normalizing brain chemistry.  Dr. Walsh’s clinical system is used by doctors throughout the world and has produced thousands of reports of recovery.  His book Nutrient Power provides the scientific foundation for this medical approach, which included the then emerging field of epigenetics.  

​Under the direction of Dr. William J. Walsh PhD, the Walsh Research Institute has engaged in scientific research since its founding in 2008. This has included formal scientific experiments, studies of abnormal brain biochemistry, and development of advanced therapies for mental illnesses. Early research concentrated on behavior disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Recent studies have included a major bipolar disorder investigation, the autism research, epigenetic therapies to adjust neurotransmitter activity, global DNA methylation, and advanced antioxidant approaches.​