Dr. Levitt conducts research on the development of brain architecture that controls learning, emotional and social behavior. His research focuses on genetic and environmental factors that increase risk for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. His clinical research studies address autism heterogeneity by studying children with autism who also have co-occurring medical conditions, such as gastrointestinal disorders, with the goal of developing better diagnostic criteria and personalized treatments. He has published over 260 papers.

Dr. Levitt received his B.A. in Biological Sciences from the University of Chicago; Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego; and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Neuroscience at Yale University. He has held leadership positions at University of Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt University and University of Southern California.