Dr. Davis is interested in the biologic basis of major mental illness and its treatment with medication. He and his colleagues introduced the paradigm to psychiatry that major mental illness may be caused by biochemical abnormalities. His group was among the first to do studies on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of psychotropic drugs. His educational film to teach the recognition of certain side effects to physicians won a Telly award, the equivalent of an Academy Award for education industry films. He was among the first several physicians to introduce meta-analysis as a tool to pool scientific data.