New York, Oct. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the world’s largest private funder of mental health research grants, awarded its 2020 Outstanding Achievement Prizes in Mental Health to seven scientists for their extraordinary work in advancing psychiatric research. The Prizewinners will be the featured speakers at the BBRF 2020 International Mental Health Virtual Symposium, which will be available On-Demand beginning on Friday, October 30, 2020 (Registration at webcastregister.live/bbrf2020). Also speaking at the Symposium will be Myrna M. Weissman, Ph.D., recipient of the 2020 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health for the care of disadvantaged people suffering from depression.
The Outstanding Achievement Prizes acknowledge and celebrate the power and importance of neuroscience and psychiatric research in transforming the lives of people living with mental illness. The recipients of this year’s awards are recognized for their research achievements in suicide prevention, schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder, childhood trauma and cognitive neuroscience.
“These exceptional scientists are on the cutting edge of finding new treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness,” said Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. “We celebrate their progress in brain and behavior research, which is paving the way for more people to live full, happy, and productive lives.”
"The 2020 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners are making extraordinary contributions to advancing psychiatric research and eliminating the stigma of mental illness,” said Herbert Pardes, M.D., President of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation’s Scientific Council and Executive Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. “Their work is providing insights in our understanding of the brain and how to treat and potentially cure psychiatric disorders.”
The 2020 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners are:
Anne S. Bassett, M.D., FRCPC, University of Toronto, Toronto General Hospital and Centre for Addiction & Mental Health
BBRF Lieber Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Schizophrenic Research
Melissa Gymrek, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, Institute for Genomic Medicine
BBRF Maltz Prize for Innovative and Promising Schizophrenic Research
Martin Alda, M.D., FRCPC., Dalhousie University
BBRF Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorder Research
Gustavo Turecki, M.D., Ph.D., Douglas Institute, McGill University
BBRF Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorder Research
Joan L. Luby, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine
BBRF Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Research
Angela C. Roberts, Ph.D., Girton College, University of Cambridge
BBRF Goldman-Rakic Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Cognitive Neuroscience Research
Robert Desimone, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BBRF Goldman-Rakic Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Cognitive Neuroscience Research
About the Outstanding Achievement Prizes
The recipients were selected by the Foundation’s Scientific Council, comprised of 181 leading experts across disciplines in brain and behavior research, including one Nobel Prizewinner; three former directors of the National Institute of Mental Health; four recipients of the National Medal of Science; 11 members of the National Academy of Sciences; 16 National Institute of Health Chiefs & Directors; 41 chairs of psychiatry and neuroscience departments at leading medical institutions; and 54 members of the National Academy of Medicine.
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $418 million to fund more than 6,000 leading scientists around the world, which has led to over $4 billion in additional funding. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research grants. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is the producer of the Emmy® nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope.