Articles from Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

New York, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and host of the public television show Healthy Minds, is encouraging open, stigma-free conversations about mental health—conversations that can change or even save lives. With millions of people facing mental health challenges each year, knowing how to talk to someone who may be struggling is more important than ever.

New York, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amid the ongoing pressures of daily life – from financial strain and health concerns to global uncertainly – stress can easily become overwhelming. Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, emphasizes the importance of recognizing and managing stress proactively before it negatively impacts mental and emotional well-being.

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

New York, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) today announced it is awarding Distinguished Investigator Grants totaling $1 million to 10 senior-level scientists conducting groundbreaking research in neurobiological and behavioral science. These $100,000, one-year grants support projects exploring critical areas of mental health, including opioid use disorder, depression in pregnant women, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the effects of psychedelics on perception and consciousness. The awards are made possible by the WoodNext Foundation. This is year two of their overall grant commitment of $5 million over 5 years to support the BBRF Distinguished Investigator Grants program.

New Insights Highlight the Importance of Mindset, Health, and Social Connections in Aging Well

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

New York, Jan. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) has announced the 2024 Leading Research Achievements by BBRF grantees, prizewinners, and scientific council members. It includes important studies of suicide, childhood anxiety, depression, eating disorders, cocaine addiction, and other aspects of brain and behavior illness. 

New York, Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Investigating the Genetic and Biological Mechanisms That Predispose to Early-Onset Psychotic Illnesses” on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. Register today.

A Free Webinar for Parents and Educators from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

12 Tips for Happier Holidays

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Join Us on October 25, 2024

Scientists Recognized for Advancing Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of Mental Illness in Adults, Adolescents, and Children

Honorees chosen for innovation in global mental health, improving care for survivors of trauma and improving mental health care for those living with illness

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Funding for Innovative Research on Depression, Schizophrenia, Addiction/Substance-Use Disorder, Suicide Prevention, and Other Psychiatric Disorders

New York, Sept. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “New Diagnostic Tools to Predict Symptom Improvements in Personality Disorders” on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter, Jenna M. Traynor, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute Research Program, McLean Hospital and an Instructor in Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Traynor’s research aims to develop new treatments for people with personality disorders, and to identify cognitive and fMRI biomarkers that are predictive of treatment response and suicide risk. The webinar host, Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., is the President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds. Register today to learn more about new diagnostic tools available to predict symptom improvements in personality disorders.

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Five Scientists Honored for Exceptional Work Advancing the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Mental Health Disorders

New York, July 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF), the nation’s top non-governmental funder of mental health research grants, today announced that Judith M. Ford, Ph.D., is the new president of its Scientific Council. The all-volunteer group of 192 pre-eminent mental health researchers guides the Foundation to fund the most creative and impactful research relevant to the whole spectrum of mental illness. Dr. Ford succeeds Herbert Pardes, M.D, who was the Founder and President of the Scientific Council from 1987 until his passing earlier this year.

New York, July 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Motivational Modulation of Cognitive Control in ADHD” today, July 9, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter is Kimberly S. Chiew, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at the University of Denver. Dr. Chiew is also the recipient of a 2019 BBRF Young Investigator Grant. The host, Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., is the President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds. Register to hear their informative discussion on ADHD.

New York, June 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEW YORK -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Neurocognitively-Defined Subtypes in Bipolar Disorder: A Path to More Personalized Treatments” on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter, Katherine E. Burdick, PhD, is the Jonathan F. Borus, MD Distinguished Chair in Psychiatry and the Vice Chair for Research in Psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is the Director of the Mood and Psychosis Research Program at BWH and a Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Burdick received the Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research from BBRF in 2021. The host, Jeffrey Borenstein, MD, is the President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds. Register today to hear their enlightening discussion on bipolar disorder.

New York, May 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Optimizing Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder” on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter is Allison C. Waters, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Waters is also the recipient of a 2019 BBRF Young Investigator Grant. Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds is the webinar host. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

Open Conversations and Expert Insights About Mental Health Issues Facing Today’s Children, Adolescents and Adults

Philanthropic Support from the WoodNext Foundation Funds Grant Program for Senior-Level Psychiatric Researchers

New York, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The CDC has reported alarming rates of depression among America’s youth, with 42% of high school students feeling so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row in 2021 that they stopped doing their usual activities and 22% seriously considering attempting suicide. This indicates a mental health crisis facing our young people. How can we reduce the risk of depression in youth?

New York, March 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the CDC, the suicide rate among young people ages 10‒24 increased 62% from 2007 through 2021. The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Summary reports that in 2021, 22% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide during the year and 18% made a suicide plan. These statistics indicate a mental health crisis facing our youth. How can we identify children in crisis? Who is being missed?

New York, Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Developing Biological Markers to Improve Clinical Care in Autism” on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter will be James McPartland, Ph.D., Harris Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology at Yale School of Medicine and Director of the Yale Developmental Disabilities Clinic and the Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health. Dr. McPartland is one of the premier experts in the electrophysiological study of brain function in autism and is the principal investigator of the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials, a US-based effort to identify biological indices to enhance intervention research in autism. Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds will be the webinar host. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

New York, Jan. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “PTSD: The Brain Basis of Susceptibility” on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter will be Nathaniel G. Harnett, Ph.D., Director of the NATE Lab at McLean Hospital and Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Harnett is also the recipient of a 2021 Young Investigator Grant. The webinar will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds.

New York, Dec. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Understanding Resilience to Schizophrenia through Genetics” on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter will be Jonathan Hess, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Hess is also the recipient of a 2020 Young Investigator Grant. The webinar will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds.

New York, Nov. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Children’s mental health is a major concern and improving the potential for early intervention is essential. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) will host a webinar on Thursday, November 30, at 7pm EDT, via Zoom, to share with parents and educators the key symptoms and attributes associated with pediatric mood and anxiety disorders. The conversation and Q/A will feature Daniel S. Pine, M.D., Chief of the Emotion and Development Branch and Chief of Child and Adolescent Research in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of BBRF. Register HERE for this free event.

New York, Nov. 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Pediatric PTSD: Neurobiology and Treatment” on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter will be Ryan J. Herringa, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Herringa is also the recipient of a 2012 Young Investigator Grant. The webinar will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds.

Funding for Innovative Research on Addiction/Substance-Use Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, PTSD, Schizophrenia, and Other Psychiatric Illnesses

New York, Oct. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation will host their 2023 International Mental Health Research Symposium on Friday, October 27, 9:30am to 12:30pm ET, both in-person and virtual, at the Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67 Street (between Broadway & Amsterdam), New York, NY. Please join us to hear the 2023 BBRF Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners present their cutting-edge research on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, pediatric mood and anxiety disorders, and cognitive neuroscience. The event is free. Register here to attend in-person or virtually.

Scientists Recognized for Advancing the Understanding of Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Pediatric Mood and Anxiety Disorders, and Cognitive Neuroscience

Scientists Recognized for Advancing the Understanding of Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Pediatric Mood and Anxiety Disorders, and Cognitive Neuroscience

New York, Oct. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Self-Injurious Thoughts & Behaviors in Youth” on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET. The presenter will be Mindy Westlund Schreiner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Utah. Dr. Schreiner is also the recipient of a 2021 Young Investigator Grant. The webinar will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds. Register today at BBRFoundation.orgSelf-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) refer to thoughts and behaviors involving suicidal intent (suicidal ideation, plans, and behaviors) as well as deliberate self-injury in the absence of any intent to die. SITBs commonly begin during adolescence and are of growing concern. Mental health services for youth who experience SITBs are often limited, with crisis lines being among the most easily accessible support. However, more services are needed that explicitly target factors that contribute to SITBs. This presentation reviews recent results on the characteristics of youth who use a particular crisis service, the role of neurobiology in SITBs, and an ongoing study incorporating both neuroimaging and intervention in an effort to further our understanding of how to best help youth with SITBs.

Honorees Chosen for Addressing Challenges Faced by People with Mental Illness and Intellectual Disabilities, Advancing the Understanding of Mental Health, and Fostering Academic Freedom.

New York, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “A Precision-Health Approach to Bipolar Disorder” on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Sarah H. Sperry, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Sperry is also a recipient of a 2022 BBRF Young Investigator Grant. The webinar will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds.

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Klerman & Freedman Prizes Awarded to Scientists Advancing Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Health Disorders

New York, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “What Genetics is Telling Us About Substance Use Disorders” on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Sandra Sanchez-Roige, Ph.D. Dr. Sanchez-Roige is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, and the Department of Medicine, Division of Genetic Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is also the recipient of a 2018 BBRF Young Investigator Grant. The webinar will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and host of the public television series Healthy Minds.

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

A Free Webinar from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Candid Conversations and Expert Commentary on Childhood Anxiety, Suicide Prevention, Bipolar Disorder, Eating Disorders and Other Mental Health Issues

New York, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Changes in Infant Emotion Regulation Following Maternal Treatment for Postpartum Depression” on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Ryan J. Van Lieshout, M.D., Ph.D., FRCPC.  

New York, March 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Neuroscience of Stress and Metabolism” on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Rachel Amy Ross, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine / Psychiatric Research Institute of Montefiore and Einstein. Dr. Ross is a recipient of a BBRF 2022 Young Investigator Grant.

New York, Feb. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Therapeutic Targeting of the Microbiome for Neurodevelopmental Disorders” on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Shelly A. Buffington, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, & Anatomy at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Buffington is a recipient of a BBRF 2019 Young Investigator Grant. Her work has been published in leading journals, including Nature Neuroscience, Neuron, and Cell, and featured in The Economist and The New York Times. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

New York, Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Sex Differences in Mental Health Disorders” on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Erin S. Calipari, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular, Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Dr. Calipari is also winner of the 2019 Freedman Prize for Exceptional Basic Research and a recipient of a BBRF 2016 Young Investigator Grant. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

New York, Dec. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the world’s largest private funder of mental health research grants, is receiving $108,000 from MANA Talent Group from their first annual “MANAthon” holiday livestream fundraiser. The funds will be used to support research grants to find better treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness.

New York, Dec. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Online Video Education and Assessment to Empower Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder” on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at 2:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Lois W. Choi-Kain, M.D. M.Ed., Director, Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute at McLean Hospital and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Choi-Kain is also a recipient of a BBRF 2021 Young Investigator Grant. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

New York, Nov. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Warning Signs & What to Look for: Anxiety and Depression in Childhood” on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 7:00 pm EST. The presenter will be Joan L. Luby, M.D., the Samuel and Mae S. Ludwig Professor of Psychiatry and Director and Founder of the Early Emotional Development Program at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Luby is a BBRF Scientific Council Member and a recipient of the 2020 Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

New York, Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “The Neurobiology of Pain Processing and Suicide: A Potential Marker for Suicide Risk” on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at 2:00 pm EDT. The presenter will be Sakina Rizvi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and recipient of a BBRF 2017 Young Investigator Grant. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

Funding for Innovative Research on Addiction, Depression, Suicide, Schizophrenia, PTSD, and Other Psychiatric Illnesses

Virtual and In-Person

New York, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the world’s largest private funder of mental health research grants, is awarding the 2022 Outstanding Achievement Prizes in Mental Health to five scientists for their extraordinary work in advancing psychiatric research. The prizewinners will be the featured speakers at the BBRF 2022 International Mental Health Research Symposium on October 28, 2022, in New York City, which will also be available to watch virtually. https://www.bbrfoundation.org/event/international-mental-health-research-symposium

New York, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is hosting a free webinar, “Exploring New Pathways of Discovery for Eating Disorders” on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at 2:00 pm EDT. The presenter will be Sahib S. Khalsa M.D., Ph.D., Director of Clinical Operations at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research and Associate Professor at the University of Tulsa - Oxley College of Health Sciences. Dr. Khalsa is also a recipient of a BBRF 2015 Young Investigator Grant. Register today at BBRFoundation.org

Awards Given to Pioneers Expanding Access to Care for People Impacted by Structural Racism and Lack of Human Rights