News Release

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awards 2024 Outstanding Achievement Prizes to six leading psychiatric researchers

Scientists recognized for advancing diagnosis, prevention and treatment of mental illness in adults, adolescents, and children

Grant and Award Announcement

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Psychiatric Researchers

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2024 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners

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Credit: BBRF

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the world’s largest private funder of mental health research grants, today announced it is awarding the 2024 Outstanding Achievement Prizes in Mental Health to six scientists for their exceptional work in advancing psychiatric research. The prizewinners will be the featured speakers at the BBRF International Mental Health Research Symposium on October 25, 2024, in New York City, and will receive their awards later that evening at the BBRF International Awards Dinner.

“We celebrate the Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners and acknowledge the importance of neuroscience and psychiatric research to transform the lives of people living with mental illness,” said Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., president & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. “These extraordinary scientists are advancing the development of new treatments, cures and methods of prevention for mental illness. We applaud them, and we thank our philanthropic supporters whose generosity allows us to continue to support the most promising research in the field of neuropsychiatry.”

The Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners are selected by special committees of the Foundation’s Scientific Council, a volunteer group of 195 mental health experts across disciplines in brain and behavior.

“The Outstanding Achievement Prize is awarded to exceptional scientists for their groundbreaking psychiatric research,” said Dr. Judith Ford, president of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation’s Scientific Council. “Because of their important work we are making great progress in our understanding of the brain and how to treat and potentially cure psychiatric illnesses." 

The 2024 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners are:

Lieber Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Schizophrenia Research 
Deanna M. Barch, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis 
Presentation: Identifying Risk for Developing Psychosis So We Can Promote Prevention 
https://psych.wustl.edu/people/deanna-barch

Maltz Prize for Innovative and Promising Schizophrenia Research 
Nicole Karcher, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis 
Presentation: Identifying Risk Factors for Early Psychosis Spectrum Symptoms 
https://psychiatry.wustl.edu/people/nicole-karcher-phd-ma/

Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research 
Nolan R. Williams, M.D., Stanford University 
Presentation: Breakthrough Rapid-Acting Therapeutics: Exploring Efficacy and Mechanisms in Treatment-Resistant Mood Disorders 
https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/nolan-williams

Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Research 
John N. Constantino, M.D., Pediatric Institute, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University 
Presentation: New Horizons for Child Psychiatry from Research on Individual Differences in Early Social Development 
https://www.choa.org/about-us/leadership/john-constantino

Christopher J. McDougle, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School 
Presentation: The Psychopharmacology of Childhood-Onset Neuropsychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan 
https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/19059/chris-mcdougle

Goldman-Rakic Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Cognitive Neuroscience Research 
Cameron S. Carter, M.D., University of California, Irvine 
Presentation: A Cognitive Neuroscience Approach to Understanding Circuits and Symptoms in Psychosis 
https://medschool.uci.edu/about/faculty/cscarte1

Also speaking at the BBRF Symposium will be Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong, winner of the 2024 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health. Her presentation will be: Navigating My ADHD through Self Art Therapy.

About 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 $461 million to fund more than 5,600 leading scientists around the world. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research. 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.


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