Depression Center-Supported Research
Supporting innovation and discovery in the prevention and treatment of depression
Funding awarded through the Depression Center helps support research that critically advances the understanding of the origins and development of depressive illness. These studies help drive the translation of discoveries into clinical applications and best practices to improve the care of those struggling with depression and other related illnesses. Through generous donor support, the Depression Center proudly fosters the work of promising early-career investigators through various scholar award programs. Through the Executive Director’s Innovation Fund, the Depression Center also supports work that strives to achieve innovations in research, treatment, education and public policy. In supporting a new generation of investigators and promising pursuits of innovations, we strive to reach breakthroughs in research and treatment that can improve the quality of life for those living with depression or even help prevent the disease from surfacing in the first place.
Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Award
Established in 2002, the Todd Ouida Clinical Scholar Awards are designed to further the work of outstanding young researchers working in childhood anxiety and depression. Such funds provide powerful leverage in helping young investigators achieve successes that will enable them to become eligible for additional funding from public entities (such as the National Institutes of Health) as their careers develop. The award, along with the Todd Ouida Annual Lecture in Childhood Anxiety and Depression, honors the memory of Todd Ouida, a U-M alumnus and promising young professional who had triumphed over childhood anxiety but lost his life in the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Read about some of the research initiatives launched through this program.
Rachel Upjohn Clinical Scholars
The goal of this award, established in 1998, is to train a new generation of clinical investigators focusing their research on depression, bipolar disorder, and related illnesses. The Rachel Upjohn Clinical Scholars program offers support to those young researchers who have chosen to devote a major part of their research efforts toward the study of depression. The fund, which honors Rachel Mary Upjohn Meader, has supported the work of nearly 50 scholars since its inception. Mrs. Meader and her husband Edwin were among the most ardent supporters of the mission and work of the Depression Center during their lifetimes. Read summaries of some of the research supported through this award program.
Jack L. Berman, M.D. and Barbara A. Berman, Ph.D. Depression Research Fund
The Berman Research Fund supports junior investigators seeking pilot or seed funding for innovative research projects in the area of depressive illness. The fund is intended to promote innovation by allowing researchers to take risks to explore new areas of research, and to help investigators obtain preliminary results that will assist them in obtaining funding from government and other sources. The funded projects may be in neurobiologic research, psychosocial research, genetics, neuroimaging, or similar fields. The Bermans, U-M alumni and staunch supporters of the U-M Medical School, established the research fund in 2005 in recognition of Barbara’s parents’ lifelong devotion to the field of mental health. Read about some of the innovative research projects sponsored through this fund.
Executive Director's Innovation Fund
The most innovative ideas are those least likely to be funded by grant-making agencies. The Executive Director's Innovation Fund was established in 2005 to implement creative, new, and bold ideas that help us achieve our mission and provide national leadership in conquering depression and bipolar disorder. Innovations in research, treatment, education and public policy are supported by this fund, with a special focus on using the latest information technology, bioengineering, and biomedical advances to address depression and bipolar illness. Read about the cutting-edge work supported through this fund.
Oscar Stern Award for Depression Research
In 2011, the University of Michigan received a generous gift from Helmut F. Stern of Ann Arbor to endow a research award at the Depression Center. This gift was made in honor of his uncle Oscar Stern who helped him obtain a visa to leave Germany when Hitler was in power. Not long after assisting Helmut to come to the U.S., Oscar Stern was away on a business trip when he learned that his three siblings, whom he had sheltered at his home in the Netherlands, were taken by the Nazis and killed. Distraught that he had been unable to safeguard his family, Oscar took his own life. This gift to create the “Oscar Stern Award in Depression Research” honors Oscar’s bravery, generosity and compassion, and expresses Helmut Stern’s gratitude to his uncle, without whom he might not be alive today. The intent of this award is to promote high impact, innovative ideas leading to strategic interventions to prevent or manage mood disorders. Learn more about the projects this award supports.
Phil Jenkins Award for Innovation in Depression Treatment
In 2011, the University of Michigan received a gift from local business entrepreneur and community leader Phil F. Jenkins to stimulate creative ideas about ways to improve treatment or self-management of depression. The award is intended to empower students and faculty to bring creative ideas to life, such as new diagnostic tests, treatment strategies, clinical monitoring approaches, or emerging products that would improve overall wellness. Read about the ideas supported by this award.
updated: 04/03/2012
