# Science News About Institute Announcements

Dr. Joshua Gordon to Step Down as Director of the National Institute of Mental Health
February 29, 2024                • Institute Update

On February 29, 2024, Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., announced his decision to end his tenure as the director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Using Games to Explore the Mind
January 9, 2024                • Institute Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the non-profit organization The Many Brains Project partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program to adapt a series of new game-like tasks that are now part of the All of Us Research Program’s participant experience. 

High School Students Invited to Reflect on Mental Health Stigma in National Essay Contest
December 4, 2023                • Institute Update

The National Institutes of Health is inviting high school students ages 16-18 to participate in an essay contest on the topic of mental health stigma. 

NIMH Creates Division of Data Science and Technology
November 29, 2023                • Institute Update

On October 23, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced the creation of a new Division of Data Science and Technology (DST). 

Dr. Patricia A. Areán Named New Director of NIMH’s Division of Services and Intervention Research
August 14, 2023                • Institute Update

Patricia A. Areán, Ph.D., has been selected as the new director of the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR). 

NIMH’s Dr. Susan Daniels Designated National Autism Coordinator
May 18, 2023                • Institute Update

Susan A. Daniels, Ph.D. has been appointed as the HHS National Autism Coordinator and Director of the Office of National Autism Coordination (ONAC).

NIMH Researcher Karen Berman Elected as AAAS Fellow
February 7, 2023                • Institute Update

Karen Berman, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), has been elected as a 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow.

Dr. Elisabeth Murray Honored With Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award
November 23, 2022                • Institute Update

Dr. Elisabeth A. Murray has been honored with the 2022 Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Neuroscience recognizing her distinguished career in biomedical research and dedication to mentoring future leaders in neuroscience.

Dr. Karen Lincoln Wins the 2022 James Jackson Memorial Award
July 7, 2022                • Institute Update

Dr. Karen D. Lincoln wins the 2022 NIMH James Jackson Memorial Award in recognition of her excellence in mental health disparities research, mentorship, and community engagement.

Dr. Robert Heinssen to Step Down as DSIR Director
January 25, 2022                • Institute Update

In June 2022, Robert Heinssen, Ph.D., ABPP, will step down as director of the NIMH Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR) and transition to a new role as a senior advisor in the NIMH Office of the Director. 

Dr. Tracy Waldeck Named Director of NIMH Division of Extramural Activities
November 10, 2021                • Institute Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently selected Tracy Waldeck, Ph.D., as director of the Institute’s Division of Extramural Activities (DEA).

Anna E. Ordóñez Named Director of NIMH’s Office of Clinical Research
August 24, 2021                • Institute Update

NIMH has selected Anna E. Ordóñez, M.D., M.A.S., as director of the Office of Clinical Research (OCR). 

Acting National Autism Coordinator Named
June 29, 2021                • Institute Update

National Autism Coordinator Ann E. Wagner, Ph.D., will retire from federal service on June 30, 2021—Susan A. Daniels, Ph.D., will serve as Acting National Autism Coordinator beginning on July 1, 2021, and until a permanent successor is named.

NIMH’s Dr. Andrea Beckel-Mitchener Named Deputy Director of NIH BRAIN Initiative
March 5, 2021                • Institute Update

Andrea Beckel-Mitchener, Ph.D., has been named deputy director of the trans-NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. 

NIMH Director’s Statement: Our Commitment to Ending Structural Racism in Biomedical Research
March 1, 2021                • Institute Update

In this statement, NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon reaffirms his commitment to dismantling structural racism in biomedical research and describes next steps for NIMH.

NIMH’s Carlos Zarate Jr., M.D., Elected to National Academy of Medicine
October 22, 2020                • Institute Update

Carlos Zarate Jr., M.D., chief of the Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch within the NIMH Intramural Research Program, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

NIMH Director’s Statement on Racism
June 4, 2020                • Institute Update

Right now, people across the country are currently coping with yet another episode of violence perpetrated against a person of color. In this Institute Update, Dr. Gordon addresses recent events.

New NIMH Strategic Plan Paves the Way for Advances in Mental Health Research
May 20, 2020                • Press Release

The Strategic Plan for Research advances the Institute’s mission and helps guide future mental health research efforts. 

Digital Mental Health: Innovating in a Time of High Anxiety
April 13, 2020                • Institute Update

Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health, and P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.B.B.S., of Duke University School of Medicine, discuss the use of apps to manage mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

NIMH Scientific Director Susan Amara Selected as AAAS President-Elect
January 30, 2020                • Institute Update

Susan Amara, Ph.D., scientific director of the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), has been selected to serve as president-elect of the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

NIH Awards Funding for Early Autism Screening
November 6, 2019                • Institute Update

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded more than four million dollars in FY 2019 to support seven research projects aimed at developing and validating screening tools to detect signs of autism spectrum disorder in the first year of life.

NIMH Announces New Clinical Research Toolbox
August 29, 2019                • Institute Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently developed a Clinical Research Toolbox designed to assist clinical investigators with the development of clinical research studies.

NIMH Director’s Statement on Diversity
July 29, 2019                • Institute Update

NIMH Director’s Statement on Diversity

NIMH Deploys New Strategy for Outreach
July 19, 2019                • Institute Update

NIMH has developed NIMH Education and Awareness, a portal on the NIMH website with tools and resources designed for and dedicated to outreach.

NIMH Grantees Named Recipients of Prestigious Presidential Award
July 9, 2019                • Institute Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) congratulates NIMH grantees who received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

Nationwide Essay Contest Challenges High Schoolers to be Frank About Mental Health
April 29, 2019                • Press Release

The National Institutes of Health invites students ages 16 to 18 years old to participate in the “Speaking Up About Mental Health!” essay contest to explore ways to address the stigma and social barriers that adolescents from racial and ethnic minority populations may face when seeking mental health treatment.

Fifth Annual BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting
April 5, 2019                • Institute Update

On April 11-13, 2019, approximately 1,500 scientists from many disciplines will attend the fifth annual Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN)® Initiative Investigators Meeting in Washington, DC. This open meeting provides a forum for discussing scientific developments and potential new directions, and to identify areas for collaboration and research coordination.

NIMH Explores the “Next Big Thing” in Mental Health Services Research
November 8, 2018                • Institute Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)’s 24th biennial Mental Health Services Research (MHSR 2018) conference held August 1-2, in Rockville, MD, brought together mental health researchers, trainees, consumers, advocates, and mental health care providers to learn about current research findings and discuss new research that might close the gap between what science shows is most effective and what services people actually receive in real-world settings.

NIH Directors Address Chronic Pain and Opioid Crisis at Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting
November 2, 2018                • Science Update

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at a press conference at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual Meeting, National Institutes of Health directors will discuss how NIH is marshalling resources, primarily through the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, to come up with short- and long-term solutions for countering the pain and opioid crisis.

NIMH Director Joshua Gordon and IRP Researcher Ellen Leibenluft Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
October 18, 2018                • Institute Update

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and Ellen Leibenluft, M.D., chief of the Section on Mood Dysregulation and Neuroscience and co-chief of the Emotion and Development Branch in the NIMH Intramural Research Programs, have been elected as members of the National Academy of Medicine.

Media Advisory: NIMH Researchers Available to Discuss the Suicide Prevention Research
August 23, 2018                • Institute Update

For National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon and Dr. Jane Pearson, chair of the Suicide Research Consortium at the NIMH, are available for interviews on suicide prevention research, trends, and the findings and implications of recent studies.

NIMH Conference to Explore Mental Health Services Research
May 14, 2018                • Institute Update

On August 1-2, 2018, the NIMH is hosting the 24th Mental Health Services Research (MHSR) Conference with the theme: What’s the Next Big Thing? The conference aims to promote high-priority areas in mental health services research and identify opportunities with potential for significant impact for people with mental disorders.

NIMH’s Dr. Ann Wagner Designated as the National Autism Coordinator
February 28, 2018                • Institute Update

NIMH’s Dr. Ann Wagner has been designed as the National Autism Coordinator. In this role, she will play a vital role in ensuring the implementation of national autism spectrum disorder research, services, and support activities across federal agencies.

NIMH Twitter Chat on Seasonal Affective Disorder
February 13, 2018                • Science Update

On February 20, 2018, join NIMH for a Twitter chat on Seasonal Affective Disorder with expert Dr. Matthew Rudorfer.

Mental Illnesses by the Numbers
January 29, 2018                • Science Update

Redesigned web section adds interactive tools, sharing features.

Different Approaches to Understanding and Classifying Mental Disorders
December 27, 2017                • Science Update

Research in a wide range of disciplines supports the idea that mental disorders result from the complex interplay of biological, developmental, social, and environmental processes; however, the more we learn about mental disorders, the more we realize there are still gaps in our understanding of how best to classify, diagnose, and treat them.

Leading Neuropsychopharmacology Organization Promotes NIMH Director to Fellow Status
December 8, 2017                • Institute Update

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., Director of NIMH, has been promoted to Fellow status by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology based on his scientific reputation, contributions to the College through committee work and involvement in the Annual Meeting program.

NIMH Director Joshua Gordon Elected to Rank of AAAS Fellow
November 20, 2017                • Institute Update

American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to induct Dr. Gordon and other recipients in February ceremony.

NIMH Launches Twitter Account for Director
November 13, 2017                • Institute Update

Follow @NIMHDirector on Twitter.

NIMH Releases Strategic Research Priorities Update
October 6, 2017                • Institute Update

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently released its second annual update of the Strategic Research Priorities.

The NIH NeuroBioBank: Addressing the Urgent Need for Brain Donation
July 7, 2017                • Science Update

The directors of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke discuss the importance of post-mortem brain donation in a joint message.

Avenevoli Named NIMH Deputy Director
March 17, 2017                • Science Update

Dr. Shelli Avenevoli has been named deputy director of NIMH.

Two NIMH Grantees Receive Prestigious Presidential Award
January 17, 2017                • Science Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) congratulates two NIMH grantees, Mary Kay Lobo from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Eric Morrow from Brown University, who are among the 102 scientists and researchers receiving the 2017 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

NIMH’s Francis McMahon, M.D., Awarded Prestigious Colvin Prize
November 1, 2016                • Science Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announces that Francis McMahon, M.D., is a recipient of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation’s 2016 Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research.

RDoC Unit to Co-host Webinar Series
October 31, 2016                • Science Update

The NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) unit, the Delaware Project (DP), and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) will launch a webinar series examining the science-to-service pipeline in psychology and psychiatry.

NIMH’s Karen F. Berman, M.D. elected to National Academy of Medicine
October 31, 2016                • Press Release

At its annual meeting for 2016, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced the election of 79 regular members, including the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH Karen F. Berman, M.D. One of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, election to the Academy recognizes outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

NIMH Releases Strategic Research Priorities Update
October 12, 2016                • Science Update

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently released updates to its Strategic Research Priorities. 

RDoC Unit to Host Virtual “Office Hours”
October 3, 2016                • Science Update

RDoC Unit at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announce that they are holding monthly virtual “office hours” starting Friday, October 14, 2016. 

NIMH Funds 3 ‘Zero Suicide’ Grants
September 16, 2016                • Science Update

NIMH is supporting Zero Suicide efforts with 3 new research grants. Each project focuses on prevention and health care systems.

NIMH Grantees Named Recipients of Prestigious Kavli Prize
August 3, 2016                • Science Update

Three NIMH grantees have been named recipients of the 2016 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience. 

Human Connectome Project Marks its First Phase
June 7, 2016                • Press Release

Studies based on a database made available by the Human Connectome Project’s first phase reveal that an individual’s brain connectivity can predict his or her behavior. 

NIMH Grantees Named Recipients of Prestigious Presidential Award
May 11, 2016                • Science Update

NIMH congratulates four NIMH grantees who received the 2016 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). 

Secrets to Our Smarts Hidden in the Folds of Our Cortex
April 29, 2016                • Science Update

The more folding in the thinking parts of our brain, the smarter we are – to a degree. 

A BRIGHT Technological Future for Mental Health Trials
February 19, 2016                • Science Update

Is mobile mental health research the next frontier for smartphones? Based on Dr. Patricia Areán’s pioneering BRIGHTEN study, research via smartphone app is already a reality. 

Team-based Treatment for First Episode Psychosis Found to be High Value
February 1, 2016                • Press Release

Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis is Cost Effective

Biomarker for Brain Excitability May Help Track Medication Effect
November 20, 2015                • Science Update

NIMH scientists have recently discovered a link between order in the activity of neurons in the brain and excitability—how likely it is that individual neurons will “fire”— which may provide a means for monitoring treatment of conditions like epilepsy that would be less invasive and thus more versatile than current methods

Federal Agencies Partner to Promote Coordinated Services for Patients with First Episode Psychosis
October 29, 2015                • Science Update

On October 16, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced support for a new treatment for first episode psychosis called coordinated specialty care (CSC). This decision means more clinics may be able to offer CSC and it may become more readily available.

Antipsychotics Use Among Older Adults Increases with Age
October 21, 2015                • Press Release

Researchers find antipsychotic use among older adults increases with age despite known health risks. In 2010, more than 3/4 of seniors receiving an antipsychotic prescription had no documented clinical psychiatric diagnosis during the year.  In addition, among those who did have a diagnosed mental disorder and/or dementia, nearly half of the oldest patients had dementia, regardless of FDA warnings that antipsychotics increase mortality in people with dementia.

Team-based Treatment is Better for First Episode Psychosis
October 20, 2015                • Press Release

New research shows that a team-based, coordinated specialty care treatment plan produces better outcomes than typical community care for people with first episode psychosis. Investigators also found that treatment is most effective for people who receive care soon after psychotic symptoms begin. 

RDoC Joins the Twitterverse
September 23, 2015                • Science Update

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)’s Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Unit has launched its official account on Twitter, @NIMH_RDoC.

Embracing the SPIRIT of reducing suicide
September 21, 2015                • Science Update

NIMH, NIH, and the National Institute of Justice are collaborating on a 4-year, $6.8 million study called Suicide Prevention for at-Risk Individuals in Transition or “SPIRIT.”  The study focuses on the high-risk individuals who are transitioning from jail to community.  SPIRIT is NIMH’s first major investment in suicide prevention in the justice system.

Psychosis Treatment Program Expands in New York
August 26, 2015                • Science Update

New York expanded OnTrackNY, a treatment program for youth with psychosis which is an offshoot of one of the two NIMH-funded Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) studies.

Boys More Likely to Have Antipsychotics Prescribed, Regardless of Age
July 1, 2015                • Press Release

Boys are more likely than girls to receive an antipsychotic prescription regardless of age, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

A New Look at Racial/Ethnic Differences in Mental Health Service Use Among Adults
April 23, 2015                • Science Update

New report on mental health service use among racial/ethnic groups

New NIMH Strategic Plan Aims to Focus, Accelerate Mental Health Research
March 26, 2015                • Press Release

New NIMH Strategic Plan balances the need for long-term investments in basic research with urgent mental health needs.

Lisanby Chosen to Lead NIMH Division of Translational Research
March 4, 2015                • Science Update

Dr. Sarah Hollingsworth Lisanby, one of the leading researchers in the area of neuromodulatory interventions for treating major depression, will join NIMH as the director of the Division of Translational Research.

Soldiers at Increased Suicide Risk after Leaving Hospital
December 12, 2014                • Press Release

Soldiers hospitalized with a psychiatric disorder have a higher suicide risk in the year following discharge from the hospital. 

Medications for Patients with First Episode Psychosis May Not Meet Guidelines
December 12, 2014                • Press Release

Many patients with first-episode psychosis receive medications that do not meet guidelines. A study finds that almost 40 % of people with first-episode psychosis in community mental health clinics across the country might benefit from medication treatment changes.

Largest Autism Gene Dragnet Fingers 33 Prime Suspects
November 7, 2014                • Science Update

Many patients with psychosis develop health risks associated with premature death early in the course of their mental illness, researchers have found.

NIMH Website Goes Mobile
November 4, 2014                • Institute Update

An increasing number of U.S. adults connect to the web through smartphones or a tablets, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Internet Project. With NIMH’s new mobile-friendly website, visitors can access NIMH information and resources anywhere, anytime, and on any device—from desktop computers to tablets and mobile phones. 

NIMH Creates New Unit to Support Its Research Domain Criteria Initiative
October 30, 2014                • Press Release

NIMH announces a new unit within the Office of the Director to support the development of the institute’s Research Domain Criteria initiative. The unit will enhance communication with scientists, clinicians, and the public to  refine the RDoC research framework and accelerate the translation of basic research into clinical treatments.

Rapid Agent Restores Pleasure-seeking Ahead of Other Antidepressant Action
October 17, 2014                • Press Release

A drug being studied as a fast-acting mood-lifter restored pleasure-seeking behavior independent of – and ahead of – its other antidepressant effects.

Increased Health Risks Linked to First-episode Psychosis
October 8, 2014                • Press Release

Many patients with psychosis develop health risks associated with premature death early in the course of their mental illness, researchers have found.

New Report Provides National Clinical Data on the Prevalence of Many Specific Mental Disorders
October 8, 2014                • Science Update

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released the findings of a new clinical study providing national data on the past-year prevalence of specific mental disorders in adults.

How Might New Neurons Buffer Against Stress?
July 18, 2014                • Science Update

Over the past decade or so, evidence has emerged suggesting that the birth of new neurons in the adult brain’s memory hub, or hippocampus, may play a key role the action of antidepressants, resilience to stress, the benefits of exercise and enriched environments, and preventing memory loss.  But understanding how it might work has remained elusive.  NIMH researchers in NIH’s new Porter Neuroscience Research Center are following up leads.

NIMH Director Honored by BBRF
April 28, 2014                • Science Update

NIMH Director Honored by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation

NIMH’s Dr. Robert Heinssen Receives Special Presidential Commendation from APA
April 23, 2014                • Science Update

NIMH’s Dr. Robert Heinssen Receives Special Presidential Commendation from APA

The 22nd NIMH Conference on Mental Health Services Research
April 2, 2014                • Science Update

The 22nd National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Conference on Mental Health Services Research (MHSR): Research in Pursuit of a Learning Mental Health Care System, will be convened on April 23–25, 2014, at the Natcher Conference Center on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Campus, Bethesda, MD. 

NIH-funded Brain Atlas Offers Clues to Psychiatric Disorders
April 2, 2014                • Press Release

A brain blueprint maps where genes are tuned on and off during mid-pregnancy—when most brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia occur. 

NIMH Scientists Help Students Learn About the Brain at NMHM
March 18, 2014                • Science Update

NIMH scientists presented hands-on demonstrations of neural electrical activity at the National Museum of Health and Medicine Brain Awareness Week program, March 12, 2014.

Announcing New U.S. Disability Statistics on the NIMH Website
March 7, 2014                • Science Update

NIMH announces updated World Health Organization estimates of the burden of disease in the United States.

Students Unlock the Mysteries of the Brain with NIH Scientists
March 7, 2014                • Press Release

As part of Brain Awareness Week 2014, scientists from seven NIH institutes will sponsor hands-on activities—aimed at helping students learn about the brain—at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, MD

NIMH Twitter Chat on Eating Disorders 
February 21, 2014                • Science Update

NIMH Twitter Chat on Eating Disorders

NICHD/NIMH Podcast on Youth Violence
January 31, 2014                • Science Update

NIMH/NICHD experts explain what sparks and halts youth violence.