The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) has announced
the winners of its 2021 Klerman and Freedman Prizes, which
recognize exceptional clinical and basic research in mental
illness. The prizes are awarded annually to honor the work of
outstanding scientists who have been supported by the Foundation’s
Young Investigator Grants Program.
“The Klerman and Freedman prizes recognize innovative thinking
and outstanding talent across the field of neuropsychiatry,” said
Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO of the Brain &
Behavior Research Foundation. “We applaud these researchers for
their groundbreaking work, and we thank our generous donors for
supporting scientists in brain and behavior research who are
working to produce better treatments, cures, and methods of
prevention for mental illness. The goal is to help more people live
full, happy, and productive lives.”
The prizewinners are selected by the BBRF Scientific Council
comprised of 180 pre-eminent mental health researchers.
“We have identified the most promising, high-quality science
with the greatest potential for significant breakthroughs,” said
Dr. Herbert Pardes, President of the BBRF Scientific Council. “This
year’s prizewinners have previously received awards though the BBRF
Young Investigator Grant Program, which supports early-career
scientists as they gather pilot data and “proof of concept” for
promising clinical and basic psychiatry research. Recognition for
scientists early in their career helps them go on to receive
further funding and is a precursor to further accomplishments.”
Since its founding in 1987, BBRF has awarded more than $418
million to more than 5,000 scientists around the world. The Klerman
and Freedman Prizes are named for Dr. Gerald Klerman and Dr. Daniel
Freedman, whose legacies as researchers, teachers, physicians, and
administrators have indelibly influenced neuropsychiatry.
This year six scientists are receiving recognition for their
outstanding work in brain and behavior research:
2021 Klerman Prize for Exceptional Clinical
ResearchNicholas L. Balderston, Ph.D., University of
Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of
Psychiatry, Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress
Dr. Balderston’s lab uses experimental design, psychophysiology,
neuroimaging, and neuromodulation to explore the mechanisms that
mediate the expression and regulation of anxiety. The ultimate aim
of his research is to provide the foundation for novel
neuromodulatory treatments for individuals suffering from severe
anxiety.
2021 Freedman Prizewinner for Exceptional Basic
Research Meaghan Creed, Ph.D., Washington University Pain
Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St.
Louis
Dr. Creed seeks to optimize neuromodulation therapies for
disorders of reward processing, specifically for affective symptoms
of chronic pain and substance use disorders. The objective is to
leverage insight from optogenetic circuit-dissection studies to
understand how basal ganglia circuit function is altered by the
comorbid experience of chronic pain and addictive substances, and
then to apply cell-type specific pharmacology and electrophysiology
to design neuromodulation protocols to alter circuit function and
normalize symptoms of impaired reward processing.
2021 Klerman Prize Honorable Mention Hengyi
Cao, Ph.D., Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell
Health West China Hospital
Dr. Cao’s research is focused on the investigation of neural
mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of psychotic disorders such
as schizophrenia. His lab combines imaging techniques, genetic
analysis, and behavioral assessments to study how psychosis-related
risk factors alter the structural and functional organizations of
the human brain, and how these alterations lead to behavioral
abnormalities observed in the clinic.
2021 Klerman Prize Honorable Mention Nolan R.
Williams, M.D., Stanford University
Themes of Dr. Williams’ work include examining the use of spaced
learning theory in the application of neurostimulation techniques;
development and mechanistic understanding of rapid-acting
antidepressants; and identifying objective biomarkers that predict
neuromodulation responses in treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric
conditions.
2021 Freedman Prize Honorable Mention Denise
Cai, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
The goal of Dr. Cai’s lab is to understand how the brain
organizes and integrates different experiences so it can
efficiently “file” and “cross-reference” information, which is
critical for daily life. The team combines cutting-edge techniques
to gain key insights into how memories are initially processed,
stored, and retrieved, and how these processes may be altered by
trauma or aging.
2021 Freedman Prize Honorable Mention Tomasz J.
Nowakowski, Ph.D., The University of California, San Francisco
Dr. Nowakowski’s research is beginning to unravel how genes
involved in mental health disorders are expressed across the many
cell types of the developing human brain. His most recent work
highlights a role of neural progenitor cells in the differentiation
of cerebral cortical areas during development, and a novel role for
developmental pathways implicated in autism, schizophrenia, and
depression, in the early stages of brain development.
For more information: Klerman-Freedman Prizes
About the Brain & Behavior Research
Foundation BBRF is committed to alleviating the suffering
of mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and
breakthroughs in scientific research. The Foundation funds the most
innovative ideas in neuroscience and psychiatry to better
understand the causes and develop new ways to treat brain and
behavior disorders. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more
than $418 million to fund more than 5,000 leading scientists around
the world. This has led to more than $4 billion in additional
funding for these scientists. 100% of every dollar donated for
research is invested in our research grants. Our operating
expenses are covered by separate foundation
grants.
- Klerman Freedman Awards 2021 Photo1
- Klerman Freedman Awards 2021 Photo2
Myrna Manners
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
(718) 986-7255
mmanners@mannersdotson.com
