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Transforming the understanding
and treatment of mental illnesses.

Celebrating 75 Years! Learn More >>

Photo of Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D.

Messages about Research Funding

Going Global: Advancing Mental Health Research Around the World

By Leonardo Cubillos and Collene Lawhorn on behalf of the Center for Global Mental Health Research and Global Mental Health Team on 75th Anniversary

In this guest-written Director’s Message, the NIMH Center for Global Mental Health Research and Global Mental Health Team highlight NIMH-supported advances that span continents, transcend boundaries, and transform lives.

Mental Health Equity

By Joshua Gordon on

This Juneteenth, Dr. Gordon reflects on the persistent mental health disparities experienced by Black Americans and what NIMH is doing to try to reach the goal of true mental health equity.

Making an IMPACT on Precision Medicine in Psychiatry

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon introduces the Individually Measured Phenotypes to Advance Computational Translation in Mental Health (IMPACT-MH) initiative. This new groundbreaking NIMH initiative aims to change the game for precision medicine in psychiatry.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s Message, Dr. Gordon reflects on some exciting NIMH-supported developments from the past year.

Exploring the Role of Somatic Mosaicism in Human Biology

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon introduces the Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Network—an NIH-wide initiative that aims to transform our understanding of how somatic mosaicism in human cells influences biology and disease.

Suicide Prevention Research in a Rapidly Changing World

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon discusses what we have learned about suicide risk and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic and how NIMH has been building upon these findings to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.

Bringing Innovation to the Search for Biomarkers

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s Message, Dr. Gordon highlights research supported by the NIMH Small Business Innovation Research program that could advance the development of clinically relevant biomarkers.

Balancing the NIMH Portfolio

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon takes a look at NIMH’s portfolio balance, to see where we have come from and where we are headed.

Steps Toward Equity at NIMH: An Update

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s Message, Dr. Gordon provides an update on efforts to advance equity, promote anti-racist ideas and actions, and encourage lasting change at NIMH.

A Milestone in Mapping the Brain

By Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., and Walter Koroshetz , M.D., director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke on

In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Koroshetz, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, discuss the first major product to result from the Brain Initiative Cell Census Network, a comprehensive description of the cell types in the motor cortex of mice, monkeys, and humans.

Supporting Kids’ Mental Health During COVID-19

By Guest Author on

In this jointly written Director’s Message, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Rachel L. Levine, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, describe the mental health impacts of the COVID pandemic on children and what we can do to support kids during this difficult time.

Reflection on 40 Years of HIV/AIDS Research

By Guest Author on

In this jointly written Director’s Message, NIMH director Dr. Joshua Gordon and Dr. Maureen Goodenow, associate director for AIDS Research and director of the Office of AIDS Research at the National Institutes of Health, discuss 40 years of NIMH and NIH support for HIV/AIDS research.

One Year of Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics, and Anticipating New Challenges

By Guest Author on

In this jointly written Director’s Message, leadership from across NIH describes one year of progress made through the RADx initiative and anticipates new challenges in the fight against COVID-19.

NIH One Step Closer to Speeding Delivery of COVID-19 Testing Technologies to Those Who Need It Most Through RADx-UP

By Guest Author on

In this message, Dr. Gordon joins with 10 other NIH Institute Directors to spotlight NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative — a national call for scientists and organizations to advance their innovative ideas for new COVID-19 testing approaches and strategies.

Racism and Mental Health Research: Steps Toward Equity

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon describes NIMH efforts to address mental health disparities and ensure an effective and inclusive workforce for mental health research.

A Plan for Mental Health Research

By Joshua Gordon on

This week, the National Institute of Mental Health unveiled its new NIMH Strategic Plan for Research. In this Director’s message, Dr. Gordon discusses the advances in knowledge and treatment that got us to where we are today and points to where we want our research to go in the future.

A Hypothesis-Based Approach: The Use of Animals in Mental Health Research

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s Message, directed toward the research community, Dr. Gordon provides guidance to researchers on the use of animals in mental health research funded by NIMH.

What Can Animals Tell Us About Mental Illnesses?

By Joshua Gordon on

In this Director’s Message, directed toward a general audience, Dr. Gordon discusses the role of animals in mental health research and what they can tell us about human mental illnesses.

NIMH and the NIH HEAL Initiative: Collaborating to address the opioid epidemic

By Joshua Gordon on

Dr. Gordon discusses NIMH’s role in the HEAL (Helping End Addiction Long-term SM) Initiative -- the National Institutes of Health(NIH)’s all-in, coordinated response to the opioid epidemic.

Confronting Bias to Advance Science

By Joshua Gordon on

Dr. Gordon discusses the presence—and negative impact—of bias in science and how we can take positive steps as individuals and organizations to challenge these assumptions and combat their damaging effects.

From Student to Scientist: NIMH Training and Career Development

By Joshua Gordon on

NIMH is committed to research training and career development of young researchers. As students across the country head back to school, Dr. Gordon discusses some of the ways NIMH supports and trains the next generation of researchers.

NIMH’s Portfolio Balance: Quality Science Comes First

By Joshua Gordon on

Tracking the NIMH research portfolio reveals shifts in balance or research investments over the last ten years. Dr. Gordon offers insights into the trends and his view on funding priorities.

Excellent Science

By Joshua Gordon on

NIMH leadership has defined a set of principles to help compare the quality of research proposals across the full breadth of the Institute’s portfolio; Dr. Gordon explains how these principles can help ensure that NIMH prioritizes excellent science while assuring portfolio balance across timeframes.