2024 Autumn Inside NIMH

Director’s Updates

This summer, Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., stepped down as NIMH Director, and Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D., assumed the position of Acting NIMH Director. NIMH staff were busy hosting meetings, promoting NIMH initiatives, and wrapping up NIMH’s 75th anniversary celebrations. In this edition of Inside NIMH, we share NIMH-supported funding opportunities, as well as key developments across NIH-wide initiatives.

News to Know

• Dr. Shelli Avenevoli Begins Role as Acting NIMH Director: Following the departure of former Director Dr. Joshua Gordon in June 2024, Dr. Shelli Avenevoli was named Acting NIMH Director . Dr. Avenevoli will oversee NIMH’s extensive research portfolio while NIH conducts a national search for a new NIMH Director. Dr. Avenevoli came to NIMH in 2001 and has worked as a staff scientist, program officer, and, most recently, NIMH Deputy Director. She has played a pivotal role in defining the institute's research priorities, policies, and strategic initiatives. Dr. Avenevoli has contributed significantly to many important large-scale efforts focused on urgent public health issues, including youth mental health, suicide prevention, and COVID-19.
• NIMH Concludes its 75th Anniversary Celebrations
  • NIMH will conclude its year-long anniversary celebration with its third and final symposium on September 20, 2024, which will focus on the inspiration driving NIMH research. The event will feature dynamic presentations by rising stars and trailblazers in the scientific community. The symposium will also explore diverse perspectives and creative approaches to mental health challenges, including discussions about cutting-edge advances that are shaping the future of mental health research.
  • In addition to hosting celebratory events, NIMH has been sharing digital resources that highlight research that the institute conducts and supports. For example, NIMH continues to post new episodes in a podcast series, “Mental Health Matters.” NIMH also developed a collection of social media messages, graphics, newsletter posts, and additional resources to help others spread the word about NIMH’s history and mental health research advances over the past 75 years.
• NIMH Announces 2024 James S. Jackson Memorial Award Recipient: On July 8, 2024, NIMH named Anna Lau, Ph.D., as the 2024 James S. Jackson Memorial Award recipient. Dr. Lau is a Professor of Psychology and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence in the Life Sciences. She is a faculty member in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program and directs the Culture and Race/Ethnicity in Youth Mental Health Lab. Dr. Lau trains students in evidence-based treatment for youth and teaches courses in Asian American Mental Health and the Psychology of Diversity. Dr. Lau will present her research at an NIMH virtual webinar on October 18, 2024. In 2021, NIMH launched the James S. Jackson Memorial Award, named in honor of the late Dr. James S. Jackson, a renowned social psychologist and member of the NAMHC. Dr. Jackson’s research on race, ethnicity, racism, health, and mental health has had far-reaching impacts on the fields of disparities research and minority mental health research.
• NIH Recognizes Winners of National Youth Essay Contest on Mental Health Stigma: In an effort to promote awareness of and spark conversations about mental health among high schoolers, NIMH, along with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), supported the “2024 Speaking Up About Mental Health! ” essay contest. Contest participants explored ways that individuals or society can eliminate and/or reduce stigma that young people may face when seeking mental health treatment. Of the more than 370 submissions from high schoolers across 33 states, NIH awarded  24 youth (aged 16-18) finalists with gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention prizes. The winning essays addressed complicated topics such as stigma, trauma, resilience, equity, anxiety, and more. Teens also shared ideas for improving well-being, such as broader access to leisure sports, reducing time spent on social media, and normalizing mental health treatment and care.
• Outreach Spotlight: Over the last few months, NIMH shared resources to support several mental health observances. In recognition of National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month in June, NIMH promoted its digital sharables on PTSD. For the institute's back to school campaign in August, NIMH promoted its digital toolkit to support the mental health of students, parents, and teachers and launched its new animated video series for children, “Jane the Brain.” In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month in September, NIMH promoted its digital toolkit with resources that help others recognize the warning signs for suicide and how to get help.

Updates and Announcements from HHS and NIH

• Spotlight on Maternal Mental Health: On September 16, 2024, the NIMH Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity (ODWD) and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) co-hosted a roundtable as part of the NIH “Elevating Women’s Voices to Improve Maternal Mental Health ” event series. This series is responsive to a Presidential Memorandum  that launched the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research  and encourages NIH and other federal government entities to galvanize women’s health research, develop innovative and cutting-edge interventions that promote women’s health, and ensure that women across the United States have access to high-quality health care. During the ODWD-ORWH roundtable, speakers highlighted high-priority research related to women's mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period, described research gaps, and explored how research advances can reduce the burden of mental illnesses that contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality.
• Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents: On August 28, 2024, the Office of the Surgeon General released an Advisory  that calls attention to stressors that impact the mental health and well-being of parents and caregivers, the critical link between parental mental health and children's long-term well-being, and the urgent need to better support parents, caregivers, and families. The Advisory outlines the state of the science and describes action that can be taken by interested parties, including federal, state, local, and tribal governments; community organizations; and researchers.
• Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Updates
  • Dr. Shelli Avenevoli became the new Chair of the IACC following the departure of Dr. Joshua Gordon. Dr. Avenevoli will serve in this role until a new NIMH Director is named.
  • The IACC held a Full Committee Meeting  on July 10, 2024, to discuss federal autism activities and issues related to family caregiving. This was the last IACC meeting under the Autism CARES Act of 2019 . Congress has introduced legislation to reauthorize the Autism CARES Act. If reauthorizing legislation is enacted, HHS will begin the process to solicit nominations of new public members to serve on the IACC.
• Report to Congress on Federal Autism Activities: On May 29, 2024, HHS published the FY 2019-2023 Report to Congress on Activities Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities Under the Autism CARES Act of 2019 . This comprehensive report provides updates on progress made in implementing the provisions of the Autism CARES Act of 2019, including progress made by federal departments and agencies in implementing the recommendations of the IACC Strategic Plan , as well as other key information required by the Act.
• NIH Leadership News
  • On September 5, 2024, NIH announced the selection of Geri R. Donenberg, Ph.D. , as NIH Associate Director for AIDS Research and Director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR), part of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the NIH Office of the Director. In these roles, Dr. Donenberg will lead the advancement and coordination of HIV/AIDS research at NIH, working closely with NIH institutes, centers, and offices. She succeeds Bill Kapogiannis, M.D., and Diana Finzi, Ph.D., who have led OAR since March 2023.
  • On August 6, 2024, NIH announced the selection of Carolyn M. Hutter, Ph.D. , as Director of the NIH Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC). As OSC Director, Dr. Hutter will plan, manage, and oversee activities funded by the NIH Common Fund that supports bold scientific programs that catalyze discovery across all biomedical and behavioral research. These programs help investigators and multiple NIH institutes and centers collaborate on innovative research expected to address high priority NIH-wide challenges and make a broader impact in the scientific community. She succeeds Douglas M. Sheeley, Sc.D., who served as Acting Director of OSC between January 2023 and August 2024.
• NIH-Wide Initiatives
  • Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Program - Schizophrenia (AMP® SCZ): Managed by the Foundation for NIH (FNIH), the AMP SCZ program is a public-private partnership between NIMH, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, and multiple public and private organizations that addresses the critical need for more effective treatments for people with schizophrenia and related mental health conditions.
    • As of September 6, the AMP SCZ observational study of clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis has enrolled 1,940 participants, including 1,557 CHR individuals and 383 healthy controls. On June 27, 2024, NIMH published the second AMP SCZ dataset  via the NIMH Data Archive (NDA), including data for 1,048 participants, ages 12-30, from the time of screening through the second month of observation. The dataset includes behavioral and clinical measures, electroencephalogram recordings, magnetic resonance imaging data, redacted open interview transcripts, and activity data from wearable devices.
    • On June 14, 2024, the AMP SCZ program held its annual meeting . Junior and senior AMP SCZ investigators presented their research and discussed new directions and opportunities for improvements to diagnosis and treatment.
  • All of Us Research Program
    • As of July 2024, commercial organizations can now apply  for data access to the All of Us Researcher Workbench . Researchers within these organizations must have a Data Use and Registration Agreement and complete all registration and training requirements. This update represents the latest step towards the program’s goal of supporting responsible, open science.
    • On June 27, 2024, All of Us published a roadmap  outlining strategies to advance precision medicine for all. The roadmap is the culmination of years of discussions among NIH staff, program partners, participants, and researchers about key research areas, which are grounded in the program’s original blueprint and further informed by present health concerns, such as the nation’s leading causes of death.
  • Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative: On June 17–18, 2024, NIH hosted the 10th Annual BRAIN Initiative® Conference: Celebrating a Decade of Innovation . The BRAIN Initiative Conference convened BRAIN Initiative awardees, NIH staff, leadership from contributing federal and non-federal agencies, and individuals interested in neuroscience and BRAIN-funded research. Now in its tenth year, this hybrid meeting provided a forum for discussing exciting scientific developments and potential new directions and identified areas for collaboration and research coordination.
  • NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative (CCHI): NIMH is part of the Steering Committee of the NIH CCHI , a cross-cutting NIH-wide effort to reduce health threats from climate change across the lifespan and build health resilience in individuals, communities, and nations around the world.
    • In May 2024, the NIH CCHI published the NIH CCHI 2023 Annual Report . The inaugural report highlights the significant progress achieved in the first year of the NIH-wide effort to advance the science of climate change and health, including information about the major programs that launched in 2023.
    • The NIH CCHI and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) established a new partnership  to fund two university centers that will provide support for health research in response to climate-related disasters. These centers are providing funding  and offering technical resources  to researchers conducting field-based, health-related studies or collecting data following an extreme climate change-related event or natural disaster.
  • NIH Common Fund
    • This summer, the NIH Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS)  initiative and the NIH Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource co-hosted five webinars  designed to help community organizations and research teams enhance their grant application and professional development skills. Each recorded webinar focused on a distinct topic area and included Office Hours.
    • On August 8, 2024, the NIH Common Fund issued a Request for Information to gather input on challenges and opportunities in developing trustworthy, cost-effective, accessible, ethical, and sustainable precision medicine artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that may support clinical decision-making (NOT-RM-24-011 ). NIH invites researchers, health care providers, patients, industry representatives, patient advocates, funders, regulators, and representatives of populations that experience health disparities to comment using the RFI submission website  by September 23, 2024.
  • NIH Resource for Promoting Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence: The NIH Office of Science Policy issued a new resource  to assist the research community in understanding how NIH policies guide AI-related research. The purpose of the resource is to illustrate the applicability of existing policies and guidance to research involving AI technologies.
  • NIH Environmental Justice Scholars Program: NIH is launching the Environmental Justice Scholars Program , which will be led aims to inform, build, and strengthen NIH capacity in the field of environmental justice. NIMH’s Division of Translational Research, Center for Global Mental Health Research, and Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity are seeking scholars interested in the intersection of environmental justice and mental health. The Program is accepting applications from research scholars, academics, public health and health care professionals, and environmental justice leaders from community-based organizations, due by October 11, 2024.

Budget Overview

• Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Budget: On March 23, 2024, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 (Public Law No. 118-47 ), providing funds through September 30, 2024. The law provides $2.3 billion to NIMH (amount includes 21st Century Cures funding ). The appropriation includes an increase of $75 million to support research focused on developing targeted preventive interventions and treatment for mental illnesses. It also includes a $139 million reduction in 21st Century Cures funding for the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative. NIMH anticipates awarding more than 600 new and competing research project grants (RPGs) in FY24, with an estimated success rate of 22%, as shown in the figure below.
   

• Outlook for FY25: FY25 is likely to begin under a continuing resolution. On March 11, 2024, the White House released its FY25 budget request to Congress . The discretionary request for NIH was $50.1 billion, an increase of $1.53 billion from the FY24 enacted level. The request for NIMH was $2.5 billion. The request included $10 million for a behavioral health science implementation initiative and $190 million for other mental health research supporting better diagnostics, improved treatments, and enhanced precision of mental health care. On June 26, 2024, the House Appropriations Subcommittee released the FY25 House Appropriation bill . The bill would appropriate $48.6 billion to NIH, flat with FY24 enacted levels. The bill would appropriate $2.3 billion for NIMH, combining an increase of $23M in the general appropriation with a decrease of $41M from the Cures appropriation. On August 1, 2024, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY25 Senate Appropriations bill . The bill would appropriate $50.4 billion to NIH and $2.7 billion to NIMH, restoring funding for the BRAIN Initiative and providing a $275 million increase to support research focused on developing targeted prevention of and treatment for mental illness.

NIMH Staff News and Transitions

• Staff News
  • Nicole Martino was appointed as the NIMH Executive Officer, Deputy Director for Management, and Director for the Office of Management. She previously served as NIMH Deputy Executive Officer since 2019 and Acting Executive Officer for the past six months. Nicole has a proven track record of leading and implementing successful, large-scale change management and process improvement initiatives for the NIMH community. She succeeds Ann Huston, M.P.A., who served as NIMH Executive Officer before retiring in February 2024.
  • Susan Koester, Ph.D., was appointed as the Acting NIMH Deputy Director. Dr. Koester previously served as the Deputy Director of the NIMH Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science (DNBBS). She also co-led the NIH Common Fund Genotype-Tissue Expression Program and served as the NIMH liaison for the NIH Common Fund High-Risk, High-Reward Research programs.
  • Jovier Evans, Ph.D., was appointed as the Acting Senior Advisor in the NIMH Office of the Director. Dr. Evans continues to serve as the Branch Chief of the Geriatrics and Aging Processes Research Branch and Associate Director of the Aging and Life Course Research in the Division of Translational Research. He also supports research programs and resource development for mental disorders experience in late life.
  • Lauren Hill, Ph.D., was appointed as the Acting NIMH Scientific Diversity Officer while NIMH conducts a national search. Dr. Hill continues to serve as the Deputy Director of the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity.
  • Suzanne Garcia, Ph.D., was appointed as the Acting Deputy Director for DNBBS. Dr. Garcia previously served as a Program Officer within DNBBS and Senior Scientific Project Manager for AMP® SCZ.
  • Oni Celestin, Ph.D., was named Deputy Director of the NIMH Office of the National Autism Coordinator (ONAC); in this role, Dr. Celestin will help support IACC activities. Dr. Celestin previously served as a Health Science Policy Analyst in ONAC.
  • Eugene I. Kane III, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., was appointed as the Deputy Director of the NIMH Office of Clinical Research (OCR). Dr. Kane previously served as the Acting Deputy Director of OCR since December 2023 and the Deputy Chief of the Human Research Protection Branch in OCR since 2016.
  • Haniya Raza, D.O., M.P.H., was appointed as Deputy Clinical Director of the NIMH Intramural Research Program. Dr. Raza continues to serve as the Chief of the Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Service in the Office of the Clinical Director.
  • Charisee Lamar, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.R.T., Deputy Director of the Division of Extramural Activities, departed NIMH. Dr. Lamar was an outstanding leader in extramural policy, with a focus on administrative processes, data-driven decision making, and staff training. She is now serving as the Director of the Division of Extramural Research Activities at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Director’s Highlights: NIMH Scientists and Science

Notable NIMH Grants

The following is a selection of the institute’s most recently funded projects that exemplify our efforts to accelerate research on mental illnesses, and to achieve the research goals outlined in the NIMH Strategic Plan for Research.

• Neurons send electric pulses (action potentials) down the length of specialized wire-like structures called axons, which enable neurons to communicate with downstream cells. Neurons are known to heavily regulate their axons' structure and function. However, the impact of axon structure on neuronal function, and its role in disease, is unclear. With funding from the NIMH Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, Padmini Rangamani, Ph.D.  (University of California, San Diego), and collaborator Shigeki Watanabe, Ph.D.  (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), aim to develop computational models that can predict how the physical properties of a neuron and the signals it receives from other neurons subsequently impact the structure of that neuron’s axon and its own neuronal communication. Drs. Rangamani and Watanabe then plan to test these predictions using tissue and cell cultures from mice. This project aims to advance our understanding of the reciprocal interaction between axon structure and function, a key component of neuronal communication and brain function associated with mental illnesses.
• HIV infects the central nervous system and establishes persistent viral infection (reservoirs) that make it difficult to eradicate the virus and may contribute to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. HIV is believed to predominantly persist in a dormant state within brain myeloid cells (BMCs), a class of cells that includes microglia and macrophages, which play critical roles in responding to viral infections. With support from the NIMH Division of AIDS Research, Guochun Jiang, Ph.D.  (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), seeks to use single-cell technologies to identify factors and signaling pathways that control dormant and persistent HIV expression in BMCs, including mechanisms that transcribe the virus from DNA to RNA, an essential step in its expression. Through this research, Dr. Jiang aims to better understand how BMCs drive HIV persistence within the central nervous system and develop novel tools targeting the transcription of HIV in the BMCs, moving us one step closer to eradicating HIV in the brain.
• Auditory hallucinations (hearing voices or noises without an external source) associated with schizophrenia can be persistent, debilitating, and difficult to treat. With support from the NIMH Division of Translational Research, Judy Thompson, Ph.D.  (University of Rochester), and Edmund Lalor, Ph.D.  (Trinity College, Dublin), seek to better understand the pathophysiology of auditory hallucinations in individuals with schizophrenia by using electroencephalography to characterize hierarchical processing of natural speech. Drs. Thompson and Lalor then aim to evaluate whether auditory hallucinations are associated with impaired auditory processing of speech content and whether prior knowledge of the speech content impacts the auditory processing of speech. Results of the study may help identify novel therapeutic targets for auditory hallucinations, along with biomarkers of underlying pathology that can be used to identify who is most likely to benefit from targeted intervention strategies.
• Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) adolescents—those whose gender identity does not align with social and cultural expectations associated with the sex assigned to them at birth—are two to three times more likely than their cisgender peers to experience depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, many of these youth face barriers to accessing high-quality mental health care due to associated stigma and shortages in specialized services. With funding from the NIMH Division of Services and Intervention Research, Diane Chen, Ph.D.  (Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago), aims to develop and pilot test the effectiveness of a mobile phone app-based cognitive behavioral therapy intervention on improving existing anxiety and depression symptoms in high school-aged TNB adolescents. Dr. Chen will also measure the impact of the intervention on treatment targets (internalized transphobia, negative future expectations, identity non-disclosure, and gender identity pride) and whether additional human coaching outside of the app (e.g., via phone, text message, or email) can improve intervention engagement. Results of this study could yield critical data to inform a larger, implementation-effectiveness trial of an intervention that may promote equitable access to effective mental health care for TNB youth.

For more information on these and other grants selected for funding, visit the NIH RePORTER website .

Featured Funding Opportunities and Initiatives

NIH electronically posts in the NIH Guide  a listing of all NIH Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), including program announcements and requests for applications, as well as important notices for the scientific community. Below is a description of some types of NOFOs and Notices, as well as a selection of “Featured Funding Opportunities” in which NIMH participates. The Funding page on the NIMH website also has links to listings of all NIMH NOFOs and other resources. Information about the review process can be found on NIH’s Understand Funding Opportunities webpage .

Program Announcements

Program Announcements (PAs) are formal statements about new or ongoing extramural activities or programs. NIH may also make funds available through PARs (PAs with special receipt, referral, and/or review considerations) and PASs (PAs with set-aside funds). These types of NOFOs may serve as a reminder of continuing interest in a research area, describe modifications to an activity or program, and/or invite applications for grant support.

Featured PAs, PARs, or PASs:

• NIMH Research Education Mentoring Program for HIV Researchers (PAR-24-233 )
• Genetic Architecture of Mental Disorders in Ancestrally Diverse Populations II (PAR-24-240 , PAR-24-241 )
• Standardizing Data and Metadata from Wearable Devices (PAR-24-250 )

Notices of Special Interest

Notices of Special Interest (NOSIs) highlight interest in a research area that does not have set-aside funds or special review criteria or review considerations. NOSIs direct applicants to one or more active NOFOs (often parent announcements ) for submission of applications for the initiative described.

Featured NOSIs:

• Neuromodulatory Control of Circuits Underlying Mental Health Relevant Behaviors (NOT-MH-24-100 )
• Fundamental Mechanisms and Functions of Co-transmission in the Brain (NOT-MH-24-105 )
• Behavioral Tasks Targeting Brain Systems Relevant to Anhedonia (NOT-MH-24-130 )
• Impact of Financing and Payment Mechanisms to Improve Behavioral Health Access, Utilization and Outcomes (NOT-MH-24-270 )
• Impact of Policy Interventions Aimed at Addressing Social Determinants of Health to Improve Functioning and Well-being for People with Serious Mental Illnesses (NOT-MH-24-340 )

Requests for Applications

Requests for Applications (RFAs) are formal statements that solicit grant or cooperative agreement applications in a well-defined scientific area to accomplish specific program objectives. RFAs often list a single receipt date in the announcement and indicate the amount of funds set aside for the RFA in a given fiscal year. Applications in response to RFAs are reviewed using NOFO-specific peer review criteria, which usually includes review by a Scientific Review Group specially convened by the awarding component that issued the RFA.

Featured RFAs:

• Lethal Means Safety Suicide Prevention Research in Healthcare and Community Settings (RFA-MH-25-120 )
• Optimizing Behavioral Sleep Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults (RFA-MH-25-130 )
• Research Opportunities in Crisis Response Services for Suicide Prevention (RFA-MH-25-135 , RFA-MH-25-136 )
• Suicide Prevention Across the Life Span in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (RFA-MH-25-160 )
• Mechanisms of Reciprocal Interactions between HIV Associated Neuroinflammation and CNS Persistence: Implications in HIV Neuropathogenesis and Cure (RFA-MH-25-180 , RFA-MH-25-181 )
• Individually Measured Phenotypes to Advance Computational Translation in Mental Health (IMPACT-MH) (RFA-MH-25-195 )
• BRAIN Initiative: Brain Behavior Quantification and Synchronization (RFA-MH-26-100 )

Notices

NIH periodically issues Notices to update or clarify policies. For example, NIH uses Notices to solicit information from the extramural community, such as a request for information (RFI). NIH may also release Notices of Intent to Publish (NOITPs) to alert the grantee community of an upcoming NOFO (particularly NOFOs that may require coordination by multiple investigators) or if there will be a shorter than normal time from publication of the NOFO to the first application receipt date (such as with a reissue of an existing NOFO). For the most up-to-date list of NIH and NIMH-issued notices, visit the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts website .

Featured Notices:

• Notice of Information: NIMH List of Human Genes Having Rare Variants with Strong Statistical Support for Association to Mental Health Traits (NOT-MH-24-370 )

You can subscribe to the NIMH Funding Opportunities ListServ  to receive the latest information about NIMH funding opportunities, as well as administrative updates and changes to grant policies and procedures. You can also subscribe to a separate listserv to receive weekly e-mails from the NIH Guide .

Future Research Directions

Concept Clearances for Potential New Research Initiatives

This list of concept clearances offers the earliest possible alert to the field of our research interests and potential upcoming funding announcements. While NIMH plans to proceed with these initiatives, their publication and timing are not certain and depend on sufficient funding. The titles and brief descriptions are consistent with the information available at the time of concept clearance. The resultant Notices of Funding Opportunities may differ from the concepts in the final wording of their titles or other aspects.

• Genetic Architecture of Mental Disorders in Ancestrally Diverse Populations II
• National Cooperative Drug/Device Discovery/Development Groups (NCDDG) for the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders
• Neuromodulation/Neurostimulation Device Development for Mental Health Applications
• Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders

For more information about concept clearances, please see recent NAMHC-approved concepts. To send questions about a specific concept, reach out to NIMHinitiatives@mail.nih.gov.

NIMH-Sponsored Meetings

• Neuroimmune Mechanisms Linking Inflammatory Processes with Cognitive, Social, and Affective Functions: On September 13, 2024, the NIMH Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science hosted a webinar on interactions between the nervous and immune systems. Experts described current research on how inflammatory processes affect the brain, with a focus on understanding how these changes contribute to psychiatric disorders.
• Suicide Prevention in Health Care Settings: On September 11, 2024, in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, NIMH and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) co-hosted a livestream event to highlight federally-supported research on suicide screening, risk assessment, and interventions in health care settings and strategies to translate this research into clinical settings. Experts from NIMH and SAMHSA also described ways to seek help for yourself or others who may be at risk for suicide.
• Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity Webinar Series: The NIMH Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity (ODWD) hosts an annual webinar series, designed for investigators conducting or interested in conducting research on mental health disparities, women’s mental health, minority mental health, and rural mental health.
  • Cultural Strengths as Protection: Multimodal Findings Using a Community-Engaged Process: On September 11, 2024, NIMH hosted a webinar during which researchers, leaders from the Shawnee Tribe, and NIMH staff discussed a conceptual framework for investigating the impact of cultural factors on mental health within American Indian communities. Presenters emphasized the importance of conducting community-engaged research.
  • Understanding Stigma and Discrimination as Drivers of Mental Health Disparities for Diverse, Rural, LGBTQ+ Communities: On August 22, 2024, researchers presented the goals and procedures of the Rural Engagement and Approaches For LGBTQ+ Mental Health (REALM) study, which is developing a longitudinal cohort of diverse LGBTQ+ adults residing in rural and small metropolitan communities across the United States.
• Insights into Cognitive and Neural Function Through Eye Tracking: On September 4-5, the NIMH Center for Multimodal Neuroimaging and the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) Core Facility hosted a workshop on NIMH-funded research related to eye tracking and cognition. The workshop featured ten researchers who presented their scientific findings and participated in a roundtable discussion related to training and career development.
• NIMH Intramural Research Program (IRP) Training Opportunities: On August 30, 2024, the NIMH IRP Office of Fellowship Training held an informational session for undergraduates, graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral fellows to describe NIH training programs, share research being done in NIMH IRP laboratories, and give prospective trainees a chance to chat with current NIMH trainees.
• Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series: On August 8, 2024, NIMH ODWD launched a webinar series focused on exploring the health disparities experienced by people with disabilities. During the first webinar, “Transforming Mental Health Disability Research Through Lived Experience Leadership and Co-Production,” researchers introduced a range of approaches to meaningfully integrate individuals with lived experiences of serious mental illness into leading mental health research, including co-producing research questions and projects.
• Placebo Workshop: Translational Research Domains and Key Questions: On July 11–12, 2024, the NIMH Division of Translational Research hosted a virtual workshop on the placebo effect. The workshop brought together experts in neurobiology, clinical trials, and regulatory science to examine placebo effects in drug, device, and psychosocial interventions for mental health disorders. Topics included interpretability of placebo signals within the context of clinical trials, how to isolate active response from placebo effects, and psychosocial implications of placebo response.
• Beyond the Lab: Navigating Ethical Challenges of Emerging Neurotechnology: On June 25, 2024, the NIMH Division of Extramural Activities hosted Anna Wexler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, as a guest speaker in the NIMH Director’s Innovation Speaker Series. In the virtual seminar, Dr. Wexler explored the ethical challenges and considerations associated with the expansion of neurotechnology from controlled laboratory environments to consumer use.
• NIH’s Definition of a Clinical Trial: On June 20, 2024, the NIMH Center for Global Mental Health Research (CGMHR) hosted a webinar on the definition of a clinical trial. NIMH staff experts provided an overview of NIH clinical trial classifications, with a focus on global mental health research, so that listeners could select the right NIH funding opportunity, learn how to address relevant grant application sections, and comply with appropriate policies and regulations.
• Forging Connections: Bridging Policy and Research for Suicide Prevention in the Americas: A Joint PAHO/NIMH Symposium on Suicide Prevention: On June 13–14, NIMH CGMHR and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) co-hosted a symposium that addressed the critical public health issue of suicide in the Americas. The symposium brought together researchers, policymakers, and mental health advocates to explore innovative strategies for suicide prevention, evidence-based prevention approaches, service delivery models, and national experiences in implementing these strategies.
• Promoting Mental Health for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth: Evidence-Based Developmental Perspectives Workshop: On June 10–11, 2024, NIMH ODWD hosted a two-day virtual workshop that convened researchers, youth advocates, and federal officials to review the state of the science on developmental trajectories of gender identity and sexuality, with a focus on research aimed at promoting mental health for sexual and gender minority youth. Session themes included epidemiological and population health studies of developmental trends, social determinants of health that drive mental health outcomes at multiple levels, and preventive and treatment interventions to ensure healthy futures for all youth.
• NIMH Genomics Team 75th Anniversary Webinar: Celebrating Advancements in Psychiatric Genomics: On June 10, 2024, the NIMH Genomics Team hosted a webinar to explore key advances in genetics and genomics research. This webinar brought together distinguished researchers to shed light on the genetic bases of mental illnesses, the impact of genetic variation and developmental trajectories in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, and the future of translating genetic findings to patient care.
• Discrimination as a Social Determinant of Mental Health Disparities Workshop: On June 6, 2024, NIMH ODWD hosted a virtual workshop that brought together investigators, NIH staff, and the public to discuss the science of discrimination and mental health disparities, and to identify research gaps and opportunities in mental health disparities research.

Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Activities

Electronic Grant Application Submission News

• New Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support: NIH issued guidance announcing adoption of the Biographical Sketch Common Form and the Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form (NOT-OD-24-163 ). These changes are effective for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) with application due dates and report submission dates on or after May 25, 2025. Until then, the current biosketch  and other support  format pages must be used.

NIH-Wide Grant News

• Updates to NIH Institutional Training Grant Applications: NIH announced updates to the NIH Institutional Training Program forms, expectations for mentor training, and required training data tables to reduce applicant and reviewer burden, further support the development of the biomedical research workforce, and align SF424  with updated NIH training grant funding opportunity requirements (NOT-OD-24-129 ). These changes take effect starting with submissions for due dates on or after January 25, 2025.
• Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows and Institutional Research Training Awards: As part of ongoing efforts to support family-friendly work environments for the NIH-supported workforce, NIH is increasing the childcare support to $3,000 for applicable NRSA individual fellowships and institutional training awards beginning with fiscal year 2024 awards (NOT-OD-24-116 ).
• Reminder: Continued Extension of Certain Flexibilities for Prospective Basic Experimental Studies with Human (BESH) Participants: On May 6, 2024, NIH published guidance to further extend interim policy flexibilities regarding registration and results reporting for NIH-funded BESH research submitted in response to designated BESH funding opportunities (NOT-OD-24-118 ). This guidance applies to BESH research responsive to designated BESH funding opportunities with application due dates through September 24, 2025.
• Single Audit Requirements for Foreign Grant Recipients and Subrecipients: Effective October 1, 2024, foreign grant recipients and subrecipients that expend $750,000 or more in federal awards during their fiscal year are required to conduct either a single audit (performed in accordance with the requirements outlined in 2 CFR 200 Subpart F) or program-specific audit (as required by the terms and conditions of award; NOT-OD-24-151 ).
• Prior Approval Requirement for Changes to Domestic Subawards for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs: SBIR and STTR recipients are now required to seek prior approval when adding a new domestic subaward to a project post-award, where the arrangement was not originally a part of the peer reviewed and approved application (NOT-OD-24-149 ).

For more information on all of these updates, please see the NIH eRA News page .

Questions? Contact the eRA Service desk . Note that contacting this help desk is the only way to document problems with an electronic grant application submission. Evidence of this contact is the only way to be eligible for any special consideration by the Center for Scientific Review Division of Receipt and Referral, should you run into a system problem with Grants.gov or with eRA that is beyond your control.

Research Training and Career Development

Here is the latest news about research training and career development at NIMH and NIH:

• NIH Request for Information on Recommendations to Improve Postdoctoral Experience: NIH is dedicated to improving the postdoctoral experience to ensure the biomedical research enterprise can attract and retain our nation’s brightest scientific minds and remain globally competitive. To help NIH implement recommendations from a recent Advisory Committee to the NIH Director report , NIH issued a Request for Information asking for comments from the public (NOT-OD-24-150 ). Responses must be submitted electronically on the RFI submission website  by October 23, 2024.

Director’s Messages

NIMH’s Director’s Messages provide insights into the latest topics in mental health research. As a part of NIMH’s 75th anniversary throughout the past year, many Director’s Messages were written by a range of guest contributions from NIMH divisions, offices, and teams, each focusing on a different aspect of NIMH’s broad mission:

• Partners in Advancing Science: From Innovative Ideas to Groundbreaking Research (August 26, 2024): In this guest-authored Director’s Message, NIMH staff provide a behind-the-scenes look at how NIMH’s Division of Extramural Activities helps transform innovative ideas into research that has the potential to advance mental health care and improve millions of lives.
• How NIMH’s Disparities Research Priorities Inform Suicide Prevention Efforts (July 31, 2024): In this guest-written Director’s Message, NIMH staff describe how NIMH’s commitment to research on mental health disparities and health equity, led by the Office of Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity and the Disparities Team, informs suicide prevention efforts.
• Driving Innovation in Mental Health Technology Through Small Business Programs (June 20, 2024): In this guest-written Director’s Message, NIMH staff highlighted how NIMH supports small businesses research through its Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
• Commencement (June 12, 2024): In his final Director's Message, Dr. Joshua Gordon reflects on his time at NIMH, including his commitment to excellent science, diversity, and priority science areas.

Science News

Here is the latest NIMH science-related news, including press releases, research highlights, feature stories, and institute announcements:

• Smartphone Data May Not Reliably Predict Depression Risk in Diverse Groups (August 21, 2024)
• New Gene Delivery Method Paves the Way for Advanced Brain Therapies (August 15, 2024)
• Increases Found in Preteen Suicide Rate (July 30, 2024)
• Youth With Conduct Disorder Show Widespread Differences in Brain Structure (July 17, 2024)
• Collaborative Care Could Help Reduce Disparities in Mental Health Treatment (July 2, 2024)
• Understanding the Availability of Mental Telehealth Services (June 26, 2024)
• Amplifying Voices and Building Bridges: NIMH Symposium Calls for Action Towards an Inclusive Path Forward (June 14, 2024)
• Digital Autism Screening Tool Could Enhance Early Identification (June 13, 2024)
• Noninvasively Stimulating Deep Brain Areas to Treat Depression Symptoms (June 5, 2024)
• NIH Announces Winners of 2023–2024 High School Mental Health Essay Contest (May 31, 2024)

The NIMH Press Team wants to share the latest mental health research with the public. If you are working on NIMH-funded research that has been submitted to a journal for publication, please tell us about it. We might be able to help spread the word about your findings. Also, it is important to acknowledge NIMH's support of your research by citing your NIMH award  in journal articles and other communications.

Connect with NIMH

Sign up  for the latest mental health news, research advances, upcoming events, publications, clinical trials, meeting summaries, and more. In addition to our email newsletters and RSS updates, please also visit NIMH on X , Facebook , LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube , where we highlight science news, scientific meetings and events, funding and training opportunities, and other timely information.