NIH Awards Schizophrenia Research Grant to Zucker Hillside Scientist
September 5, 2008
The discovery of genes linked to severe mental illnesses is helping scientists understand what causes a person to think or behave in abnormal ways. Dr. Lencz is leading the way in that effort, conducting a large-scale, genome-wide scan to identify molecular subtypes of schizophrenia. For 100 years, psychiatry has used virtually the same set of criteria for diagnosing mental illness, relying on the subjective reports of patients. The goal of Dr. Lencz’ research is to utilize 21st century technology, including genetics, brain imaging and neurocognitive testing, to develop more objective tools to characterize mental disorders. Eventually, such tools may be used to more accurately predict, treat and prevent serious mental illnesses. "EUREKA projects promise remarkable outcomes that could revolutionize science," said NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, MD. "The program reflects NIH’s commitment to supporting potentially transformative research, even if it carries a greater than usual degree of scientific risk." EUREKA researchers will receive direct costs of approximately $200,000 per year for up to four years. The EUREKA grant was funded through the National Institute of Mental Health. Zucker Hillside Hospital scientists, members of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, have led the way in research on schizophrenia for more than two decades. The Glen Oaks, NY-based hospital has played a major role in establishing the best treatment approaches for the initial phases of this illness and beyond. Contact: Jamie Talan, science writer-in-residence 516-562-1232 (w) or 631-682-8781 (c) |
