BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION 2018 Annual Report Awarding research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. More than 30 Years of Research for Table of Contents Recovery MISSION 6 Message from the President & CEO The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to 8 Message from the President of the advances and breakthroughs in scientific research. Scientific Council 10 Leading Research Achievements by Foundation Grantees We fund leading-edge research for mental health that: 17 Our Scientific Council • Patients require to recover • Parents desire for their children 18 Our Newest Scientific Council Members • Psychiatrists need to provide better care 20 Recovery Research Programs • Pioneering Scientists depend upon to make new discoveries 22 Research Grants • Philanthropists can point to with pride 24 Grants by Illness Our goal: new treatments, cures, and methods of prevention. 30 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health VISION 31 2018 in Photos To dramatically improve the lives of those living with mental illness, ultimately enabling them to live full, happy, and productive lives. 34 Donors Research Partners 100% of all donor contributions for research are invested in BBRF grants that Donor Listings lead to discoveries in understanding the causes and improving treatments for Matching Gift Companies brain and behavior disorders in children and adults including addiction, ADHD, Honor Tributes anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, Memorial Tributes eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, schizophrenia and suicide prevention. Team Up for Research 67 Getting the Word Out 70 2018 Financial Summary 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 www.bbrfoundation.org 3 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in our research grants. Our operating expenses are covered by Our Global Footprint separate foundation grants. TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED SINCE 1987 MORE THAN 19 353 8 $394M England 142 2 Scotland 14 1 Ireland 17 40 1 50 Wales 15 1 3 41 1 4,709 6 28 31 33 1 10 8 TOTAL NUMBER OF COUNTRIES 5 1 89 2 3 35 3 1 1 2 1 TOTAL GRANTS AWARDED 5,700+ In total 9 4,700+ In the U.S. 1,000+ Outside the U.S. 77 4,482 Young Investigator Grants 3 828 Independent Investigator Grants 426 Distinguished Investigator Grants 3 2 2018 BBRF HIGHLIGHTS 350,000 16% 1,200+ 60% 69% 10 5 followers increase in followers new fans increase in subscriptions increase in monthly Outstanding Achievement Klerman & Freedman Prizes webinar attendance Prizes Awarded Awarded 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 www.bbrfoundation.org 5 Message from the President & CEO The year 2018 was one of great advances in the field of brain and behavior Advances and discoveries that BBRF grantees, prizewinners, The vision of our 180-member Scientific Council could research thanks to you, and the many others who generously support the Brain and Scientific Council members are actively researching and not be fulfilled without its leader, Dr. Herbert Pardes; the & Behavior Research Foundation. which we will likely hear a lot more about in the next 5–10 guidance of our Board of Directors, led by our Chairman, years include: Steve Lieber; and funding from you, our donors. With This annual report highlights the remarkable research that has taken place momentum building in the field for new and exciting brain because of BBRF grants in 2018. This past year, BBRF grantees have generated • Fast-acting antidepressants and behavior advancements, your support is even more advances that are enabling more and more people to live full, happy, and urgent — and will be impactful today and in the future by • Cognitive remediation productive lives. helping to accelerate research and bring recovery for more people. 100% of your contribution for research directly Since 1987, BBRF has awarded more than $394 million to more than 4,700 • Stem cell technologies supports research as our operating expenses are researchers around the world who are working hard to alleviate the suffering • Diagnostic biomarkers/computer-guided diagnosis of covered by separate foundation grants. caused by mental illness. mental illness Our work is far from done, but looking back on last year, As the world’s leading private funder of mental health research grants, BBRF • Personalized treatments for brain and behavior disorders we did indeed move the needle forward on our path to provides initial funding for high-risk, high-reward ideas that major research research for recovery. I thank you for your contributions to funders, including the NIMH, would not yet support. Our seed money allows • Very large samples to reveal undetected genetic factors the BBRF and welcome those of you who will join us on the a scientist to conduct innovative research which leads to a multiplier effect Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D. dynamic path to the future. resulting in additional funding from other sources to continue their work. • Improved TMS and other non-invasive brain stimulation President & CEO treatments Sincerely, I am proud to report that in 2018 alone, BBRF has funded more than $17 million in research grants looking at addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, • Establishing the role of inflammation in mental illness borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia. • Dietary supplements for prevention of mental illness Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D. Funding the most promising and cutting-edge research is at the core of our • Actionable information about how genes and mission. Supporting young scientists’ careers and keeping them in the field of environment interact neuroscience is vital to finding cures for mental illness. In fact, our support for This research, as well as other scientific discoveries, will young scientists launches careers in brain science. change how we help people who live with mental illness. The path to the future of scientific research and discovery is a challenging and Our model encourages new and innovative research from lengthy process, and BBRF remains committed to funding “innovative and out of the bottom up, generated by scientists. the box” ideas because it is this cutting-edge research that will eventually result in Examples include early support for optogenetics, deep brain new treatments and cures for brain and behavior disorders. stimulation for treatment-resistant depression, transcranial Many new discoveries in brain science would not, and could not, have occurred magnetic stimulation, and rapid-acting antidepressants. without early support from a BBRF grant. Each of these important breakthroughs received initial key support from grants provided by the BBRF. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two drugs that rapidly relieve the symptoms of severe depression. These are the first antidepressant The past, present, and future accomplishments of BBRF medicines with novel mechanisms of action that have been approved in decades. are inextricably bound with the passionate commitment BBRF grantees were among the pioneering researchers who laid the scientific and intense effort of our Scientific Council. Scientists on foundations for both of these medications as well as the clinical trials that the BBRF Scientific Council offer their time, judgement and demonstrated their effectiveness. Esketamine, delivered via a nasal spray, is the wisdom of their experience in evaluating the research targeted for patients who have not been helped by two or more conventional goals of the more than 800 scientists who submitted grant antidepressant treatments. Brexanolone is the first medication specifically applications in 2018. A survey of our Scientific Council approved for postpartum depression. members revealed that approximately one-third of them received their initial early research support from BBRF as Young Investigators. 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 www.bbrfoundation.org 7 Message from the President of the Scientific Council According to the World Health Organization, four of the 10 most disabling BBRF has a winning track record. Examples of it include: The Scientific Council continues to grow, with experts diseases of societies worldwide are psychiatric. broadening its scientific and clinical breadth. We can proudly Fast-acting antidepressants say that we have 38 specialists in addiction, 23 specialists “By 2020, the most significant illness in the world will be mental illness. Ketamine, esketamine and other agents with new in ADHD, 47 specialists in anxiety, 34 specialists in autism, The clues are all there, but they haven’t been pulled together adequately.” mechanisms of action are gaining approval. Research by 48 specialists in bipolar disorder, 4 specialists in borderline –Stephen Lieber, Chairman of the BBRF Board our grantees puts us in view of a new era in depression personality disorder, 68 specialists in depression, 20 treatment in which the most severely affected patients specialists in OCD, 23 specialists in PTSD, and 80 specialists I couldn’t agree more with Steve Lieber. BBRF’s record of more than 30 years will not have to wait months to experience a reduction in in schizophrenia. This strengthens our capacity to review of support for psychiatric research is remarkable, and we are working hard symptoms. Severe depression symptoms will be alleviated grant applications and identify the most creative proposals, to use the clues to solve the most intricate and complicated of illnesses — within hours — a lifesaver for the most seriously ill. which is essential in this tech-boom era marked by the mental illness. increasing precision and sophistication of science. Stem cell technologies This at its very core is what BBRF strives to do — find the dynamic path forward. Pioneered by our grantees, and now widely used, stem- BBRF has long served as a go-to resource for the support cell methods are making it possible to reprogram patients’ of psychiatric research. More than 30 years from its BBRF continues its legacy of extremely productive grant-making that is changing skin cells to re-develop as neurons and other brain-cell founding, scientists see BBRF, perhaps more than ever, brain research and psychiatry.