Krista Puruhito

The Institute for Mental Health Research (IMHR) is now accepting applications for grant funding.  The Institute seeks to fund pilot studies on mental disorders and mental health. IMHR grants are designed as seed money and are intended to fuel new scientific research to attract outside grant and commercial investment to Arizona's scientists and research centers.

IMHR will award one-year grants of up to $25,000 for individual scientists and up to $50,000 for collaborative grants between two or more institutions (e.g., universities, hospitals or research institutions).  Special consideration will be given to proposals related to expanding the understanding, treatment and prevention of mental illness and the promotion and maintenance of mental health throughout life - from childhood through the senior years.

Studies of Hispanic and Native American populations are also encouraged but not required.

All applications are due by December 4th, 2009.  Final award decisions will be made by the IMHR Board of Directors in March 2010.  Interested investigators should go to www.imhr.org/IMHRRFA2010.doc for details on the due date and submission process.

Since its founding in 2001, IMHR has awarded 36 pilot study grants to 29 different Arizona mental health researchers from eight institutions, including the University of Arizona (College of Medicine and Department of Psychology), Arizona State University, Barrow Neurological Institute, Translational Genomics Research Institute (T-Gen), Sun Health Research Institute, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Carl T. Hayden Veterans Administration Medical Center.

IMHR is a progressive scientific and medical enterprise, allowing scientists across the state to collaborate. It is the first multi-institutional, comprehensive, research organization of its kind, devoted to unlocking the secrets of the human mind.  The mission of the Institute for Mental Health Research is to accelerate the understanding, treatment and, ultimately, prevention of mental illnesses.

Along with awarding the 36 pilot study grants, the Institute's accomplishments include recruitment of four new mental health researchers to Arizona, contribution to the creation of an autism and ADHD research clinic, support of numerous educational conferences, and creation of the IMHR "best practices" and state-of-the-art mental health research website, in collaboration with community mental health experts.