Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Awarded 180 Grants

The foundation distributed over $12.5 million to early-career scientists for mental health research projects.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Mental Health

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a glass laboratory beaker filled with glowing geometric neural-network filaments, symbolizing mental health research funding. — The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation distributed $12.5 million in grants to 180 early-career scientists to advance mental health diagnostics and treatments. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation has awarded 180 grants to early-career scientists selected from 993 applications. The foundation provided over $12.5 million in two-year funding to support research focused on improving mental health treatments.

Why it matters

This funding supports the development of improved treatments, cures, and prevention methods for mental illnesses. By backing early-career researchers, the foundation aims to advance basic science and diagnostic tools.

The foundation awarded over $12.5 million in total funding for 180 projects. Approximately 52% of these grants focus on schizophrenia or depression, while 88% of the support is directed toward basic research.

The players

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

This New York-based organization is a leading non-governmental funder of mental health research.

Scientific Council

This body of 192 scientists and clinicians oversees the selection of grant recipients.

The details

Selected by a 192-member Scientific Council, the grantees will use these funds over two years to investigate topics including prenatal brain development and next-generation therapies. While 79% of the recipients are based in the United States, the program supports a broad spectrum of mental health studies.

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation began awarding research grants in 1987.
The foundation announced the 2026 class of grantees on October 7, 2026.

The Big Picture

The announcement follows the established operational model of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator grant program. This latest distribution of funds continues a pattern set by the foundation since 1987 of prioritizing early-career scientists to drive innovation in mental health diagnostics.

While these grants support basic research rather than direct clinical services, the work aims to yield future diagnostic tools and treatments for patients. Readers may eventually see the impact of this funding through the development of improved therapies for conditions like depression or schizophrenia.

The takeaway

Supporting early-career scientists ensures a steady pipeline of innovation in the challenging field of mental health research. Individuals affected by these conditions can look forward to the long-term clinical advancements that stem from these foundational scientific discoveries.