Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Announces $12.5 Million in Young Investigator Grants for Mental Health Research

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) has selected 180 Young Investigator grantees for 2026, providing over $12.5 million in two-year funding for early-career scientists conducting research on brain and behavior disorders. This decision follows a review of 993 applications by BBRF’s Scientific Council, which comprises 192 experts in psychiatry and neuroscience.

BBRF’s President and CEO, Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., highlighted the importance of these grants in fostering a new generation of researchers, stating that they will advance innovative approaches to understanding and treating mental illness.

The awarded projects cover a variety of psychiatric conditions, with more than half focused on depression and schizophrenia. Other significant areas of research include anxiety disorders, addiction, autism, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, and suicide prevention. Of particular note, more than 30 projects examine prenatal brain development and early-life influences on mental health.

Research topics include developing new treatments for postpartum depression, investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds, and exploring non-invasive brain stimulation techniques.

The grants support a diverse range of research areas: 88% focus on basic research, 24% on next-generation therapies, 17% on diagnostic tools and early interventions, and 3% on new technologies. Grantees hail from around the world, with 79% based in the U.S. and the remaining 21% from 15 other countries.

Judith M. Ford, Ph.D., President of the BBRF Scientific Council, emphasized that these grants are vital for pushing the boundaries in mental health research, aiming to provide hope through early prediction, prevention, and intervention strategies.

For detailed information about the 2026 Young Investigator projects, a complete list and summaries are available in BBRF’s 2026 Young Investigator Grants booklet.

Since its inception in 1987, BBRF has awarded over $487 million to support research aimed at improving treatments and preventive measures for mental illnesses such as addiction, anxiety, and schizophrenia.