Applications to become an MQ member are open to researchers in the United States. This opportunity will mean that researchers will receive not only financial support but also practical support from the MQ team. Which of our MQ researchers have previously been based in the US and in what areas of research have they received support to develop?
2013
In MQ’s first year as a charity, 2013, two of our first fellows resided in the United States.
Dr. Susanne Ahmari identified brain activity related to obsessive behaviors, the first step toward developing new treatments for OCD. Dr. Ahmari investigated what happens in the brain to cause OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), specifically whether complications in the brain’s circuits can cause symptoms.
Susanne’s project involved a new technique called optogenetics, which means researchers can isolate and study specific brain cells. This can happen if these cells are made sensitive to light and then specific lights are used to turn them on and off. With this fascinating technique, Susanne advanced the understanding of OCD and contributed to treatments.
“The MQ scholarship was transformative. This study would have been too high risk for conventional funding. “MQ has enabled research that can have a measurable impact on the prevention of mental illness in young people.” Dr. Joshua Roffman
That same initial year of 2013, another American researcher, Dr. Joshua Roffman, discovered that by increasing folic acid consumption during pregnancy, changes occur in children’s brain development, reducing the appearance of psychotic symptoms in later stages of life.
Through the MQ scholarship, Joshua discovered that taking folic acid during pregnancy reduced the risks of psychotic symptoms in children. MQ supported his research and, as a result, public health policies changed around the world to increase levels of folic acid-fortified foods.
2014
In the second year of MQ, in 2014, two more researchers received support in the United States.
Dr. Jeremiah Cohen used innovative techniques to explore the role played by serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood, leading to better medications to treat mood disorders in the future.
Serotonin is largely associated with mood swings. Because of this, many antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. However, understanding of how serotonin plays a role in mental health conditions at the cellular level is still limited. That’s why Dr. Cohen used cutting-edge techniques to investigate the precise role of serotonin in the brain.
That same year, Professor Sergiu Pasca was supported to develop a method for creating three-dimensional brain circuits “on a plate”, providing a pioneering new way of understanding how different parts of the brain develop.
2015
The following year, 2015, another US-based researcher, Dr. Ian Maze, took a novel, multidisciplinary approach to understanding how serotonin affects major depressive disorder, which could lead to better drug treatments for depression. .
“Before MQ support, we worked [in this area] It was scarce and primitive. MQ was instrumental and essential in launching what is now an important thread of mental health research. We would not have believed how far the field and our own work would have come in such a short time.” Dr. Zach Cohen
2016
Another pair of American researchers joined the MQ team in 2016. Professor Jean-Baptiste Pingault found strong evidence for the direct impact of bullying on the development of mental health problems in young people. Working since 2017, his study, Bullying and Mental Health: a Genetically Informative Approach, which aims to improve understanding of mental health and bullying, could lead to more successful support for young people.
In 2020, Jean-Baptiste concluded his study, providing clear evidence on the sources and effects of bullying. The project used a large sample of 11,108 twins from the Early Twin Development Studysiblings who shared genes and environments but have different experiences of victimization.
Professor Baptiste’s study found that those with pre-existing risk factors, such as ADHD and depression, are more likely to be bullied and experience mental health problems than others.
Dr Patrick Rothwell from the USA also received support in the same year as Professor Baptiste. Dr. Rothwell identified brain cells related to impulse control that could lead to the development of treatments to curb negative behaviors. Dr. Patrick Rothwell and his team at the University of Minnesota used innovations in neuroscience to investigate whether conditions such as addiction and depression can be successfully treated by strengthening connections between areas of the brain.
2017
From the US, Dr. Zach Cohen led the Stratified Medicine Approaches to Treatment Selection (SMART) Tournament in 2017 to improve treatment selection for anxiety disorders, with support from MQ.
“This scholarship has been incredibly helpful for my career. It has provided funding to improve my intervention and is also fostering my own learning as a scientist. The call itself inspired a completely new approach to my research which has already led to other funded awards aimed at improving young people’s mental health.” Dr. Marisa Marracini
2023
Moving forward to 2023, three US-based fellows were welcomed to the MQ researcher roster.
Thanks to the support of MQ, Dr. Marisa Marracini is co-designing a virtual reality tool to help adolescents hospitalized for suicide-related crises.
Marisa works to promote the mental health of children and adolescents at school. Dr. Marracini is currently developing and testing a virtual reality intervention to accompany inpatient treatment of adolescents hospitalized for suicide-related incidents. He is also partnering with youth to develop and spread therapeutic skills through social media.
“Through individual interviews with these clinical stakeholders and group discussions with people living with type 1 diabetes, we will have a complete picture of where there are gaps in service delivery and how we can create acceptable and sustainable solutions that satisfy both the patient and the patient. patient. supplier needs. Dr. Leslie Johnson
Dr. Leslie Johnson, also from the US, is adapting and testing an existing treatment for people with type 2 diabetes to treat patients with type 1 diabetes. This project has the potential to help millions of people who living with type 1 diabetes and symptoms of depression and anxiety by improving available care options.
“I am deeply honored to receive the MQ Fellows award and very excited to conduct this research. This award provides a unique opportunity to complete important work in the field of suicide research, which you would not otherwise have had the opportunity to complete. “I am very grateful for MQ’s support and belief in the potential impact of this work.” Dr. Alexandre Lussier
Finally, Dr. Alexandre Lussier, based in the US and Canada, is conducting a longitudinal study on gene-environment interactions and epigenetic mechanisms to understand how depressive disorders influence suicide risk.
If you are interested in applying for the next round of MQ Scholarships, learn more about the 2024 Scholarship opportunity and how to apply here.
