Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Announces 2026 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners
Five leading scientists recognized for groundbreaking research in schizophrenia, mood disorders, child and adolescent
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New York, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF), the world’s largest private funder of mental health research grants, today announced the recipients of its 2026 Outstanding Achievement Prizes, recognizing five scientists whose innovative research is advancing the understanding and treatment of mental illness.
Prizewinners will present their research at the BBRF International Mental Health Research Symposium on Friday, October 30, in New York City, offering the public an opportunity to hear directly from some of the world’s leading scientists about advances shaping the future of mental health research. The awards will be presented that evening at the BBRF International Awards Dinner.
The 2026 Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners are:
Lieber Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Schizophrenia Research
Joseph A. Gogos, M.D., Ph.D.
Columbia University / Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for Precision Psychiatry & Mental Health
Dr. Gogos’ research is dedicated to uncovering the biological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and translating these discoveries into new approaches for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Maltz Prize for Innovative & Promising Schizophrenia Research
Steven A. Kushner, M.D., Ph.D.
Columbia University / New York State Psychiatric Institute / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for Precision Psychiatry & Mental Health
Dr. Kushner’s work is focused on elucidating the mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and related disorders through a combination of clinical and fundamental neuroscience.
Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research
Andrew H. Miller, M.D.
Emory University School of Medicine | Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Miller is a pioneer in the study of the role of inflammation in depression. His research has shown that chronic inflammation can access the brain and interact with neurotransmitter systems and neurocircuits, leading to symptoms of depression.
Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Research
Cynthia Rogers, M.D.
Washington University School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Dr. Rogers is a child psychiatrist and researcher who co-directs the Washington University Neonatal Development Research group and studies how a child’s earliest experiences, including before birth, shape the developing brain and influence mental health years later.
Goldman-Rakic Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Cognitive Neuroscience Research
Sheena Josselyn, Ph.D., FRSC
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) / University of Toronto
Dr. Josselyn studies one of the brain’s most remarkable abilities: turning experience into memory. Throughout her career, she has been guided by a deceptively simple question: where do memories live in the brain?
The prizewinners are selected annually by special committees of the BBRF Scientific Council, a volunteer group of 192 distinguished scientists across disciplines in brain and behavior research.
“Each of this year’s Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners has made important contributions to our understanding of the brain and the biological processes underlying mental illness,” said Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. “Their work reflects the extraordinary progress being made across the field—from genetics and precision psychiatry to inflammation, early brain development, and the mechanisms of memory. We are proud to recognize their achievements and the promise their research holds for people living with mental illness.”
About the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $487 million to fund more than 5,900 leading scientists around the world. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is the producer of the Emmy®-nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope.
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Myrna Manners Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (718) 986-7255 mmanners@mannerspr.com
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