BD²: Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder has announced its inaugural round of Discovery Research grants totaling $18 million.

Multidisciplinary teams of scientists and clinicians, whose leads are at Yale and Stanford universities, the New York Genome Center (NYGC), and the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, will each receive grants of up to $4.5 million over three years to examine fundamental mechanisms of bipolar disorder.

Recipients include Hilary Blumberg of Yale, who is investigating mitochondrial-related genes, metabolic changes, and the central importance of energy- and activity-related symptoms at the onset of bipolar-related episodes; Julie Kauer of Stanford, who is studying the biological mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder; Thomas Lehner of NYGC, who is exploring the genetic underpinnings of bipolar disorder using multiple stem cell approaches to unravel the shared biology of common and rare genetic variants in people with African ancestry; and Jenny Tam of the Wyss Institute, who is examining the molecular mechanisms of common bipolar interventions and the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder.

In addition, BD² announced a second round of funding for the program, inviting interested research teams to apply for grants of the same amount.

“The Discovery Research program is the cornerstone of BD²’s work to broaden understanding so that we can more effectively diagnose and improve treatment for the tens of millions of people living with bipolar disorder,” said Cara Altimus, BD² managing director and Milken Institute senior director of philanthropy. “These teams of scientists will work within their own institutions and collaborate across teams to explore hypotheses on the biological causes of bipolar disorder.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/gorodenkoff)