The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation in New York City has announced grants totaling $4 million through its annual Independent Investigator Grants program.

Selected by the foundation's scientific council, grants of $50,000 per year for up to two years were awarded to forty mid-career scientists from thirty-three institutions in support of research on next-generation therapies for schizophrenia, major affective disorders, and other serious mental illnesses. The program is designed to provide support to investigators during the critical period between the initiation of research and the receipt of sustained funding. Half the recipients also received NARSAD young investigator grants from the foundation early in their careers.

"We are delighted to be able to support the work of these scientists who will apply powerful new technologies and insights to understanding, treating, and curing mental illnesses that affect one in four people," said BBRF president and CEO Jeffrey Borenstein. "Tackling illnesses that affect the brain remains one of science’s most daunting challenges. Every year we build upon a growing body of knowledge about the brain and its functions that bring us closer to finding cures."

For a complete list 2014 grant recipients, visit the BBRF Web site.