BC Environmental and Occupational Health Research Network

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) solicits grant applications for research to develop innovative approaches to personalizing treatment for patients suffering from depression. While effective treatments of depression are available, there is considerable individual variation in treatment response. Progress has been made in identifying potential predictors and moderators of treatment effects, but no specific model for individualizing care has been developed or tested for efficacy. The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to advance research on individualizing the treatment of depression by developing models and testing new approaches that, by accounting for patient characteristics, aim to be more specific and thus potentially leading to more effective and efficient treatment interventions. Consistent with the current state-of-the-science in this relatively new area of research, this FOA is meant to support relatively small projects or preliminary investigations, rather than large studies that definitively test intervention effectiveness. This FOA is therefore an initial step toward advancing research on personalization of care in mental health.