APA and AstraZeneca psychiatry award

The American Psychiatric Association and drug major AstraZeneca have announced the winners of their "Young Minds in Psychiatry" awards program. Now in its fourth year, this recognizes excellence in research and provides support for the development of future leaders in the field of psychiatry research from around the world. The award presentations took place at the APA's 159th annual meeting during the Early Research Career Breakfast meeting, where it was also announced that submissions are now being welcomed for the 2006 awards program.

"These Young Minds in Psychiatry awards have already made a big difference in helping to energize promising research careers," commented Darrel Regier, director of the division of research at the APA and executive director of the American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education. "This has been a very productive partnership between APA and AstraZeneca, and is helping to stimulate new research that can lead to breakthroughs in psychiatry's most intractable conditions," he added.

The 2005 Awards Program attracted 34 submissions from around the world that were reviewed by a panel of psychiatry experts. Submissions were reviewed based on the strength of each proposal, the future potential of the candidates and their career advancement prospects. Six winners were selected across two research categories: schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A winner from both the USA and the international community (Brazil, Turkey, Uganda and UK) was selected in each category for the importance and value of their research proposal, each receiving a career development award of $45,000.