Our mission: Stopping depression before it starts.
One in every five Americans will experience depression. Only a fraction of these individuals will receive treatment that results in long-term relief. Depression is widespread across our communities, often going undiagnosed or undertreated. As a leading cause of disability worldwide, depression is not only a personal hardship–it is a global burden.
We believe transformative change is needed to address this enormous problem. Whether it’s a case of postpartum depression or a lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder, our communities and those suffering deserve better. They deserve hope. Through our work, we aim to address the modifiable root causes of depression and develop personalized solutions to help prevent it before it begins.
2025 highlights
$15M Gift from Eisenberg Foundation to Focus on Depression Prevention Research
We were deeply grateful to announce a transformational gift from Kenneth Eisenberg. This gift will fund new initiatives to reduce the burden of depression by developing scalable prevention approaches and translating them into policy and practice.
$3M Jenkins Foundation Gift Ensures Future of Depression Outreach Programs
We were honored to announce a generous $3 million gift from the Jenkins Foundation to endow our outreach and education programs. This heartfelt investment in our mission will have a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families facing depression.
Membership is growing!
More than 260 University of Michigan scholars contribute to our mission, including 37 new members who joined the Center in 2025. Our members come from 40 different departments and 10 different schools, colleges, and units across U-M.
We proudly welcomed three new faculty recruits. Dan Adler, Ph.D., Karsten Bartels, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., and Naoki Masuda, Ph.D., bring a combination of world-class science and an interdisciplinary, collaborative spirit that is critical to advancing our shared mission. Learn more about these promising scholars and their work by visiting their profiles below.
Supporting early-career investigators
In the fall, we were proud to announce the newest cohort for our Research Incubator program. Out of dozens of submissions, three investigators were chosen: Alexander Chaitoff, Annelise Madison, and Grace Noppert. The Incubator program uses existing data to help early-career scholars make vital discoveries faster and more efficiently. The new cohort receives research support, including help with statistical analysis, project management, and mentorship from experienced experts. Their projects will explore new research questions about the connection between mental and physical health.
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Fueling innovation in 2025
We are proud to share that our Research Innovation team helped secure more than $18 million in external funding in 2025 to support U-M investigators' transformational research.
We also awarded nearly $1.5 million this year to U-M researchers who are working to help eliminate the burden of depression worldwide.
Research Innovation
Impact Grant Awardees Receive $451,000 in Funding
Impact Grants help fund bold, transformative research ideas that have the potential to advance our understanding of depression through innovation and collaboration. In 2025, six awardees were selected, receiving more than $451,000 in project funding to advance our understanding of depressive illness.
Honoring outstanding commitment to advancing mental health research
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Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Award
Alejandra Arango, Ph.D., received the Todd Ouida Clinical Scholars Award in recognition of her research aiming to reduce youth suicide by finding better ways to support high-risk children and teens.
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Dr. Michael Louis Smith Award
Adrienne Lapidos, Ph.D., was awarded the Dr. Michael Louis Smith Scholar Award for her dedication to improving mental health care for people with serious mental health conditions.
Mobile Technology Core
How U-M researchers are using tech to better understand mental health disorders
Our Mobile Technologies Core provides U-M research teams with guidance and resources necessary to utilize mobile technologies and digital mental health measures in their studies. The team provided more than 40 consultations to investigators in 2025.
Featured studies from our members
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Cancer during young adulthood carries long-term mental toll, new study finds
Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors exhibit persistently elevated levels of depression and anxiety throughout their lifespan, but only symptoms of anxiety tend to stabilize in their later years, say U-M researchers.
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Small rewards lead to big wins for saving veterans' lives
A 41% drop in death risk was seen in veterans with incentives to stick with recovery from stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine.
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Psychedelics alter far more neurons than expected
The discovery challenges decades of assumptions and points to new hope for patients with depression, Alzheimer’s, and beyond.
Thriving together: The vital role of mental health equity
Mental health equity means ensuring everyone has a fair chance to access the mental health care they need. Supporting mental health equity helps build stronger communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
That's why we are committed to advancing research at the intersection of mental health equity, well-being, and innovation. Our team of experts actively supports our members in securing funding, publishing articles, and mentoring those working in mental health equity research. In 2025, we helped U-M researchers secure millions in research funding and publish groundbreaking studies that aim to improve mental health outcomes.
RELATED: Quitting menthol cigarettes is extra hard, but a new U-M study will test the best way to do it
Jenkins Family Community Outreach and Education Program Highlights
The Jenkins Family Community Outreach and Education Program raises awareness about depression and other mental health disorders, reduces stigma associated with these conditions, and encourages those affected to seek help. Through education and tailored outreach, our goal is to prevent depression before it starts.
School-based outreach is at the foundation of our work:
- Our school-based programs have reached more than 125,000 high school and college students since our inception.
- The Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Program expanded to 75 middle and high schools across the U.S., with more than 1,800 teachers and students trained this past fall.
Our outreach and education team reached thousands of people in 2025 with community trainings and events, including:
- The Mental Health on College Campus Conference, which attracts hundreds of higher education and mental health professionals and students from across the U.S., year after year.
- Campus Mind Works student support groups were attended by more than 126 students
- Workplace Mental Health Conference, a virtual conference that showcases professionals who are working to improve employee wellness.
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George Orley Student Mental Health Advocate awardees
Two remarkable student advocates were recognized as the 2025 George Orley Student Mental Health Advocate awardees. Adon Vazquez of WSU and Lillie Birnie of U-M were nominated by their peers for their passion and outstanding commitment to improving mental health throughout their communities.
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New mental health website for college students
We redesigned and launched a new website for our Campus Mind Works program, which provides U-M students with the mental health resources, tools, and support they need to thrive. Focused content is also available to parents and people supporting a student with a mental health condition.
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A passion for advocacy: One student's journey
Tess, a current Ph.D. student in the U-M School of Nursing, became involved in our Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Program during her freshman year of high school in 2017. Find out more about how she's using the skills she learned.