Naming Celebration for the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center

Six individuals dressed for a formal affair line up for a picture, smiling at the camera.

Naming Celebration for the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center 

Our community of researchers, advocates and ardent supporters gathered to honor Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and celebrate the naming of The Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center. The event took place on Tuesday, September 20, and featured inspiring discussions by Eisenberg Family Depression Center members and award recipients whose work is helping to advance the field of depression and bipolar disorder research today and into the future.

The Eisenberg Family’s Transformative Gift

Kenneth Eisenberg giving remarks at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center Naming Celebration dinner.
Eisenberg Family with Marschall S. Runge, M.D., Ph.D.; CEO of Michigan Medicine, Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the EIsenberg Family Depression Center; and Mary Sue Coleman, President of the University of Michigan

In March 2021, the University of Michigan Board of Regents approved the renaming of the U-M Depression Center for Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and their family, in recognition of their transformational $30 million total giving to depression research and scholarship. The Eisenbergs’ philanthropy toward the Center includes earlier support for the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Professorship in Depression and Neurosciences, a research prize awarded to a world-renowned scientist for groundbreaking research, a research scholar fund to support emerging leaders in the field, and two research funds to support promising projects.

The Eisenbergs’ generosity continues to open doors to many future projects, programs and support for U-M research across the University of Michigan, including the Center’s recent expansion of research support for its nearly 200 members. Learn more here.

The celebration event also highlighted the transition of leadership at the Center. In February 2021, Dr. Srijan Sen, was named the Center’s new director, taking the reins from founding director Dr. John Greden, who is credited with shifting how depression and other mood disorders are viewed in America. Learn more here.

Presentations on Progress in the Fields of Depression and Bipolar Research

Dr. Huda Akil presenting on research during the naming celebration
Huda Akil, Ph.D.
Omar Ahmed, Ph.D., presents at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center Naming Celebration.
Omar Ahmed, Ph.D.
Peter Larson, Ph.D., presents at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center naming celebration.
Peter Larson, Ph.D.

Three University of Michigan scholars presented on the latest advances in depression and bipolar research at the University of Michigan.  Huda Akil, Ph.D., presented a talk titled “Depression: The Grand Challenge of Our Times.” Omar Ahmed, Ph.D., 2021 discussed his recent project “Circuit Mechanisms of Psilocybin Therapy for Depression,” which awarded him the 2021 Eisenberg Scholar Award. Peter Larson, Ph.D., presented his work covering environmental determinants of health with his talk titled “Fine Particulate Matter Mental Health-Related Mortality in Michigan.”

Helen S. Mayberg, M.D., Eisenberg Prize Winner, presents at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center naming celebration
Helen S. Mayberg, M.D., Eisenberg Research Prize recipient
An image of Drs. Helen Mayberg (left) and Srijan Sen (right) holding an engraved, crystal award.
Helen Mayberg, M.D., and Eisenberg Family Depression Center Director Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., holding the Eisenberg Research Prize

Helen Mayberg M.D., professor and Director of the Nash Family Center of Advanced Circuit Therapeutics at Mount Sinai, received the Eisenberg Research Prize during the celebration. Mayberg was awarded the prize in 2020 for her breakthrough research accomplishments and pioneering deep brain stimulation research. Her Eisenberg Research Prize Lecture titled “Rethinking Depression and its Treatment: Insights from Studies of Deep Brain Stimulation,” offered insights into advances in neuroscience mechanisms and progress her work is making to uncover precision treatments and strategies.

The Eisenberg Family Depression Center Naming Celebration marks the beginning of a new chapter focused on high-impact research that holds the promise to improve the lives of those living with depression and biploar disorders.

University of Michigan faculty and learners interested in joining this mission and gaining access to our suite of research services can learn more and apply to become a member.

Stay tuned to hear more about the incredible research to come from the Eisenberg Family Depression Center. Join our Mailing List
 

 
About the Eisenberg Family Depression Center: Established in 2001, the Eisenberg Family Depression Center is the first of its kind devoted entirely to bringing depression into the mainstream of medical research, translational care, and community education. Today, the Center is at the forefront in changing the paradigm of how depression and related illnesses are understood and treated.
 
The goal of the Eisenberg Family Depression Center is to expand the scope of depression and mental health research in order to achieve effective, long-term relief for those suffering and their communities. The Center empowers researchers and advocates with resources, guidance, and support to help accelerate innovations in prevention and care that leads to improved mental health outcomes.