Innovation in mental health and brain research
Embedded at Huntsman Mental Health Institute and supported by a nationally recognized academic medical center, our research programs are uniquely positioned to advance the field of psychiatry and tackle complex mental health challenges facing our society.
With pioneering scientists down the hall from exceptional health care providers and across campus from gifted scholars in diverse fields, we are fostering bold collaborations to usher in a new era of mental health knowledge, hope, and healing for all.
Our research team is helping to solve one of our nation’s greatest challenges: untreated mental health conditions. If we better understand how the brain works, we can uncover new treatments to bring hope to children and adults.
Meet our researchers
Our researchers are engaged in studies across the translational continuum including basic and preclinical models, clinical interventions, and clinical outcome models associated with psychiatric illness.
Our researchers in the news
Rana Jawish, MD, and Ben Lewis, MD, were named recipients of the 2024 New Investigator Award from the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP).
Worldwide, someone dies from drug or alcohol addiction every four minutes. Now, researchers at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah have been selected by Wellcome Leap to research...
Deborah A. Yurgelun-Todd, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and vice chair for research at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah Health has been named as one of the U.S.’...
Pioneering a new approach to mental health research
Opening in 2026, the Mental Health Translational Research Building at Huntsman Mental Health Institute will house researchers from across the University of Utah and speed the world’s understanding of depression, anxiety, suicide, and addiction
Upcoming events
National Network of Depression Centers Annual Conference
Huntsman Mental Health Institute is proud to host the premiere event for the National Network of Depression Centers.
Research Day for Mental Health, Brain & Behavioral Science
Join us to celebrate research from across the University of Utah related to mental health, brain, and behavioral science.
Innovation and discovery through clinical trials
Researchers in the Department of Psychiatry conduct innovative clinical trials aimed at advancing the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders. These trials explore new therapeutic approaches, medications, and interventions, providing valuable insights to improve clinical practices.
Be a catalyst of change
You can be a catalyst for positive change by supporting research that applies the most advanced methods in imaging, genetics, epidemiology, and big data analysis to better understand the brain’s complex functions. Your gift helps researchers better translate that research into new clinical and medicinal treatments that help patients maintain a better quality of life.
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