Nuevo instituto de UC Irvine busca revolucionar el tratamiento de la depresión mediante la colaboración ● UPDATING

UC Irvine marked a significant milestone in mental health research on June 9 with the launch of the Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries.

University leaders described it as the first institute in the nation to formally unite multiple academic schools in a coordinated effort to address depression. The launch event, held at the Beckman Center in Irvine, brought together researchers, clinicians, university leaders, foundations, and industry and community partners for a day of scientific exchange focused on advancing the understanding, treatment, and prevention of depression.

The program featured a keynote address by Dr. Conor Liston, professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, as well as presentations by leading UC Irvine researchers on topics ranging from early-life adversity and adolescent mental health to neurobiology, emerging technologies, and the social determinants of health.

Founding director Diego Pizzagalli welcomed guests alongside university leaders including Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Hal Stern, School of Medicine Dean Michael Stamos, and Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences Dean Frank LaFerla. Noel Drury, a distinguished psychiatrist and the institute's namesake, attended and received special recognition.

The institute stands out because it leverages UC Irvine's extensive expertise across diverse academic and research domains. It brings together researchers and clinicians from medicine, engineering, biological sciences, public health, computer science, and social ecology to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerate the translation of research findings into real-world solutions.

"Through the institute, we have an unprecedented opportunity to join forces to make fundamental discoveries to advance treatments to help those with depression live healthier lives," Pizzagalli said. "UC Irvine is set to be at the forefront of this research because of our distinctive collaborative nature."

The institute was established through a transformative $55 million gift from the estate of philanthropist Audrey Steele Burnand. Its mission includes developing personalized interventions, training future scientists and clinicians, and improving outcomes for individuals affected by one of the world's most prevalent mental health conditions.

"Depression is not only a scientific challenge but also a clinical reality encountered every day by physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers and care teams across every healthcare setting," Stamos said. "By integrating cutting-edge neuroscience, psychiatry and behavioral research with compassionate individualized treatment, the institute will create a dynamic bridge between laboratory breakthroughs and meaningful patient outcomes."