One Mind Seeks Applications for the 2026 Rising Star Awards, $300K Grants to Support Mental Health Research
One Mind seeks applications for the 2026 One Mind Rising Star Awards, funding $300,000 research grants to support bold, boundary-pushing neuroscience and mental health research
One Mind is currently welcoming applications for the 2026 One Mind Rising Star Awards program. Since its inception, the organization has championed the curiosity and ambition of exceptional early-career scientists, helping to drive groundbreaking discoveries and shape the next generation of leaders in the field. In 2005, One Mind formalized this commitment by launching the Rising Star Awards program, grounded in the belief that supporting world-class early investigators pursuing bold, high-risk, high-reward research would accelerate progress in understanding and treating mental health and psychiatric disorders.
Over the past two decades, One Mind has invested more than $14 million in 54 Rising Star Award recipients who are advancing the frontiers of mental health science through both their research and leadership. These awardees include distinguished figures such as:
- Joshua Gordon, MD, PhD: 2010 Awardee; Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University and Former NIMH Director (2017 – 2024); One Mind Funded Research Project: Investigating the Circuit Basis for Psychiatric Diseases (Columbia University).
- Susanne Ahmari, MD, PhD: 2018 Awardee; Director of Wellcome Leap’s $50M Multi-Channel Psych Initiative for depression research; Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Pittsburgh. One Mind Funded Research Project: Identify Novel Molecular Targets for OCD (University of Pittsburgh).
- Maryam Shanechi, MD, PhD: 2022 Awardee; Founding Director, USC Center for Neurotechnology, and Full Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Neuroscience, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering at USC; One Mind Funded Research Project: Deep Learning of Brain Network Biomarkers for Neuropsychiatric Disorders (University of Southern California).
One Mind is proud to carry forward its longstanding commitment to advancing impactful scientific research that is already improving lives. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, One Mind is supported by the generosity of private donors, foundations, and corporate partners whose contributions make the Rising Star Awards possible.
In addition to a $300,000 research grant, this year’s awardees will participate in the exclusive Science Leaders Program, designed to equip emerging scientists with the tools, connections, and opportunities to drive meaningful progress in neuroscience and mental health. Through leadership development, executive coaching, and strategic networking, participants will build skills in areas such as media engagement, negotiation, communication, personal branding, and effective leadership. A combination of workshops, webinars, and individualized mentorship from subject-matter experts will further support their growth as influential voices shaping the future of mental health.
The 2026 Rising Star Awards will fund research proposals across the full spectrum of psychiatric science, including basic and preclinical, translational, and clinical research. Areas of focus include, but are not limited to, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, and suicidality. Particular emphasis will be placed on transdiagnostic approaches and research that advances precision psychiatry. Examples of areas of interest include metabolomic biomarkers, gut–brain interactions involving the microbiome, psychedelic therapies, closed-loop neurostimulation, AI/ML-driven biomarkers, and predictive analytics for assessing risk and treatment outcomes.
Recipients will be selected through a highly competitive review process evaluating scientific rigor, innovation, feasibility, relevance, and potential for impact, along with each applicant’s track record, research productivity, and leadership promise.
Applications are now open. To learn more or apply, please visit onemind.org/rising-star-awards. For those interested in supporting an award, please contact One Mind Chief Development Officer Tal Gerzon at tal.gerzon@onemind.org
About One Mind™
One Mind is a leading global nonprofit dedicated to improving mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and society. One Mind brings more than 30 years of leadership to closing critical gaps between discovery and real-world impact, advancing solutions that improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and well-being at scale. Guided by science and lived experience, One Mind’s portfolio of integrated programs is creating lasting change while fueling hope for the future of mental health.
The One Mind Rising Star Academy invests in groundbreaking research and next-gen scientific leaders; the One Mind Accelerator backs bold and determined founders of early-stage startups with the education and network to build category-defining companies that radically improve the lives of people facing mental health challenges; One Mind at Work equips leaders around the globe to integrate proven mental health practices into the workplace; and the One Mind Lived Experience Initiative informs high-impact mental health solutions by imparting vital insights and expertise. With science as our foundation and people at the center of everything we do, One Mind is shaping a more effective, inclusive, and hopeful mental health ecosystem.
Contact
One Mind, pr@onemind.org