On September 19, 2022, the inaugural Psych Tank Funding Competition was launched by the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Family Depression Center. The live pitch event, modeled after the popular "Shark Tank" television show, featured research teams from across the University of Michigan campus to compete for up to $150,000 in funding to investigate novel and innovation research ideas in mental health.
Drs. Leslie Swanson, Sarah Sperry, Helen Burgess, and Melvin McInnis with the Prechter Program won third place at the Psych Tank competition. The team was awarded $50,000 for their pitch, "“Rhythm and Blues: Changing the Clock to Breakthrough in Bipolar Disorder." The research team aims to test a strategic intervention that directly targets the circadian system disruptions observed in bipolar disorder—low-dose afternoon supplemental melatonin plus time in bed scheduling. This is a low-burden option that can stabilize dysregulated sleep patterns, improves sleep, increases morningness, and normalizes circadian timing. Data collected in this study will be leveraged as pilot data for an NIH R01 proposal.
In addition to the Breakthrough Awards, three interdisciplinary research teams were awarded Seeds of Change Awards. Each project was given a mini-grant of $10,000 for their low-resource, high-impact research projects. Each project should be completed within 1 year of award.
Read more about the event and winners here.