PRESCIENT: Predicting outcomes in teens at high risk for psychosis
Official title: Trajectories and Predictors in the Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Population: Prediction Scientific Global Consortium (PRESCIENT)
Funded at University of Melbourne · NIH-11528612 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large international study is tracking teens at risk for psychosis to create and test ways to predict who may develop psychosis and how they’ll fare over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Melbourne NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Melbourne, Australia) |
| Project start | September 8, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $208,804 |
| NIH project number | 3U01MH124631-06S6 |
| Project ID | NIH-11528612 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are youths aged 12–20 who meet clinical high-risk criteria for psychosis and are willing to participate in long-term follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not at clinical high risk for psychosis or who are unwilling or unable to commit to long-term follow-up may see limited or no benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows adolescents and young people who show clinical high risk for psychosis, using multiple biomarkers and repeated assessments over two years to build prediction models. By combining clinical data with biological markers, researchers aim to improve how we identify who is most at risk and what outcomes to expect. The study already enrolled over a thousand participants and collected initial biomarker data, with ongoing follow-up to understand progression, remission, and functional outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to earlier, more personalized prevention and better support for youths at risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous similar efforts have shown promise in predicting psychosis risk using multimodal data, but PRESCIENT expands scope with international collaboration and longitudinal modeling.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nelson, Christopher Barnaby — University of Melbourne
- Study coordinator: Nelson, Christopher Barnaby
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Psychosis in diverse settings across the world
This project studies how psychotic disorders show up and respond to treatment in adults with diverse backgrounds, including populations in Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings.
-
Psychosis in Diverse Settings: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Across Global South
A human-facing study will look at how psychotic disorders present and respond to treatment in adults from Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings, using genetic and clinical data.
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A new online brain-scan-style tool to spot early psychosis risk
A new online-based set of tasks and a computer model aims to identify people at high risk for developing psychosis earlier and more accurately.
-
Genetic clues for early-onset psychosis in Latino youth
This project looks at the genes of young people with early-onset psychosis and compares them with similar youths without psychosis to find genetic factors that contribute to the illness.
-
Biomarkers to tailor rehab for Veterans with schizophrenia
A clinician-scientist is developing a brain-based biomarker to guide personalized rehabilitation for Veterans with schizophrenia.
-
Computational analysis of facial expression in early psychosis
Aims to develop computer-based measures of facial expression in people at risk for or with schizophrenia to help track symptoms and guide future trials.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.