Psychosis across diverse communities in Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S.
Official title: Psychosis in Ancestrally Diverse Settings (PADS)
Funded at Suny Downstate Medical Center · NIH-11382601 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Comparing how psychosis shows up and responds to treatment in people from the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean while using whole genome sequencing to learn about genetic differences.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Suny Downstate Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Brooklyn, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $235,348 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH137768-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382601 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with psychotic disorders, including people newly identified in community settings and those hospitalized, especially individuals of African or Caribbean ancestry, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without a psychotic disorder or those unwilling to provide a genetic sample or clinical records are unlikely to gain direct benefits from joining.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect clinical information from people with psychotic disorders treated in Brooklyn, Ibadan (Nigeria), and St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago), including a matched group of inpatients. Participants will provide a blood sample for whole genome sequencing to look for common and rare genetic variants linked to psychosis. The team will compare symptoms, outcomes, and treatment responses across these populations and against large U.S. datasets like the Million Veteran Program and All of Us. The goal is to see whether genetic risk scores and known variants apply similarly in Global South populations and to identify differences that could affect care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve genetic risk tools and help tailor diagnosis and treatment for people of African and Caribbean ancestry with psychosis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous projects like INTREPID and large U.S. cohorts have advanced knowledge of psychosis, but applying whole genome sequencing to underrepresented Global South populations is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Suny Downstate Medical Center
Brooklyn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bigdeli, Tim Bernard — Suny Downstate Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bigdeli, Tim Bernard
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.