Psychosis in African and Caribbean communities
Official title: Psychosis in Ancestrally Diverse Settings (PADS)
Funded at Suny Downstate Medical Center · NIH-11163380 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares clinical care and whole-genome DNA information to learn why psychosis looks and responds differently in people from African and Caribbean backgrounds and related groups in the US.
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) | $284,726 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH137768-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163380 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with recent or ongoing psychotic disorders, especially those of African or Caribbean ancestry who can be seen at participating sites in Brooklyn, Ibadan (Nigeria), or St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago) are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without psychotic disorders, those living far from the participating sites, or those unwilling to provide a blood sample are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers at SUNY Downstate, the University of Ibadan, and the University of the West Indies will collect clinical information, treatment histories, and symptom measures from people with psychosis in Brooklyn, Nigeria, and Trinidad. The study includes people identified with untreated psychosis as well as matched inpatient patients, and it will collect blood samples for whole-genome sequencing. Investigators will compare symptoms, outcomes, and genetic findings to large U.S. datasets to see which genetic risk tools and findings apply across these populations. The goal is to create better, more relevant genetic and clinical knowledge to help guide care for people of African and Caribbean ancestry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors better predict and tailor treatments for psychosis in people of African and Caribbean ancestry.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier pilot projects (INTREPID I & II) and large U.S. genomic cohorts have provided useful groundwork, but applying whole-genome sequencing and polygenic score comparisons in Global South populations is relatively new.
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.
-
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.