Suicide risk profiles for U.S. Veterans with bipolar disorder
Official title: Identification of Demographic, Clinical, and Genetic profiles for Suicidal Behavior in US Veterans
Funded at Iowa City VA Medical Center · NIH-11264865 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using health records, genetic data, and machine learning to find patterns linked to suicide attempts among Veterans with bipolar disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa City VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006007-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264865 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans diagnosed with bipolar disorder, especially younger Veterans (age 18–34) and those already enrolled in the Million Veteran Program or CSP#572, are the most relevant group for this work.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not U.S. Veterans, do not have a bipolar disorder diagnosis, or are not represented in the included datasets are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This work combines two large Veteran datasets (CSP#572 and the Million Veteran Program) to look for links between demographics, clinical history, and genetic markers and suicide attempts in people with bipolar disorder. Researchers will apply machine learning methods to the attempted-suicide phenotype to find combinations of risk factors that might be missed by traditional analyses. Prior genetic signals, including a replicated finding on chromosome 7, guide the search while clinical and demographic data help provide context. The goal is to produce profiles that could eventually help target prevention efforts for high-risk Veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians identify Veterans with bipolar disorder who are at higher risk for suicide so they can receive earlier and more focused support.
How similar studies have gone: Large genetic studies have previously found signals linked to suicidal behavior (including a replicated chromosome 7 signal), but combining those genetic findings with clinical and demographic data using machine learning in Veteran bipolar samples is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Iowa City VA Medical Center
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Willour, Virginia L — Iowa City VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Willour, Virginia L
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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.