SIRS Awards the 2025 Research Fund Award
SIRS is committed to directly supporting early career researchers who have important and novel ideas that may have immediate effects on improving the lives of people with schizophrenia. SIRS established a Research Fund Award for this purpose. The award is intended to provide research funds for junior investigators who have an important idea or hypothesis to test but are lacking in research funds to do so.
The Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) has awarded the 2025 Research Fund Award to:
Awardee: Kate Merritt, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
University College London
London, United Kingdom
Awardee: Zaib un Nisa
University of Karachi
PILL
Karachi, Pakistan
A Message from Kate Merritt
The SIRS Research Fund Award will allow me to develop a novel neuroimaging method called three-dimensional magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (3D-MRSI). Current neuroimaging techniques measure glutamate in only one brain region at a time, providing an incomplete picture of a disorder that affects distributed brain networks. 3D-MRSI enables the measurement of glutamate levels across the entire brain within a single scan. This represents a ten-fold increase in spatial resolution compared with existing methods and allows, for the first time, the creation of whole-brain maps of glutamate alterations in psychosis.In the future, this approach may lead to more personalised treatment strategies by identifying glutamate profiles that predict treatment response and help determine which patients are most likely to benefit from glutamatergic therapeutics.
A Message from Zaib un Nisa
Our work focuses on the cultural adaptation of an intervention for women experiencing postpartum psychosis. A central aim of the project is to assess the feasibility of delivering this intervention in our context, helping us to better understand and explore an area that remains largely under-researched in mental health care. This initiative represents an important step toward addressing the existing gap in evidence-based support for women affected by postpartum psychosis.
Through this work, we hope to contribute to the growing body of scientific knowledge and enhance understanding of how early life adversity and psychosocial factors may influence brain function and emotional wellbeing in the perinatal period. Ultimately, the project aims to inform the development of trauma-informed and personalized care approaches that can improve identification, support, and recovery outcomes for women experiencing postpartum psychosis.
Support the Research Fund Award
The SIRS Research Fund Award has proven invaluable to supporting the research development of early career researchers. Through past donations, SIRS has provided three research fund awards to junior investigators. The 2019 awardee, Yoji Hirano of Kyushu University in Japan, used an MRI biofeedback method to alleviate auditory hallucinations in patients. The 2020 SIRS Research Fund Award went to Leandro Valiengo from Sao Paolo, Brazil. The funds enabled the use of a unique non-invasive procedure called biophotomodulation in a treatment trial for alleviating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The 2021 funds went to Dr. Vuyokazi Ntlantsana from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and were used towards a Brief Relaxation, Education and Trauma Healing (BREATHE) in patients with first episode psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2022 the funds went to Dr. Kwun Nam Chan from the University of Hong Kong in China. In 2023 the funds went to Dr. Caitlin Ridgewell at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA. In 2024, the funds were awarded to Dr. Ilaria Domenicano at University of Ferrara in Ferrara, Italy and Dr. Delfina Lahitou Herlyn at Institute of Neurosciences in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It is estimated that 1 in every 100 people in the world live with schizophrenia. Even more live with psychosis. Now more than ever there is a need for increased research funding for schizophrenia research around the world. Consider supporting early career researchers and junior investigators with project ideas that would improve the lives of people with schizophrenia by donating to the SIRS research award.
