The principal objective in establishing a Mental Health Clinical Research Center at NYU is to establish a new organizational structure in the medical school that will enable investigators to work together to improve our understanding and treatment of three major psychiatric illnesses: organic mental syndrome, affective disorders and schizophrenia. Specifically, the Center will be organized in order to: 1) Provide strong and effective leadership in the development of collaborative studies involving clinical investigators and basic scientists. 2) Develop control procedures to insure that only the highest possible quality research is carried out. 3) Provide core resources to investigators in the Center in order to facilitate research design, diagnostic and behavioral assessment, statistical analysis and access to a computer facility. 4) Provide core laboratories to investigators in the Center so that specialized tests and procedures can be carried out in conjunction with clinical and basic science studies. 5) Provide seed money in order to encourage quality pilot proposals, particularly by young investigators. 6) Develop a system for recruitment of normal volunteers, symptomatic volunteers and patient volunteers. 7) Develop both formal and preceptor type training programs for students, postgraduates and other relevant groups, and to provide an institutional frame work for the training and development of young investigators. 8) Establish a Center of excellence in the designated areas of interest of the Center, that will be a resource for the school, the community and the broader scientific community. 9) Organize a system for periodic rigorous external review and criticism in order to maintain the most effective leadership and highest quality of scientific research.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter