Awards

In an ongoing effort to recognize the outstanding work of future leaders in the field, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders is proud to offer the Samuel Gershon Junior Investigator Awards for up to four young investigators for their original research publication submissions.  The Awards are named in honor of Dr. Samuel Gershon, an early pioneer of lithium research who introduced lithium to the US from Australia. He was a founding member of the ISBD, its first elected president, and an Editor-in-Chief of Bipolar Disorders, the official Society journal. 

The 2025 SGJIA application period is now OPEN. You may click here to access the application page or use the link on the right side of this page.  All applications must be received by 4pm EST February 10, 2025.  Please email Mary Miller at marym@isbd.org with any inquiries. 

In order to promote research interest in bipolar disorder in developing countries, two of the awards will be reserved for those from low and middle-income countries, as defined by the current year World Bank Classification. You can find the current list here

Awards will be judged on the originality of the content, as well as the significance of the findings reported, and will be evaluated by an international scientific panel under the auspices of the ISBD. The applicant's potential for long term commitment and contributions specifically to the field of bipolar disorder will also be evaluated. All panel decisions will be final.

The awards, which are contingent upon attendance at the annual conference, will consist of:​

• Economy air travel up to $1500USD to be reimbursed by the ISBD following attendance at the annual conference
• Three nights, accommodation based on single occupancy conference booking rates at a hotel organized by the ISBD
• An award plaque
• Waived registration fees for the annual meeting the year of award, and
• One-year ISBD Membership

Eligibility

To honor Samuel Gershon's vision to advance research in psychiatry, we will accept applications for this award from any individual engaged in the pursuit of understanding and improving outcomes for bipolar disorder.

Eligible applicants must:

• Have a clear scholarly focus in bipolar disorders
• Work in academic settings where they are pursuing research activities
• Presently be a trainee, postgraduate student, or at a relatively early stage in their career. Faculty members up to and including Assistant Professor rank working in the field of bipolar disorders will be considered

Applicants from around the world, irrespective of age, nationality, sex, or race are encouraged to apply. 

Winners from previous years are NOT eligible to apply. 

Developing Country Criteria

In order for your application to qualify as a developing country submission, a statement from an advisor/mentor certifying that the research was conducted in a developing country must be submitted with your application. This statement can be included in the letter of support as requested in the Application Instructions.

Manuscript Requirements

The topics of the papers submitted must address key aspects of bipolar disorder.  The manuscript should be based on original work that has not been published elsewhere and should demonstrate a significant contribution from the author submitting for this award (reflected by first/last authorship on the paper).  Papers can be submitted or under review but cannot be published. The paper should be submitted as an article formatted for publication according to Bipolar Disorders: The Journal (BDTJ) guidelines. 

IMPORTANT- The BDTJ manuscript format guidelines are used to provide consistency across all SGJIA applications.  The manuscript that is submitted for the SGJIA will NOT be published in BDTJ as part of the award process.  All authors must independently submit any manuscripts to BDTJ. The SGJIA application and/or review process has no influence on any future BDTJ submissions and/or reviews. 

Award Presentation and Notification 

Winners will be notified in May 2025.  All winners will be expected to attend the 27th Annual Conference of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders taking place September 17-19, 2025, in Chiba, Japan.  

Please contact Mary Miller at marym@isbd.org with any questions.