The goal of this 5-year proposal is to further develop a unique Mental Health Clinical Research Center for the multi-disciplinary study of anxiety disorders, anxiety symptoms and related disorders. Interlocking core facilities provide the resources for substantive research conducted both by the MHCRC participants and a wide range of other investigators within New York State Psychiatric Institute and collaborating institutions. The new MHCRC proposal expands our current 4 core facilities. These include the Research Assessment and Training Unit (Jean Endicott, Ph.D.), the Biological Studies Unit (Jack Gorman, M.D.), the Computer Center (Donald Ross, Ph.D.), the Analytical Psychopharmacology Unit (Thomas Cooper, M.A.). We are requesting funding for a new core, Molecular Genetics Unit, directed by Conrad Gilliam, M.D. This unit is already engaged in pedigree studies of panic and affective disorders, as well as schizophrenic disorders. We also wish to facilitate our studies of the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders by developing Diagnostic and Recruitment Centers for normal volunteers and anxiety patients. Eric Hollander, M.D., a recent RSDA awardee, will facilitate the interaction of the Anxiety Clinic and the Biological Studies Unit by conducting biological challenge studies. The MHCRC at New York State Psychiatric Institute continues to be a model for the field of psychiatric research. It integrates major support from the city, state, university, a voluntary hospital, foundations, and federal project grants around a stable set of federally funded Core Facilities. The entire mechanism is devoted to research and training in the context of excellent patient care.
