BD² AND BRAIN CANADA ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP AND NEW INTERNATIONAL SITE TO JOIN LANDMARK BIPOLAR DISORDER RESEARCH NETWORK

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute receives $2.3 million to become first international BD² Integrated Network site

Washington, D.C, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) and Brain Canada announced an international partnership to advance research and transform care for people living with bipolar disorder. As part of the partnership, BD² also announced its first international Integrated Network site at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. The BD² Integrated Network is the largest collaborative scientific network focused on bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a highly complex and heterogeneous disorder that affects an estimated 40 million people worldwide (World Health Organization) with more than 70% of people with bipolar disorder being misdiagnosed at least once. It takes seven years on average to diagnose bipolar disorder, and less than 50% of those who are diagnosed find an effective treatment.

“For too long, research and funding for bipolar disorder has lacked coordination, collaboration, and innovation. We’re excited to expand our comprehensive approach to our first Integrated Network international site in Canada. This partnership with Brain Canada and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute will bring us closer to realizing our mission to shorten the time it takes to translate research findings to improve care,” said Cara Altimus, PhD, managing director for BD² and managing director at the Milken Institute.

Dr. Viviane Poupon, Brain Canada President and CEO, said of the partnership: “This collaboration brings together organizations committed to innovation and open science. The international expansion will provide a framework and resources for researchers and clinicians to advance discovery and improve the lives of all those living with bipolar disorder.”

As part of the partnership, the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute will receive $2.3 million USD to join the BD² Integrated Network, a collaborative research and clinical care model that will improve care, interventions, and outcomes for people living with bipolar disorder. The BD² Integrated Network combines a traditional longitudinal cohort study of 4,000 participants and a learning health network to iteratively improve outcomes. Clinical sites have accelerated recruitment, with more than 750 individuals already participating in the study.

“BD² is creating learning health systems and facilitating these systems working together to raise quality of care across North America. We’re honored that Ottawa will be part of the BD² Integrated Network and expand on the thoughtful work of BD², bringing hope and tangible solutions to people living with bipolar disorder.” said Jess Fiedorowicz, MD, PhD, Head and Chief of Mental Health, The Ottawa Hospital and Full Professor, the University of Ottawa.

The Ottawa site is a collaboration between The Ottawa Hospital, the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, the University of Ottawa, and The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research. The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute joins 10 sites, Brigham and Women’s Hospital-McLean Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, Mayo Clinic, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, The University of Texas at Austin, University of California Los Angeles, University of Michigan, UTHealth Houston, University of Cincinnati/Lindner Center of HOPE, and University of California San Diego.

“Our first international site is an eagerly anticipated growth of our global network, which will bring in new clinicians, scientists, and participants and strengthen our ability to accelerate discovery of the behavioral and biological drivers of disease while advancing treatment,” said Katherine Burdick, PhD, BD² Integrated Network scientific director, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

“BD² aims for all people with bipolar disorder to thrive,” said Emily Baxi, PhD, program director of the BD² Integrated Network and a director at the Milken Institute. “Our partnership with Brain Canada and the first international site in Canada leaves us better positioned to learn, derive insight, and rapidly translate findings to real solutions.”

Learn more about the BD² Integrated Network at https://www.bipolardiscoveries.org/our-work/integrated-network/

About BD²: Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder is the first organization focused on funding and advancing research and care for bipolar disorder on a global scale. Our collaborative, open-science approach is designed to transform and shorten the time it takes for scientific breakthroughs to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the tens of millions of people with bipolar disorder.  The BD² Discovery Grants, Brain Omics, Genetics Platforms, and the Integrated Network are designed to share data, methods, and resources across initiatives and the bipolar disorder research community. For more information, please visit bipolardiscoveries.org.

About Brain Canada: Brain Canada plays a unique and invaluable role as a national convenor of those who support and advance brain research. A greater understanding of how the brain works contributes to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of disorders of the brain, ultimately improving the health outcomes of people in Canada and around the world. This project is made possible in part thanks to the Canada Brain Research Fund, an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada, through Health Canada, and Brain Canada. To learn more about how Brain Canada accelerates, amplifies and funds brain research, visit www.braincanada.ca

About The Ottawa Hospital: The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Canada’s capital city, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex health-care challenges. Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Backed by generous support from the community, we are committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care we would want for our loved ones.

Patricia Pope 
BD²: Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder 
BD2@gmmb.com

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