Letter From the SOBP President

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Next year we will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. Since our founding in 1945, the Society has been dedicated to advancing the understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders, and this milestone is a testament to the remarkable progress we've made as a community. 

Celebrating 80 Years: A Gift to Our Community

To mark this significant milestone, I am delighted to announce a special initiative: we are giving away 200 free memberships to early-career scientists and clinicians from around the world. This initiative reflects our commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders in biological psychiatry and ensuring that our Society remains a vibrant and inclusive community. We encourage you to share this opportunity with your colleagues and mentees who might benefit from joining our Society.

Honorific Awards

Nominations for our prestigious honorific awards are due by October 25^th, 2024. These awards recognize outstanding contributions to the field and are a highlight of our annual meeting.

Important Deadlines for the Annual Meeting

Symposia Proposal: The deadline for submitting proposals for symposia is 27^th September, 2024. We invite you to submit your innovative ideas to stimulate discussion and collaboration among attendees.

Poster and Oral Submissions: The deadline for submitting poster and oral presentation abstracts is November 22^nd, 2024.

Travel Awards: Applications for travel awards, which support attendance at the annual meeting, must be submitted by October 7^th, 2024. These awards are a valuable opportunity for early-career investigators to participate in the meeting and engage with the global community.

And don’t forget to check out our high-impact papers in the three Society Journals: Biological Psychiatry , Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging and Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with the Society of Biological Psychiatry. I welcome your ideas and comments which you can share with me by emailing president@sobp.org.

Warm wishes,

Honorific Awards

The Society is pleased to offer six honorific awards to be presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Please click on the following links to learn more about each award. The deadline is October 25, 2024.

The honorific awards of the Society of Biological Psychiatry have long been a hallmark of excellence, recognizing the remarkable contributions of brilliant scientists and clinicians who have advanced the field of biological psychiatry. Over the years, the Society has proudly bestowed these prestigious honors on a diverse group of recipients, each of whom has left an indelible mark on the field.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD

To recognize service and advocacy for mental illness. 

GOLD MEDAL AWARD

To recognize significant and sustained work that advances and extends knowledge in biological psychiatry.  

GEORGE N. THOMPSON AWARD

To honor members of the Society who have given outstanding service to promote the welfare of the organization.  

A.E. BENNETT BASIC RESEARCH AWARD

To recognize basic research in biological psychiatry by young investigators.  

A.E. BENNETT CLINICAL/TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH AWARD

To recognize clinical/translational research in biological psychiatry by young investigators.  

EDUCATOR AWARD

To recognize outstanding teachers and their endeavors to promote and disseminate the understanding of biological psychiatry at the local, national or international levels.

Travel Awards 

The travel awards offered by our Society provide crucial support that enables early career investigators to attend the annual meeting. These awards are not just financial assistance but a gateway to invaluable opportunities for professional growth. Attending the annual meeting allows early career scientists to present their work on an international stage, receive feedback from leading experts, and engage in meaningful networking with peers and mentors. By supporting the participation of early career scientists, the Society ensures the continued infusion of fresh ideas and perspectives into the field, shaping the future of biological psychiatry. The deadline is October 7, 2024.

TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP AWARDS – EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR – DOMESTIC

To provide travel fellowships to developing clinicians-scientists from North America an opportunity to participate in professional meetings. 

TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP AWARDS – EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR – INTERNATIONAL

To provide travel fellowships to postdoctoral scientists from outside North America an opportunity to participate in professional meetings. 

TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP AWARDS – PREDOCTORAL SCHOLARS AWARDS

To provide travel fellowships to predoctoral students worldwide who aspire to develop a career in basic or clinical neurosciences related to biological psychiatry an opportunity to participate in professional meetings.