ISBD Officers & Staff

The ISBD Board of Councilors is a globally diverse group currently made up of members from 15 countries. We appreciate the support of our Board and hope that all current and past members will continue to play an active role in the leadership of ISBD.

Please click on the names below for member profiles and statements of intent.

"I believe in the mission of the ISBD and that it has been an instrumental organisation in increasing the profile of bipolar disorder. The ISBD has been most effective recently in increasing the global reach of the organisation, and in providing effective advocacy. Recent projects that I have been involved in include establishing a governance structure for the organisation and for regional chapters, including revising the constitution have contributed to its growth. The safely and monitoring committee should be on the cusp of producing guidelines for safety monitoring that should be globally applicable. I wish to continue to serve to develop further initiatives, to continue to be engaged in the lobbying process for DSM-IV, growing the global reach of the organisation, and increasing the size and number of regional meetings, which will increase the financial security of ISBD."

"It is a great honor and pleasure for me to be nominated for the Vice President-Governance and Conference Organisation position of ISBD. Many thanks for this kind invitation.

My commitment to the field of bipolar disorders covers a wide range of activities such as research, specialized clinical services and mentoring educational projects for the psychiatry residents and postgraduate nejuroscience students. My research areas of interest are clinical and neurobiological aspects of bipolar illness, brain imaging / electrophysiology and neurocognitive functioning and clinical drug trials in bipolar disorders.

I have been serving on the ISBD Executive Board during last two years. It has been an enjoyable learning and sharing opportunity for me. During this period, I have experienced ISBD’s growth and achievements in accordance with its mission and vision. Besides my dutiy as the Vice President for governance, I have been leading the Committee on Women’s Health which is growing into a productive collaborative group. At present, I am alos serving on the executive board of the Society for Bipolar Disorders in Turkey, a chapter of ISBD.

I believe in wisdom of continuity of service in such bodies as ISBD. With my abovementioned background and ISBD experience, for a second term on the Executive Board I aim at: 1. leading the work for establishment of an ISBD research and educational networking, specifically in women’s health issues; 2. serving in growth of ISBD and strengthening Society’s international and intercultural connections, maintaining my ongoing assisstance for those colleagues who need it while forming their ISBD chapters in different parts of the world. 3.. ensuring a high quality 2012 meeting in Istanbul."

"The ISBD is an internationally respected organization that plays a unique role in promoting awareness of the aetiology, pathophysiology and treatment of bipolar disorder. The ISBD provides an ideal platform not only for scientific exchange, but also for initiating large scale multinational initiatives aiming at improving practicing standards both in research and clinical care. I believe that I could contribute to the work of the ISBD by promoting international initiatives in the area of cognition as a tool for probing genetic diathesis and as treatment target."

"It is my great pleasure and honor to be nominated for the VP Outreach. The ISBD is one of the most actively growing academic organizations with great concerns from various regions of the world. For the last two years, as an ISBD councilor representing Asia, I have worked together with colleagues in the region to develop chapters in East Asian regions, and we also have established East Asian Bipolar Forum, which is a regional network of the bipolar disorder experts for research and public advocacy. I have also tried to foster international collaborations and to raise concerns on bipolar disorders in Asia as the ISBD councilor and vice-chairman of the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorders. I'm going to extend my experience and scope for the collaborations with other regions and cooperation with adjacent academic organizations as my predecessors have done."

"My intent: (1) Strengthen the institutional infrastructure and membership participation, (2) Broaden the ISBD network – encourage regional networks development, (3) Strive for fiscal solvency and transparency."

"1. To assess the relevance of early intervention, duration of untreated illness and continuity of treatment in relation to outcome in Bipolar Disorder.

2. To investigate the use of novel antipsychotics in the treatment of comorbid Bipolar Disorder by implementing multicentric collaborative trials.

3. To assess the value of combination treatment vs monotherapy in Bipolar Disorder."

"As someone who has devoted much of her career to treatment research in bipolar disorder and someone who believes strongly that international exchange and collaboration greatly enhance the prospects for answering the questions that we and our patients would like to see answered, the opportunity to serve on the ISBD Board of Councilors is most welcome.

I have been involved with ISBD since its inception, primarily through attendance at meetings and work on committees. I consider it a privilege to contribute in a more formal way to the broader work of the society. Having helped with the organization and planning of each of the eight International Conferences on Bipolar Disorder held in Pittsburgh, I believe I can contribute both practical experience and scientific judgment to the organization of future ISBD meetings. My past membership on the governing councils of several other professional societies (including the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Psychopathological Association, and the Association for Clinical Psychosocial Research) should also be helpful in my role as an ISBD Councilor."

Dr. Shingenobu Kanba holds many titles, including roles as a member of the executive boards of the Japanese Society of Neurology and Psychiatry and the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry.  As a member of various national and international Societies, Dr. Kanba is an important link in the chain of information necessary to raise the profile of bipolar disorder research throughout Asia.   In his role as chairman of the Bipolar Committee of Japanese Society of Mood Disorders, Dr. Kanba will promote the active involvement of the group with ISBD in furtherance of a potential future chapter of ISBD. 

"My recommendations for the society would be to continue working on implementing the current strategies, and in particular that the society in various ways should maximize its contributions to the creation of relevant international networks for exchanging research ideas and for collaborative, industry independent research, e.g. large investigator driven randomized trials focusing on objectives beyond drug approval."

"I welcome the opportunity to serve as a council member for ISBD from 2010 onwards. Having served as a council member in 2005-2007 I have the necessary experience and knowledge of what is required. At that time as chair of the membership committee I assisted the then president (Professor Lakshmi Yatham) in expanding the society. I enjoyed contributing to the many projects that ISBD was engaged in and it was a privilege to work alongside many international colleagues in this capacity. We managed to enhance the profile of the Society both nationally and internationally.

Further, in 2007 I successfully promoted the ISBD and its objectives through the ISBD affiliated meeting (ASBD) that was convened by me in Sydney. This ASBD meeting successfully involved the Asia-Pacific Region and increased local awareness, membership and participation in ISBD. In my previous term as councilor I volunteered my time to key committees that have published their outcomes, such as the Guidelines and Nomenclature Committees, and will continue to contribute in the future as required. I also actively promoted the ISBD journal namely, Bipolar Disorders by serving as its guest editor for a special issue that highlighted the 2007 Pittsburgh meeting. A subsequent issue on Lithium that was circulated this year at the 2009 conference has since followed this.

I am honored to have the opportunity to actively contribute as a councilor for a two-year term so as to assist in the further development and growth of the Society and promote its goals. "

"I am honored to be elected to the ISBD Board of Councilors.  I am a researcher and clinician who has been particularly interested in examining the topics of geriatric bipolar disorder and in adherence with bipolar treatments.  Unfortunately, in spite of the growing number of effective treatments for bipolar illness, many individuals still fail to derive benefit because of non-adherence with treatment or because the treatment evidence base does not adequately inform illness management for many sub-populations with bipolar disorder.  In my recent involvement with planning an upcoming biennial ISBD meeting, I have been impressed with ISBD efforts to organize symposia and presentations that feature the newest research in the context of clinical relevance. I believe it is important for ISBD to promote research that involves “real-world” patients typically seen by clinicians the world over.   If elected I will work to ensure that ISBD remains a leader in the dissemination of research that informs clinical treatment of individuals across the life-span, and incorporates the important issues of culture, ethnicity and gender."

"I am honored to be elected as an ISBD Councilor. During the last ten years I have been involved in different research and educational projects about bipolar disorders. Last year with a group of colleagues, I founded and currently preside the ISBD Mexican Chapter, which at the present time holds around 40 active members. Besides being involved in the chapter development and organization, I am currently participating in the creation of a national bipolar research network and coordinating a bipolar regional conference. I am interested to contribute in the development of other Latin American regional chapters. I believe that that there is a need to unify forces and visions to create a strong psychiatric community interested in bipolar disorders. It is important for Latin America to step up and participate in an active role in the ISBD. The progress we have witnessed in the field, demands us to work together and stay in current communication."

"ISBD’s mission is close to my interests and future vision of the field I have worked in for many years. I am honored by the nomination to run for Councilor. I am delighted to support our continued growth and development in whatever way I can in the coming year. I believe the organization has been central in supporting international collaboration, expansion of research in bipolar disorder, and supporting junior investigators. ISBD is a vital group and new investigators and clinicians in the field are very aware of our group due to activity at local and international levels. It would be my pleasure to continue my work at the organizational level with ISBD to support worldwide growth of research, education, and outreach to researchers and clinicians."

"As a member of the ISBD Board of Councils, I will promote ISBD to be known widely among Asian psychiatrists and mental health professionals especially for those who have special interest in bipolar disorder. I will foster research in bipolar disorder. My first plan is to survey the drug prescribing pattern for treatment of bipolar disorder among Asian countries. This research project will also serve as a role model for international collaboration among Asian psychiatrists. In term of promoting awareness of this condition in Asian society at large, I will encourage ISBD to join with the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder (ANBD) for printing pamphlets for public in many Asian languages. All of these activities should finally resulting in improvements in quality of life for those with bipolar disorder and their significant others."

"It is a great honor for me to be elected to the Board of Councilors of ISBD. I want to thank you on behalf of Society for Bipolar Disorders of Turkey and myself. I believe that it will be an excellent opportunity both for us and ISBD. Since we newly founded the ISBD affiliated Society for Bipolar Disorders of Turkey and since ISBD decided to do the Fifth Biennial Conference 2012 in Istanbul, we need to speed up and make significant contributions to ISBD as well as to the Istanbul Conference. I will make every effort to further develop the relationship not only between ISBD and Turkey but also all the surrounding countries including many Mediterranean countries, Eastern European countries, Middle East countries, Middle Asia countries. I promise to motivate and gain many new active members for ISBD from the region. I believe I and my colleagues will activate the potential capacities of Turkish bipolar community and surrounding countries’ professionals in many ways. This will mean many new active members to almost all working committees of ISBD. This will also mean direct and indirect gains in the form of higher quality of education for all professionals working with bipolar patients and particularly higher quality of treatment and management for all bipolar patients. Some of our works in recent years give me and my colleagues hope and courage to actualize the following purposes:

• Successful organization of the International Conference on Mood Disorders, “Close Encounters of Three Seas: Building Regional Bridges” with a participation of 850 international colleagues
• Successful organization of fruitful workshops which is needed by regional countries, such as “Expanding quality: can we establish a regional collaborative network regarding education, mental health services and research in mood disorders?” “Voices from different countries: how do we treat bipolar patients in our countries? Real world experiences”
• Publishing the Treatment Guidelines for Bipolar Disorders not as a first in Turkey only, but also a first in the  region.

Some of my other purposes will be as follows: working for establishing a task force which will work to define short term and long term needs in the field of bipolar disorders; working for creating opportunities to facilitate participation of researchers from this region into international scientific field; working for finding innovative ways to enhance the communication among researchers of different regions and different cultures; working for exploring and comparing clinicians’ and patients’ perspectives from different cultures; working for finding out cheaper and easier ways to enhance the postgraduate education quality related with bipolar disorders in some regional countries with such needs. In short, I will do my best for the ISBD with the vision of a real international ISBD and with a peaceful, collaborative and creative spirit."

"It is an honor for me to be elected to the 2009-2010 Board of Councilors of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD). In the last years I was involved in different areas of bipolar disorders, such as the study of affective temperaments as potential endophenotypes for bipolar disorders and specific aspects of this fascinating illness (e.g., epidemiology, neuroimaging, diagnostic issues, prescription patterns) in our region (LatinAmerica). I have also been collaborating from the neuroscience department of University of Palermo with different international centers around Europe (Calgary University and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona) and USA (McLean Hospital).
 
As general secretary of the Argentine Society for Affective Disorders (ASATHU) we are planning to found the argentine chapter of the ISBD by the end of this year (2008) in order to contribute in the main goals of ISBD all over the world: education and investigation on bipolar disorders. We are proud of having organized two successful regional meetings on bipolar disorders in Argentina (2005 & 2007) and we are planning our next meeting in Cordoba city on August 14th and 15th  2009.
 
I am also deeply involved with the IAN-BD (IberoAmerican Network on Bipolar Disorders) that will improve our collaborative efforts in research and will support and help develop a special group of young scientists.  As the regional representative for Latinoamerica (from México to Argentina) and member of the Educational Committee of the International Society for Affective Disorders (ISAD), I could manage to provide a strong bridge between both societies that share many common areas of interests."

"As a member of the 2008-2009 ISBD Board of Councilors, I understand the expectations and responsibilities involved with becoming a member of the board and I confirm that I am willing to provide my best to the mission and goals of ISBD. It is indeed an honor to hold this position."

"I am delighted to be elected for the Board of Councilors of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders. I have spent my entire professional life in clinical work and research with patients with Bipolar Disorder. Major contributions I would make to ISBD include:

• Working on ISBD committees. I am particularly interested in fellowships, training opportunities in developing junior scientists to become future researchers in the field
• I would be delighted to promote the ISBD meetings across Canada and to be an advocate for this Society amongst my colleagues
• I am also happy, as a member of the Editorial Board for Bipolar Disorders, to increase efforts to solicit publications for this excellent journal.

I am happy to work on the Board for governance issues. I have served on the Board of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, as well as on the Board of Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation and have a good deal of experience with Board procedures.

"I am Zhao Jingping, from China. On behalf of the ISBD-Chinese Chapter, I appreciate your recognition of our work and am grateful for this opportunity to work for ISBD.

Last year, the ISBD-China Chapter (in development) organized regular academic activities, which were helpful for my colleagues in identifying and managing patients with BP. As you know, China is a fast-developing country; my local colleagues really hope to have much opportunity to communicate with international colleagues in the field of BP. I really hope to be an emissary between the China and ISBD. Over the past five years, the Chinese--from the general population to professionals to the government--have given much consideration to mental disorders. As professionals in this field, we have received more support from the government at academic and economic levels. This interest has prompted quick development in the field of mental disorders. The identification and treatment of bipolar disorder falls relatively behind that of depression and schizophrenia in China, but I think it is the same throughout the world. With the quick development in the basic science and research technology, it is not so far we could understand more about the Bipolar Disorder. We have large clinical resourse in China, and as the councilor of ISBD, I will encourage more Chinese colleagues to work as members of ISBD, to actively participate the international ISBD congress, to organize the ISBD CME in China, to encourage the international clinical or basic research in the field of Bipolar disorder, and to promote the international communications foreign colleagues. I have organized nearly 40 Chinese colleagues to attend the the Biennial Conference of the ISBD (held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 17-20, 2010). I would like to participate other important events as well."