Who We Are

Mission

The mission of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) is to foster international collaboration in education, research and clinical care to improve the lives of those with bipolar disorder and related conditions. 


The intent of this collaboration is to advance the treatment of bipolar disorders and to improve outcomes and the quality of life for those living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers. 

History

ISBD was launched in Pittsburgh, PA, USA on June 17, 1999 by Dr. David Kupfer, Founding President, and Dr. Ellen Frank.

The official launch took place at the 3rd International Conference on Bipolar Disorders, where materials were distributed to all of the delegates inviting them to enroll in membership.

About ISBD

Bipolar disorder is a severe and debilitating mental illness, which has in the past decade started to receive the necessary attention from society, researchers, practitioners, government, and private funding agencies. 

ISBD was created in response to further need for:

  • Awareness
  • Education
  • Research

The Society is growing in membership with an elected board representing 8 countries and 500 members representing nearly 50 countries.

ISBD is a major source for emerging research and clinical data on bipolar disorders and is the only bipolar-focused, research-oriented Society working to bring this data to:

  • Patients
  • Families
  • Mental health professionals working on the front lines of bipolar care

The Society currently offers several educational programs, including the Samuel Gershon Awards for Junior Investigators for best original research manuscripts, online training opportunities for young clinicians, and a mentorship program. In addition to its work to support bipolar education among trainees, fellows and young investigators, the ISBD is also moving the field forward through the development of task forces in the areas of child and adolescent bipolar disorder, transcultural needs, staging, women’s health and bipolar disorder in older adults.

Bipolar Disorders – An International Journal of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, which is the official journal of the Society, is published 8 times a year and is dedicated to publishing the results of all research relevant to the basic mechanisms, clinical aspects, or treatment of bipolar disorders.      

Contributors & Financials

We would like to thank the following people and organizations who generously donated to the Society in 2020:

           Prof Trisha Suppes             Dr Holly Swartz  Dr. Erica Saunders  Dr. Benjamin Goldstein
 Prof Jan Scott  Victor Troyas  Debbie Badawi  Jason Braddy
 David Cutler  Dr. Ariel Gildengers  Kathy Littman  Fern Moore
 Dr Jorge Tellez-Vargas  Marina Itskova  Cathy Girard  Ritamay Roberts
 Alexis Kubisz  Danita Zelenak  Tract Sachtjen  Mohamed Saber
 Collette Jakubowicz   Michael and Sandra Boyle  Kirsten Borror  Lori Simon
 Hui Ben Lim  Anthony Khiliq Jones Jr  Amazon Smile  Network for Good
 Benevity Fund  Mental Health & Addiction Netowrk  United Way of Allegheny County  United Way of Southwestern PA


If you are interested in making a donation to the Society and would like to review our audited financial statements, please click here.  



Our Executive Committee

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    Gin Malhi

    President
    Australia
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    Trisha Suppes

    Immediate Past President
    US
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    Erika Saunders

    Vice President of Governance
    US
  • Andrew Nierenberg

    Vice President of Research
    US
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    Ralph Kupka

    Vice-President of Education
    The Netherlands
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    Erin Michalak

    Vice President of Global Outreach
    Canada
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    Holly Swartz

    Treasurer
    USA

Board of Directors

  • Annemiek Dols

    Board Member
    Europe
  • Beny Lafer

    Board Member
    Latin America
  • Greg Murray

    Board Member
    Oceania
  • Katherine Burdick

    Board Member
    North America
  • Koji Matsuo

    Board Member
    Asia
  • Mauricio Tohen

    Board Member
    North America
  • Michael Berk

    Board Member
    Oceania
  • Manuel Sanchez de Carmona

    Board Member
    Latin America

Our Staff

  • Mary Miller, MSW

    Program Manager
    USA
    P:-
  • Chad Daversa

    Executive Director
    USA
    P:+1 412 880-3792

Join Our Community

Join ISBD today to forge connections, share knowledge, and access updated resources.
 

Explore Member Benefits

Learn more about the career development, education, networking, and other opportunities that come with an ISBD membership.

What We Do

ISBD is devoted to promoting understanding and reducing the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder through education and outreach.