Cory Heidaran Charitable Foundation
Statement of problem: Every 40 seconds, in the US, someone dies by suicide (World Health Organization). According to the NIMH, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 10-34 age group. In addition, in the US, 93,331 people died from drug overdoses in 2020. Today, according to the CDC, 25% of the US population has a mental health condition. Within this population, there is a spectrum of mental health conditions which includes those who are at extremely high risk of self-harm. Identification of at high risk population is not possible using current diagnostic tools. Statement of Unmet Need: The current approach which is prompted through advocacy groups is focused primarily on facilitating access to available mental health care which remains to be very limited, with focus on the use of 20-year-old psychiatric drugs developed based on monoamine mechanism of action, mindfulness activities, therapies and rely upon subjective, self-reported symptoms. In recent years, due to advances in genomics, scientists are beginning to understand the underlying biological, molecular basis of mental health disease. Although these areas are being funded by the government, the funding is substantially lower as compared to cancer research or other diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. How we are different: Our goal at CHCF foundation is promote research aimed at identifying populations at-risk for serious mental health disease through genetic/epigenetic testing in order to provide available treatments early on during childhood development. We also aim to transform our understanding of mental health disease by promoting research to identify molecular and biological factors influencing this high-risk population going beyond current well accepted dogma which can be used as a new target for the development of novel curative therapies. We serve as a bridge between public and the latest state of art technologies and expertise in the field of genetics, and advanced therapies making sure that every dollar raised is used in a manner that will be transformational. We will do this by serving as an informed conduit raising substantial funding and by distributing these funds using a multidisciplinary, flexible, streamlined-rapid process not unlike how DARPA funds highly innovative and outside the box idea currently. This process will not rely on the existing methodology used at NIH, which we believe to be slow moving and incremental. At CHCF, we strive to draw world attention to the need for the development of blood-based diagnostics to make early identification for at-risk individuals during childhood development in collaboration with government and other grass root foundation. The intent is to facilitate early access to current treatment options before advancing to a critical level. Most significantly, we strive to understand the molecular basis of many brain diseases, such as bipolar disorder, so that one day, we will have long lasting, durable cures for the at-risk population.
