BOSTON, MA (Thursday, July 24, 2025) — The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Research Grant Awards. These six researchers are spearheading work that promises to advance the understanding and treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders.
This year’s Michael A. Jenike Young Investigator Awards—named in honor of OCD research pioneer Dr. Michael Jenike and made possible by thousands of individual donors—provide grants of up to $50,000 to early-career researchers investigating OCD, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), hoarding disorder, and related conditions.
The 2025 awardees are:
The 2025 Innovator Award—generously funded by the Ghosh Mohapatra Family—is a three-year grant of up to $300,000 awarded to an established researcher pursuing innovative, high-impact science with the potential to transform the field and accelerate the development of more effective treatments for OCD. It was awarded to:
“Our family decided to support OCD research so that we can gain a better understanding of OCD and related illnesses, and there are more treatment options for our family and other families affected by OCD in the future,” said the Ghosh Mohapatra family.
OCD research has historically received significantly less funding than other conditions of similar or even lower prevalence. Privately funded initiatives currently play a crucial role in filling these gaps, driving innovation and advancing progress toward more effective treatments. The IOCDF is committed to supporting research that deepens understanding, challenges stigma, and improves care.
“Research is essential to achieving our vision that everyone impacted by OCD and related disorders has immediate access to effective treatment and support,” said Rebecca Deusser, executive director of the IOCDF. “These grants help ensure that care is grounded in evidence, not guesswork—and that new discoveries can translate into real-world options for the people who need them. We’re committed to building a future where effective treatment isn’t the exception, but the standard.”
Since launching its grant program in 1994, the IOCDF has awarded 155 grants—nearly $12 million in funding. Continued investment in research is essential to improving how OCD and related disorders are understood, diagnosed, and treated. As public funding remains limited, private support plays a critical role in moving these breakthroughs forward. Donations to the IOCDF’s Research Grant Program fund studies that lead to real-world impact—and expand access to effective, evidence-based care. Learn more at iocdf.org/research
About the International OCD Foundation: The IOCDF is the leading authority on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, including Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Hoarding Disorder. The largest 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in this space, we are dedicated to serving a broad community of individuals around the world along with their family members, loved ones, mental health professionals, and researchers. What started as a small group seeking mutual support in 1986 has grown into an international organization with Affiliates in 33 U.S. states in addition to global partnerships with other OCD organizations and mental health non-profits around the world. To learn more about supporting IOCDF’s research grant program, visit iocdf.org/donate-research.
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Media Contact:
Amanda Ota
Communications Manager
aota@iocdf.org
617-543-9794
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