The mission of Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) is to spur cutting-edge neuroscience research into the origins, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of depression, a national public health crisis in the United States and the world's number one cause of disability.  HDRF was founded by philanthropist Audrey Gruss in 2006 in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with depression for decades.

 

HDRF’s main goal is to accelerate the discovery of new treatments, based on a better understanding of the brain.   In the past decade, its acclaimed Depression Task Force of collaborative neuroscientists have generated new targets for treatment that are currently in clinical trials and may lead to a new category of antidepressant. In 2020, HDRF also launched the New Treatment Initiative, a competitive national grant program to identify and fund clinical trials of novel treatments or diagnostic tests.

 

HDRF also aims to raise awareness of depression as a medical illness and to educate the public about the facts of depression. We educate and inform in order to help remove the stigma that surrounds depression.

 

At a time when federal funds are shrinking and several major drug companies have withdrawn from research, HDRF answers an urgent call for leadership in the field.  Our research focuses on major depression and related mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, PTSD and anxiety.

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Every dollar raised goes directly to research.