The Universy of Glasgow is delighted to announce the opening of the Sackler Institute of Psychobiological Research in Glasgow. This is a ground-breaking research unit into neuro-psychiatric disorders with the University of Edinburgh, which opened its Institute in March 2004.

Dr Mortimer Sackler and his family will visit and official open the Sackler Institute of Psychobiological Research at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow on Monday 20 September.

Dr Mortimer Sackler is a major philanthropist, who received an honorary doctorate from of Glasgow University (2001)and has a long association with the university, having been an undergraduate in medicine at the University (Anderson College) in the late 1930s. He is the head of a major pharmaceutical company, has established similar institutes in the USA and has given major support to a medical school in Israel (Sackler Medical School).

The origins of the current development lie in approaches to the Sackler Foundation by Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities which resulted in a major donation split between the two universities to establish an institute, the purpose of which is to conduct research into the connections between mind, brain and behaviour.

This funding for a single Institute within the two Universities is further evidence of successful collaboration between Scotland's two largest research universities. This joint Institute will mirror similar Institutes funded by The Dr Mortimer Sackler Foundations and his family at the Universities of Columbia and Cornell in the USA.

In Glasgow, a significant amount of the award will be used to upgrade existing neuroimaging equipment and in providing state-of-the-art cognitive neuroscience and sleep research laboratory facilities. These will be used to develop and extend research into emotional disorders. They will also allow research into the biological mechanisms of treatment response in those suffering from conditions such as depression and insomnia. These disorders are the most common mental health problems in the UK adult community.

Dr Jonathan Cavanagh (Psychological Medicine) is a principal researcher in Glasgow and Dr Stephen Lawrie (Psychiatry) is a principal researcher in Edinburgh.

They explained: 'Our joint aim is to determine the biological basis of complex disorders such as schizophrenia and depression using neuroimaging, neuropsychological and other behavioural measures. Such a significant amount of funding will enable us to use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques.'

Professor Colin Espie (Chair of the Sackler Institute in Glasgow) comments:

'This development puts mental health research in Glasgow at the cutting edge of science. By improving our understanding of how the mind and brain interact we expect in time to develop more effective treatments for common problems like depression and insomnia. We also hope that our research will help with the fitting of individual treatment to the individual patient, because we are looking to discover why is that people differ in their response treatment.'

Alongside Dr Cavanagh and Professor Espie, other key members of the Institute are Professor David Wyper and Professor Tom McMillan.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

The Sackler Foundations support the advancement of education of the public in the UK and elsewhere in the fields of art, science and medical research.

For further information, contact either Mike Findlay University of Glasgow Press Officer on 0141 330 3535 or Katrina Nevin-Ridley at the University of Edinburgh Press Office on 0131 650 1000.

First published: 16 September 2004