Happenings

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Lanser is already well acquainted with the research and service arms of the Depression Grand Challenge as a former postdoctoral research fellow and previously as a graduate student researcher with various STAND research and clinical programs.

The UCLA Depression Grand Challenge appoints clinical psychologist Isabelle Lanser as the inaugural social justice policy analyst to advance the program’s commitment to justice, equity and inclusion. In this role, Lanser will serve as an internal advocate to help ensure that the program’s research and actions promote awareness and understanding for all population groups, being mindful of existing biases based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and religion.

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The workshop organizers invite review of and comments on the reports by Aug. 31.

Leading mental health and computer science researchers, industry experts, advocates and funders who participated in the Digital Sensing Workshop held at UCLA in the winter of 2023 are seeking additional review and input from colleagues and other stakeholders for a shared vision, common standards and recommendations they created to facilitate the use of digital sensing technologies in mental health research, which they intend to publish later this year.

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Product image of iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch displaying various Health features.
(Photo: Apple)

During Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference this week, Apple cited UCLA Depression Grand Challenge mental health research findings and expertise in demonstrating the importance of caring for your mental health. The company also announced groundbreaking new mental health features for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users.

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A Zoom screenshot of two women and two men smiling. A footer reads "UCLA Alumni Town Hall: A Look Into the Depression Grand Challenge
The UCLA Alumni Association spotlighted the Depression Grand Challenge at its May 2023 Town Hall.

Depression is a growing global epidemic only accelerated by the pandemic, and even more reason why the world needs the concerted effort of the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge, said Director of the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge Dr. Nelson Freimer, addressing a group of UCLA alumni during Mental Health Awareness Month. “It [the DGC] is something we think of as a Manhattan project of mental health bringing the world together to solve this problem.”

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More than 20,000 people have enrolled in the UCLA Depression Research Registry, which improves and streamlines longstanding obstacles to recruiting participants for medical research. The registry is now expanding outreach to invite all Angelenos.

To learn more about this collaboration between the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge and the UCLA Center for SMART Health, and how it already has improved recruitment for mental health research studies and overcome obstacles that can slow the momentum of important research projects, visit UCLA Newsroom.

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