Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²)

BD² is the first organization focused on funding and advancing research and care for bipolar disorder on a global scale.

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BD² has committed $87 million to over 25 organizations conducting collaborative scientific research.

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We engage people with lived experience and collect data in real-world clinical settings to advance the scientific understanding of bipolar disorder and improve care.

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We are forging research pathways to lift the ceiling on scientific understanding and to create new interventions so that everyone with bipolar disorder can thrive.

Data are shared and analyzed across genetic background, biological markers, and clinical treatment to drive discovery, reinvest in and improve care, and inspire new research questions.

100 +

Scientists and clinicians in BD²’s network who are transforming the bipolar disorder research landscape.

BD² invests in and connects prominent scientists, clinicians, and people with lived experience to deepen understanding.

$87 Million

Committed in grants to close fundamental gaps in scientific understanding of bipolar disorder.

We implement an intentionally collaborative, open science approach aiming to collapse the timeline from scientific breakthroughs to improved care.

4,000

People with lived experience who will participate in the BD² longitudinal cohort study over the next five years.

Current research, treatment, and care for bipolar disorder lacks scientific precision of the disorder and its diversity. We aim to change that.

About Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is often studied through the lens of other psychiatric conditions and receives less funding, despite affecting 3% of the global population.

It takes 7 years on average to diagnose bipolar disorder.
It takes 17 years on average to translate a scientific discovery to meaningful interventions for people with bipolar disorder.
Fewer than 50% of individuals find effective treatments.

BD² was created to provide leadership to revitalize and expand the scientific field, implement fundamental direction for research, and offer new hope for those living with bipolar disorder.

Researching previously unknown scientific foundations of bipolar disorder, including biological indicators and genetic mechanisms.
Building the largest collaborative scientific network for bipolar disorder focused on applying learnings to evidence-based, personalized treatment.
Collecting and sequencing the largest and most diverse set of brain samples to expand the understanding of the disorder.

With a collective force focused on transforming bipolar disorder research and care, we see a future where all people with bipolar disorder thrive.

A bipolar diagnosis is identifiable at the onset of proven genetic and biological markers.
Evidence-based treatments are discovered, and improved outcomes are possible for people with bipolar disorder within a short time of diagnosis.
All people with bipolar disorder manage the disorder effectively and thrive in their lives.

Our mission is to accelerate scientific understanding of bipolar disorder and advance clinical care. Our Collaboration Projects provide BD² teams across programs with additional funding to promote data and resource sharing, as well as accelerate new findings.

Our Work

Integrated Network

Activate a collaborative infrastructure between clinical settings and a longitudinal research study to translate real-time findings into improvements in care.

Brigham and Women's Hospital-McLean Hospital

Johns Hopkins University

Mayo Clinic

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Michigan

UTHealth Houston

Discovery Research

Improve the scientific understanding of the biological mechanisms of bipolar disorder.

Yale University

Stanford University

University of Texas Austin

Northwestern University

New York Genome Center

Rutgers University

New York University

Columbia University

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Brain Omics Platform

Assess the transcriptomic, epigenetic, and proteomic characteristics of brain tissue derived from people with bipolar disorder.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

University of Pittsburgh

California Institute of Technology

Genetics Platform

Perform genetic sequencing on a large, diverse population of people with bipolar disorder to contribute to the genetic database.

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

University of California, Los Angeles

New York Genome Center

Who We Are

Our comprehensive, hypothesis-driven approach breaks down barriers between innovation, scientific findings, and clinical care.

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April 23, 2025

Blog

Building Community, Catalyzing Progress: BD²’s Investigators Meeting

Last month, BD² brought together over 115 researchers, clinicians, and leaders from across our…

March 12, 2025

Press Release

BD² Announces Four New Sites to Join Landmark Bipolar Disorder Research and Clinical Care Network

Washington, D.C.: Today, Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²)…

February 11, 2025

Blog

Bold Minds, Bright Futures: Celebrating Women in Neuroscience & Shaping Science For Tomorrow

February 11 marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a…

February 3, 2025

Blog

BD² Collaboration Projects: Uniting Research Teams to Advance Biological Insights into Bipolar Disorder

From its inception, BD² set out to promote transformative and meaningful collaboration to drive…

November 21, 2024

Blog

2024 Milestone Report

This year, BD² made significant progress, accelerating research efforts and expanding our…

November 15, 2024

Blog

Innovating for Equity: BD² at the 2024 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit

The annual Milken Institute Future of Health Summit convenes global thought leaders to address…

BD² is invested in the talent of our people and partners, fostering team development and connection across the network.

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A message from our Managing Director

"The wonder of science is that while we can’t know where new discovery will come from, we can stack the deck in our favor and aim it towards the greatest impact for people."

– Cara Altimus, PhD, Managing Director