Michael Jenike Young Investigator Awards Grant

The IOCDF Research Grant Program supports innovative research in OCD and related disorders, providing vital funding to scientists dedicated to enhancing treatment and understanding. With over $11 million awarded since 1994, the program aims to ensure that individuals affected by OCD have access to effective therapies. The upcoming 2025 Michael Jenike Young Investigator Awards will offer grants of up to $50,000 to early-career researchers, fostering new insights and advancements in the field.

IOCDF Research Grant Program
The IOCDF awards annual grants to research scientists seeking to advance scientific understanding of OCD and related disorders, improve existing therapies, and discover new and more effective treatments. Since 1994, the IOCDF’s Research Grant Program has awarded over $11 million in funding support to researchers worldwide. The generosity of our donors allowed us to distribute nearly $1 million in research funding in 2024 alone. These grants are a pillar of our mission and help actualize our vision that everyone impacted by OCD and related disorders has immediate access to effective treatment and support.
Michael Jenike Young Investigator Awards:
These are grants of up to $50,000 each. They support promising young investigators who are developing their careers while pursuing creative and impactful research projects on OCD and related disorders across a range of disciplines. To be eligible for funding, researchers must be investigating: OCD and related disorders (OCD, including pediatric OCD; PANS/PANDAS; hoarding disorder; body dysmorphic disorder; or body focused repetitive behaviors).
The usual term for the Jenike Awards is one year.
The Jenike Awards are funded by individual donors to the IOCDF Research Grant Fund, and because we allow donors to restrict their donations to specific purposes, we have funding set aside for projects in several areas, including:

• 2026 Topic of Interest: Addressing the OCD Care Crisis for All
• In line with the findings of the IOCDF's white paper, we encourage applications for this topic in 2026.

The role that Race, Ethnicity, and Culture play in OCD and related disordersOCD treatmentResearch into the causes of OCD, including genetic causesPediatric OCDPANDAS/PANSHoarding disorder

Eligibility

Eligible principal investigators must be current graduate students or must have completed their residency or PhD (or equivalent) on or after September 1, 2020.Applicants who are still in training must submit a letter from their mentor with their application. You may include study personnel, consultants, etc. in your application who do not meet these requirements but cannot occupy a PI or co-PI role.