UC, Children's join $20 million statewide research effort
Cincinnati Business Courier highlights SOAR mental health study
The Cincinnati Business Courier highlighted the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s being part of a collaborative research initiative designed to identify the root causes of the ongoing epidemic of persistent emotional distress, suicide and drug overdose in the state of Ohio.
The SOAR Study investigates the role of underlying biological, psychological and social factors. SOAR is studying Ohioans in their local communities, using an integrated “bring science to the people” approach. It is creating a statewide medical research and development ecosystem to drive continued advances in mental health, substance use prevention and treatment interventions.
The SOAR Study has two parallel but connected projects.
Focusing on breadth, the SOAR Wellness Discovery Survey is engaging as many as 15,000 people across all 88 Ohio counties. Researchers want to uncover how strengths and skills may be related to overcoming adversity. Those strengths will inform researchers about which factors to focus on to develop new treatments. This portion is underway, with more than 300,000 postcards mailed out to residents statewide.
Focusing on depth, the SOAR Brain Health Study will comprehensively study as many as 3,600 Ohioans in family groups to examine the biological, psychological and social factors that help explain response to adversity, with longer-term goals of personalizing individual care.
“Better understanding biomarkers of risk and resilience among Cincinnatians is in line with our department’s vision to advance the understanding and treatment of psychiatric disorders,” said Cal Adler, MD, professor, vice chair of research, co-director of the Division of Bipolar Disorders Research, director of the Center for Imaging Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at UC’s College of Medicine and a UC Health physician. “We have already begun to enroll Ohio families and anticipate engaging over 200 participants over the next year.”
Read the Cincinnati Business Courier story.
If you are interested in participating in this study, please reach out to the UC study coordinator, Rachel, at 513-558-5319.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Related Stories
How the University of Cincinnati co-op program is shaping the future of work at SXSW
March 17, 2026
The University of Cincinnati served as a 2026 Workplace Track sponsor at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Innovation Conference March 12-18 in Austin, Texas, showcasing how co-op is redesigning the future of work.
Recent advances may speed time to endometriosis diagnosis
March 16, 2026
The average time to clinical diagnosis of endometriosis is nine years. Definitive diagnosis of the disease is difficult, and until recently, has relied on laparoscopic surgery. Now, as Medscape recently reported, novel clinical recommendations, advanced diagnostic tools and research into inflammation and immune responses, are bringing promise that women with endometriosis will find relief sooner and without surgery, according to experts, including Katie Burns, PhD, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine associate professor.
Position-specific helmets may not improve protection
March 16, 2026
Local 12 highlighted a new study by biomedical engineering researchers that looked at how well new football helmets protected players from impacts that can cause concussions.