Advancing Hope Through Science: Gabriel R. Fries, PhD, Named 2026 Klerman Young Investigator Award Winner
Some scientists generate knowledge. Others change the way we understand and ultimately care for people living with mental illness. Gabriel R. Fries, PhD, associate professor in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is doing both.
Fries has been named a 2026 Gerald L. Klerman Award Young Investigator, one of the highest honors bestowed by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). The Klerman Award recognizes researchers whose work has meaningfully advanced our understanding of the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of depression and bipolar disorder fields where clarity is urgently needed and progress deeply matters.
Fries is widely recognized for his innovative, translational approach to biological psychiatry. His research seeks to uncover the neurobiological foundations of mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, by integrating molecular biomarkers, epigenetics, in vitro models, postmortem studies, and clinical data. Through this work, he is illuminating the biological mechanisms that contribute to cognitive decline, premature biological aging, and elevated suicide risk, with the ultimate goal of identifying precise, biologically informed targets for personalized and preventive interventions.
Fries is also a member of the faculty in the UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences, where his work extends beyond the laboratory. Through teaching and mentorship, he educates future behavioral health professionals, integrating cutting edge research with training that will shape the field for years to come.
Fries’ scientific journey reflects both global perspective and deep commitment. He earned his master’s degree and PhD in biochemistry from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, followed by advanced research training at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Germany. He joined UTHealth Houston as a postdoctoral fellow in 2015 and has since grown into a collaborative leader whose work bridges basic science and clinical application. Today, he partners closely with investigators across disciplines to advance understanding of the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of severe mental illness.
With more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, and funding as a principal investigator from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Milken Institute, John S. Dunn Foundation, the Baszucki Group, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Fries has already made a profound impact on the field. Yet what truly distinguishes his work is its driving purpose: improving the lives of individuals and families affected by depression and bipolar disorder.
The Klerman Young Investigator Award recognizes not only scientific excellence, but promise, and in Fries, that promise is unmistakable. His work exemplifies the kind of rigorous, compassionate science that moves the field of behavioral health forward and offers hope to those who need it most.