Dr Luba Sominsky, Senior Scientist at Deakin University is the 2024 recipient of The Pat, Toni and Peter Kinsman Research Scholarship for her research Identifying biological mechanisms and targets for prevention of perinatal depression. 
Dr Sominsky is working on this project with Prof Alison Yung, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and Professor, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University

About the project

Perinatal depression is experienced during pregnancy and/or after birth by as many as one in five Australian mothers. Unfortunately, we still do not fully understand what puts women at risk to develop perinatal depression. 

The Kinsman Research Scholarship will help us to understand how and why perinatal depression develops. This project will address two critical evidence gaps: the absence of biologically-based tools to identify women at increased risk of perinatal depression and the absence of biological targets for novel primary prevention strategies. This knowledge will be critical for future development of effective ways to intervene and prevent mental health conditions in mothers and improve the health of their children.

RANZCP Fellow Prof Yung will be substantially involved in the proposed project both through the infrastructure work that makes re-use of clinical data more straightforward and also through provided psychiatric expertise into the interpretation of data on perinatal mental health.

Grant

Supported by a bequest from the Kinsman family, this scholarship supports and encourages research into postnatal depression in women in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The award is made every 2 years, on the basis of a research protocol submitted by applicants. It may be made to one person or shared by a team.

Value

One grant of A$50,000 available every two years.