Postdoctoral grant from SSMF to Federico Triolo
Federico Triolo has received a postdoctoral grant from the Swedish Society for Medical Research (SSMF), a non-profit organisation that has supported medical research since 1919. The purpose of the grant is to help early-career researchers to build their independence and develop their own line of research. The grant amounts to 3,950,000 SEK over three years, including a two-year research stay abroad, followed by one year back in Sweden.
The project is entitled “Depression trajectories across the lifespan: exploring long-term course, symptom patterns, and biological aging.”
Depression is a common and debilitating mental health condition that significantly affects daily functioning and overall quality of life. While often thought of as an episodic condition, depression can become more persistent and chronic with age, posing significant challenges for those affected, their families and healthcare providers.
This project aims to describe how depression evolves over time, comparing its progression in younger and older adults. We will focus on the clinical markers of depression progression and investigate whether biological ageing is associated with poorer disease course. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the clinical and biological profiling of patients at high risk of worse depression trajectories.
What does this grant mean for your research? And for you personally?
"I am grateful to SSMF for believing in this project. This grant is a fantastic opportunity as it allows me to keep working on a topic I really care about, and it opens the door to new collaborations and experiences", says Federico Triolo, postdoctoral researcher at the Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society.
"On a personal level, I am excited to get the chance to spend time in a different research environment and live in another country. It is a big step toward building my own research career".
Who else is involved in the project?
During the research stay abroad, Federico Triolo will be collaborating with Professor Brenda Penninx and her team at the Department of Psychiatry at Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands, where she leads one of the world’s largest studies on depression and anxiety.
"Upon my return to Sweden, the third year, I will be involved in projects on depression within NEAR – The National E-infrastructure for Aging Research at ARC."