Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center To Present Distinguished Service Award

Mental Health Advocates Constance and Stephen Lieber To Be Honored at Advisory Council Luncheon

New York, New York – April 25, 2001–Constance Lieber, president of the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), and Stephen Lieber, chairman of Columbia University’s psychiatric advisory board, will receive the prestigious Award for Distinguished Service from the Columbia-Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council—publicly recognizing the couple’s many years of invaluable contributions to the fields of mental health research and advocacy. The award will be presented to the Liebers at the spring meeting of the advisory council on April 26. Founded only 15 years ago, NARSAD has become the world’s largest donor-supported organization dedicated to the support of scientific research on brain and behavior disorders. In the past two decades, the alliance has awarded more than $110 million in research grants to more than 1,300 scientists at approximately 170 institutions worldwide. In addition to his activities with the psychiatric advisory board, Mr. Lieber, a graduate of Williams College, runs a highly successful investment firm. A graduate of Brooklyn College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Mrs. Lieber not only heads up NARSAD’s board of directors, but is also president of the Essel Foundation, a grant-making organization that provides funding and educational opportunities for mental health researchers and practitioners. Together, these two dynamic individuals have joined forces to propel mental health research into the 21st century—founding the Lieber Center for Schizophrenia Research and the Lieber Professorship in Psychiatry at Columbia University, as well as the Lieber Prize for achievement in schizophrenia research. “We are honored to bestow this award on such a worthy couple,” said Dr. Gerald Fischbach, vice president for health and biomedical services and dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Columbia University. “Their work has brought new scientists to the study of neurological and psychiatric disorders. These talented scientists, inspired by Connie and Steve, have provided new insights into the most complex and challenging brain disorders of all. The Liebers’ pioneering efforts have helped change the face of psychiatry in this country and abroad.” The Columbia-Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council meets twice a year and presents the Award for Distinguished Service to individuals who have shown a committed interest in medical research, encouraged development of this field, and raised awareness on a national level. This Award for Distinguished Service is the second to be given jointly by Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Columbia Presbyterian campus. Formerly known as the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Service, the award was given previously to Mary Lasker, Rosalynn Carter, Tipper Gore, Anna Wintour, Dr. Michael DeBakey, Congressman Charles Rangel, Avon CEO Andrea Jung, actor/director Rob Reiner, and others.

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