Lifeline for Families and iSPARC researcher, Dr. Martha Zimmermann awarded prestigious K23 Career Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Date Posted: Monday, September 29, 2025
We are excited to share that Dr. Martha Zimmermann, assistant professor in the UMass Chan Lifeline for Families Center and iSPARC researcher, has received a prestigious K23 Career Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This highly competitive award supports promising researchers as they build independent careers focused on improving mental health care.
Up to 1 in 5 people during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth experience an anxiety disorder. These conditions can have serious effects on both parents and their children, and they often affect families with fewer financial resources at even higher rates. Finding effective, accessible ways to prevent perinatal anxiety is an urgent need.
Dr. Zimmermann’s project, Reaching Calm: A Digital Intervention to Prevent Perinatal Anxiety Disorders, (please note article has a paywall) will test a new text message-based program designed to be used in obstetric settings. The study will look at how well the program works, how acceptable it is to patients, and how to design it in ways that keep people engaged and supported.
This award is both a recognition of Dr. Zimmermann’s outstanding potential and a vital investment in finding new solutions to prevent perinatal anxiety disorders.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Zimmermann on this tremendous achievement!
