Case Study: Baszucki Group Partnership Advances Metabolic Psychiatry

SPARC’s partnership with the Baszucki Group began in 2021 and helped to lay the foundation to launch and foster a new scientific community focused on metabolic psychiatry, an emerging field exploring the connection between metabolism and mental health. We began by conducting a comprehensive landscape analysis, engaging with key opinion leaders, and mapping the ecosystem of organizations and stakeholders. This foundational work culminated in the Metabolic Psychiatry Road Map Retreat in spring 2022, where researchers and thought leaders gathered to chart a strategy for advancing the evidence based across basic, translational, and clinical research.

As part of this initiative, the Baszucki Group awarded a total of $3 million in funding to support six pilot clinical studies examining ketogenic metabolic therapy as a treatment for bipolar disorder, building on its established efficacy in epilepsy to explore its potential for mental health. SPARC facilitated the community building of these funded investigators by managing a monthly virtual working group, enabling participants to collaborate, share insights, and learn from one another.

In parallel, SPARC worked with the Baszucki Group to launch the 2022 Metabolic Mind Award program, which recognized seven clinicians with $100,000 awards for their past efforts in clinical care, training, observational research, and public education around ketogenic metabolic therapy for neuropsychiatric conditions. SPARC played a key role in designing and piloting the award program, managing the review and selection process, and laying the groundwork for future expansion. Additionally, in 2023, SPARC facilitated the establishment of the Baszucki Endowed Chair for Metabolic Neuroscience at Stony Brook University, made possible through a $3 million gift by the Baszucki Group.

Our partnership culminated in the second annual Metabolic Psychiatry Retreat in spring 2023, held in Miami, FL. This meeting brought together pilot study investigators, Metabolic Mind awardees, and experts in psychiatry, nutrition, and clinical trial design to collaboratively shape the next phase of the field’s evolution. Beyond program execution, SPARC also advised the Baszucki Group on broader strategy, helping to guide their organizational growth, staff expansion, and community-building efforts. This work ultimately contributed to the launch of Metabolic Mind, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing knowledge and resources with the public about metabolic psychiatry.

Awardees and Projects

  • Ignacio Cuaranta, MD, is a clinical psychiatrist in Argentina who has been using metabolic approaches to treat patients since 2015. He has contributed significantly to the field of metabolic psychiatry by engaging with the public through lectures and social media and by promoting Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for mental health at conferences worldwide.
  • Albert Danan, MD, has practiced psychiatry for 35 years and has published results of his delivery of Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy to patients in his psychiatric clinic. This body of work represents the largest inpatient study of this intervention for psychiatric patients and paves the way for future pilot and randomized controlled trials.
  • Georgia Ede, MD, is one of the earliest pioneers of metabolic psychiatry. Her website serves as a substantial hub of information for the public about the ketogenic diet and mental health, and she has led the CME-accredited Ketogenic Diet for Mental Health Clinician Training program.
  • Nicole Laurent is a licensed mental health counselor and founder of mentalhealthketo.com. She delivers Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy to her clients with mood disorders, has undertaken post-graduate training in nutrition and integrative health, and has engaged with the public through her blog, podcast appearances, and social media.
  • Christopher Palmer, MD, has 20 years of experience treating patients with Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy. He has used his global lectures, website, media appearances, and social media presence to raise awareness of ketogenic therapies among clinicians and the public. His upcoming book, Brain Energy, will make a case for a metabolic cause for diverse psychiatric conditions.
  • Denise Potter is a leading dietitian providing Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy across multiple neurological and metabolic conditions. In addition, she is credited with collaborating to create the Ketogenic Therapeutics Mastery courses, which have contributed to the modern framework for treating epilepsy and other psychiatric and neurological conditions.
  • Beth Zupec-Kania is a registered dietitian nutritionist in the field of metabolic psychiatry and a consultant to The Charlie Foundation. She designed KetoDietCalculator, a free resource used by nutritionists and the public, wrote educational guides on Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for epilepsy and neurological disorders, created a training module to educate nutritionists and psychiatrists, and is a co-author on many scientific papers.

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