A little about us

ADHD is understood, within the scope of the Network, as a complex and multifactorial phenomenon. In this context, the activities developed integrate clinical, epidemiological, and biological approaches, with an emphasis on the combination of deep phenotyping, large-scale genomics, and detailed characterization of the exposome. This approach allows for the investigation not only of isolated risk factors, but above all of the mechanisms of susceptibility, clinical heterogeneity, and long-term outcomes.

The TDAH Brasil Research Network is a multicenter collaborative initiative that brings together researchers, clinicians, and institutions from different regions of the country with the goal of advancing, in an integrated manner, the scientific understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders throughout the lifespan. Structured from a translational perspective, the Network seeks to connect basic investigation, clinical research, and health application, establishing an environment of continuous collaboration between different areas of knowledge.

Network Vision

Infrastructure

The Network's infrastructure, multicentric and constantly expanding, has already enabled the recruitment of nearly 10,000 participants distributed across different sociocultural contexts in Brazil. This characteristic represents one of the main differentiators of our research focus, as the Brazilian population, highly diverse from a genetic and environmental perspective, offers a unique opportunity for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders from a more comprehensive and representative perspective. In this sense, the Network is strategically positioned at the frontier of international research, contributing to reducing historical gaps related to the underrepresentation of diverse populations in biological and clinical studies.

Education

Beyond scientific production, the TDAH Brazil Research Network assumes a structural commitment to training highly qualified individuals, strengthening national and international collaborations, and translating scientific knowledge for society. This commitment materializes both in the training of students and professionals and in the production of evidence that can inform more precise clinical practices and more effective public policies. Thus, the Network is configured not only as a group of research projects, but as an integrated platform for articulation between science, clinical practice, and society, with the potential for impact at multiple levels.

Coordinators

The Network's governance is organized to reflect this integration between different areas of expertise. General coordination is exercised by Prof. Dr. Diego Luiz Rovaris, in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of São Paulo (ICB-USP), who is responsible for the group's scientific and strategic articulation. Clinical coordination is under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Eugênio Horácio Grevet, linked to the Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), ensuring the standardization and quality of diagnostic processes. Scientific direction is led by Prof. Dr. Claiton Henrique Dotto Bau, from the Department of Genetics at the UFRGS Institute of Biosciences, with a focus on integrating biological approaches and consolidating large-scale analyses.

Institutional Structure

The ADHD Brazil Research Network is supported by a broad and articulated institutional structure that integrates universities, university hospitals, research laboratories, and graduate programs with complementary expertise. This organization enables the connection between different levels of analysis—from molecular to clinical—and supports the translational nature of the investigations conducted within the scope of the Network.

Partner Universities

The following teaching and research institutions, distributed across different regions of the country, currently participate in the Network:

University of São Paulo (USP)
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP)
Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA)
Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel)

Laboratories

Within these institutions, the Network is structured around laboratories and research centers that play complementary roles in data generation and analysis. In this context, initiatives with a strong focus on genomics, neurodevelopment, and translational psychiatry stand out:

Laboratory of Physiological Genomics of Neurodevelopment (PhysioGen Lab – ICB-USP), coordinated by Prof. Diego Luiz Rovaris
Psychiatric Genetics Laboratory (PsychGen Lab – IB-UFRGS), coordinated by Prof. Claiton Henrique Dotto Bau
Developmental Psychiatry Program Laboratory (HCPA-UFRGS), also linked to Prof. Claiton Bau
Developmental Genetics Laboratory (IB-USP), coordinated by Prof. Maria Rita Passos-Bueno

Specialized Programs

The Network's clinical interface is also structured into specialized programs that ensure the recruitment, assessment, and longitudinal follow-up of participants, allowing for the integration between research and clinical practice. Among the main clinical centers, the following stand out:

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Program (ProDAH – HCPA-UFRGS), coordinated by Profs. Eugênio Grevet and Claiton Bau
Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Program (PRODATH – Institute of Psychiatry of the Hospital das Clínicas of FMUSP), coordinated by Prof. Mário Louzã
Center for Teaching and Research in Brain Aging (NUDEC – UNIFESP), coordinated by Dr. Gustavo Melo de Andrade Lima

Graduate Programs

The Network also maintains strong articulation with graduate programs, which play a central role in training people and supporting the scientific activities. This integration allows for the continuous incorporation of students and researchers at different levels of training, strengthening the group's analytical and productive capacity. Among the associated programs, we highlight:

Graduate Program in Functional and Molecular Biology (PPGBFM – ICB-USP)
Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology (PPGBM – IB-UFRGS)
Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (PPGPsiq – FM-UFRGS)
Graduate Program in Biological Sciences (PPG Genetic Biology – IB-USP)
Graduate Program in Biosciences (PPGBio – UFCSPA)
Graduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS – UFCSPA)