New Grant Boosts Research into the Complexities of Depression
Anthony Fernandez from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) secures major funding to develop a new framework for understanding mood disturbances in depression.
Anthony Fernandez, Assistant Professor at the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics and Fellow of the Danish Institute for Advanced Study at SDU, has been awarded a DFF Project 2 grant worth DKK 6.19 million by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF).
His four-year project, Understanding Experiences of Mood Disturbances in Depression, aims to shed light on the diverse emotional experiences hidden behind the general label of depression. The project will be carried out in the Department of Psychology.
"By refining how we understand and categorize mood disturbances, we hope to lay the groundwork for more precise diagnoses and targeted interventions," Fernandez explains.
A New Conceptual Framework
Depression is often treated as a single disorder, but research suggests it includes a wide range of poorly differentiated conditions.
Fernandez’s project combines qualitative interviews with philosophical analysis to develop a taxonomy of mood disturbances.
By doing so, it seeks to help psychiatry move beyond vague concepts like “depressed mood” and towards a more nuanced understanding of mental health challenges.
International Collaboration and Interdisciplinary
Team
The research project will be carried out with the help of a dedicated team, including a psychology postdoc, a philosophy PhD student, and external collaborators at Columbia University’s psychiatry department.
An international advisory board will also support the work, with experts in philosophy, psychiatry, and clinical psychology.
This collaborative effort ensures the project benefits from insights across disciplines and borders, strengthening its potential impact on future mental health research.
The project will run for four years, beginning in 2026.
Contact
Anthony Vincent Fernandez
Assistant Professor of Applied Philosophy
Danish Institute for Advanced Study &
Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics
Research unit Movement, Culture and Society (MoCS)
University of Southern Denmark
T +45 65 50 25 66
afernandez@health.sdu.dk
Meet the researcher
Anthony Fernandez is an Assistant Professor of Applied Philosophy at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) and the research unit Movement, Culture and Society (MoCS). His research explores how philosophical concepts such as bodily experience, self-understanding, and affectivity can be integrated into qualitative research methods.