Shared Journey
As I deliver my final message as ECNP President, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the past three years while also looking ahead to the future of our organisation—an organisation that serves the largest community in Europe dedicated to applied neuroscience research.
During my presidency, I have greatly valued the inspiration, dedication, and energy that I have encountered across so many different settings: whether at the annual Workshop for Early Career Scientists, in visits to the ECNP Office, during Executive Committee meetings, or even the informal conversations over coffee at the annual ECNP Congress. Wherever I went, the strength and spirit of the ECNP community were unmistakable.
What has always struck me most is our shared sense of responsibility and commitment to advancing treatments for brain disorders. While this work spans many dimensions, at its heart it is about people—improving lives and fostering hope.
I feel deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with such a diverse group of stakeholders, all of whom are essential to this mission: people with lived experience, scientists, carers, regulators, industry representatives, health care professionals, and colleagues from many other professional organisations dedicated to this field. Together, we have taken meaningful steps towards realising our common ambition, and I am confident that the years ahead will bring even greater progress.
I am very pleased with the progress we have made in recent years in strengthening our community and expanding the scope and reach of ECNP’s educational activities. A highlight has been the launch of the
ECNP Knowledge Hub at last year’s Congress. In a short time it has achieved impressive reach and received high levels of appreciation. The ECNP Networks, for instance, have been and continue to be key contributors, providing high-quality and relevant courses that are now accessible through the Hub.
Another important step has been the establishment of the
Early Career Academy. With 40 of the eventual 100 members already selected, this group of talented and highly motivated young professionals is making a significant contribution to the vitality and future of the ECNP community. In line with our strategic mission, we have also launched the
Precision Psychiatry Roadmap initiative. This ambitious 15-year Roadmap is designed to ensure that patients receive the right treatment, at the right time, tailored to their individual needs. The rationale and outlook for the Roadmap have now been published and are available
here. Several key components are already underway. For example, through dedicated
Roadmap meetings, we are achieving global alignment on principles and procedures with the involvement of many leading international experts. Encouragingly, elements of the Roadmap are gaining recognition beyond ECNP. Our invitation to contribute to the future DSM strategic committee reflects this momentum, with key components—such as the integration of a dynamic, biology-informed diagnostic framework—already beginning to take shape. One concrete example is the Future DSM Biomarkers and Biological Factors Subcommittee, which has launched a survey to identify potential candidate biomarkers and other biological factors involved in psychiatric disorders, and they warmly welcome
input and suggestions from across the field. Moreover, there is growing interest in the future DSM becoming a living document, capable of evolving in step with the rapid pace of scientific discovery.
As I conclude this message, I want to once again express my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of serving as ECNP President and for the support, collaboration, and inspiration I have received from so many of you along the way. It has been an extraordinary journey, made possible only through our shared commitment and collective effort. At the same time, our thoughts remain with those living with brain disorders, their families, and all who care for them—reminding us why our mission to advance science and improve treatments is so important. I very much look forward to continuing this journey together—and to seeing many of you soon at the
annual ECNP Congress in Amsterdam.
