14 October 2026
GAMIAN-Europe participated in the 39th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress, held from 10 to 13 October 2026 in Munich, Germany. Bringing together researchers, clinicians and mental health professionals from across Europe and beyond, the Congress provided an important opportunity to showcase our work, share resources and highlight the importance of involving people with lived experience in mental health research and innovation.
Under the theme Innovation in Applied Neuroscience, this year’s Congress explored advances in understanding and treating mental health conditions, from scientific discoveries and emerging technologies to new approaches in clinical care. Topics included precision medicine, pharmacogenomics, digital health and artificial intelligence, reflecting a growing interest in developing more effective and personalised approaches to mental health treatment.
For GAMIAN-Europe, participating in these discussions is particularly important. While scientific advances offer new possibilities for improving mental health care, ensuring that research reflects the experiences, needs and priorities of patients remains essential.
Showcasing our work and European research projects
Throughout the Congress, GAMIAN-Europe hosted an information stand where participants could learn more about our advocacy activities, European research projects and publications addressing key challenges in mental health.
Our stand featured information and materials from several EU-funded initiatives in which GAMIAN-Europe is involved, including:
Psych-STRATA, which is working towards more personalised treatment approaches for people living with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, particularly those experiencing treatment resistance.
TRUSTING, which is investigating how speech-based artificial intelligence could support the early detection of relapse in people living with psychosis, while addressing the importance of trust, acceptability and patient involvement.
REMESOS, which is working to strengthen the measurement and understanding of mental health at population level, supporting more informed approaches to mental health policy and public health.
ASPIRE, which is exploring the role of inflammation in depression and developing tools to identify patients who may benefit from anti-inflammatory treatments, with lived experience involvement at its core.
Virtual Brain Twin, which aims to develop virtual brain models to support more personalised treatment approaches for people living with psychiatric disorders.
PSY-PGx, which is investigating how pharmacogenetic testing can help personalise psychiatric medication, improve treatment effectiveness and reduce side effects.
ALTHEA, which is developing a digital platform to improve the identification and management of mental health needs among people affected by cancer and their caregivers.
These projects demonstrate the different ways in which research and innovation can contribute to improving mental health care, from developing more personalised treatments and digital tools to generating evidence that can inform policies and services.
Alongside these initiatives, we shared GAMIAN-Europe’s publications and resources on mental health, patient rights and access to care, helping to bring patient perspectives and practical information to the wider scientific community.
Connecting scientific innovation with lived experience
As research into mental health conditions continues to evolve, the involvement of people with lived experience is essential to ensuring that new developments translate into meaningful improvements in care.
For GAMIAN-Europe, patient involvement goes beyond consulting people about research that has already been designed. It means creating opportunities for patients to contribute to research priorities, study design, the development of new technologies and the evaluation of outcomes.
This is particularly relevant in areas such as personalised medicine and artificial intelligence, where promising innovations must also be assessed in terms of their accessibility, acceptability and relevance to people’s everyday lives.
By participating in the ECNP Congress, GAMIAN-Europe continued to promote the importance of meaningful collaboration between researchers, healthcare professionals and people with lived experience, ensuring that the perspectives of those directly affected by mental health conditions remain part of the conversation.
Strengthening connections across the mental health community
The Congress also provided an opportunity to connect with professionals and organisations working across mental health research, clinical practice and patient advocacy.
Events such as ECNP play an important role in bringing together different perspectives and encouraging exchanges between those developing new treatments and technologies and those advocating for better mental health care.
For GAMIAN-Europe, these connections are valuable in supporting the dissemination of research, encouraging patient involvement and strengthening collaboration across the European mental health community.
Our participation in Munich built on our continued presence at previous ECNP Congresses, reflecting our commitment to connecting scientific progress with the needs and experiences of people living with mental health conditions.
We thank ECNP for bringing together the mental health community and everyone who took the time to visit our stand and learn more about our work.
As we look ahead, GAMIAN-Europe remains committed to supporting research and innovation that not only advances scientific understanding but also contributes to more accessible, effective and person-centred mental health care across Europe.
Learn more about our work and explore our publications and European projects at www.gamian.eu.
