Pharmacogenomics and Transcriptomics Network

History

The Pharmacogenomics and Transcriptomics Network was formed under the ECNP initiative to address the need for collaborative research in pharmacogenomics and transcriptomics of neuropsychiatric disorders. Although genetic testing revolutionized psychiatric care after the Human Genome Project, the challenges in treatment response persisted. The ECNP-led initiative strives to unite centres of excellence across Europe to bridge these gaps, promoting a coordinated approach to research, education, and clinical practice, focusing on pharmacogenomics and transcriptomics. Building on the success of previous genetic studies, the Network aims to advance understanding of treatment response, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and establish a clinical translation in precision medicine.

The Pharmacogenomics and Transcriptomics Network has become an important force in advancing precision medicine in psychiatry. By uniting experts across Europe, we have significantly enhanced our understanding of treatment response and side effects in neuropsychiatric disorders. Our success in promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, harmonizing protocols, and building a strong research infrastructure highlights the power of teamwork and shared objectives. Over the past few years, we have successfully implemented joint research projects, contributed to numerous scientific publications, presented innovative sessions at ECNP congresses, and organized educational and scientific meetings. Regarding future perspectives, we aim to broaden our impact by translating research insights into clinical practice, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Goals

Create an ECNP led pan-European Pharmacogenomic/-transcriptomic network through Centres of Excellence to enhance and coordinate pharmacogenomic/-transcriptomic research, expertise, knowledge transfer and translation into clinical practice.

Identify the biosignature of treatment response through pharmacogenomic/-transcriptomic studies transnosologically across diagnoses through the various disease-based ECNP networks.

Stimulate pharmacogenomic/-transcriptomic research for the discovery of biological underpinnings of neuropsychiatric disorders and the discovery of biological markers of treatment response/non-response and side-effects of the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Foster and collaborate on suitable clinical trial strategies that incorporate pharmacogenomic/transcriptomic research across ECNP networks and TWGs.

Create a pharmacogenomics/-transcriptomics data biorepository within the ECNP and EU-wide.

Foster the relationship between the Network and industry partners for drug discovery, drug repurposing and for diagnostic tool development based on pharmacogenomic-transcriptomic research to enhance translation of pharmacogenomics/transcriptomic findings into clinical trials and clinical practice.

Broaden the knowledge base and foster teaching and training opportunities for younger scientists on pharmacogenomics/-transcriptomics and related bioinformatics within the ECNP and its membership.

Stimulate and apply for research funding across the EU to extend research into pharmacogenomics/-transcriptomics across neuropsychiatric disorders and to build joint funding opportunities intercontinentally.

Bernhard Baune

University of Münster
Germany

Chair

Alessandra Minelli

University of Brescia
Italy

Co-chair

Core members

Member name	Institution	City	Country
Bernhard Baune	University of Münster	Münster	Germany
Mara Dierssen	Centre for Genomic Regulation	Barcelona	Spain
Chiara Fabbri	King's College London	London	United Kingdom
Massimo Gennarelli	IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli	Brescia	Italy
Joost G.E. Janzing	Radboud University Nijmegen	Nijmegen	The Netherlands
Pietro Lio'	University of Cambridge	Cambridge	United Kingdom
Eduard Maron	University of Tartu	Tartu	Estonia
Divja Mehta	Queensland University of Technology	Brisbane	Australia
Alessandra Minelli	University of Brescia	Brescia	Italy
Claudia Pisanu	University of Cagliari	Cagliari	Italy
Marie-Claude Potier	Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital	Paris	France
Filip Rybakowski	Poznan University of Medical Sciences	Poznan	Poland
Georgios Schoretsanitis	University of Lausanne	Lausanne	Switzerland
Alessandro Serretti	University of Bologna	Bologna	Italy
Alessio Squassina	University of Cagliari	Cagliari	Italy
Roos van Westrhenen	Erasmus MC	Rotterdam	The Netherlands

Shell members

Member name	Institution	City	Country
Catherine Harmer	University of Oxford	Oxford	United Kingdom
Bjarke Ebert	Lundbeck A/S	Valby	Denmark
Oliver Howes	Imperial College London	London	United Kingdom

Early Career Academy member

Member name	Institution	City	Country
Evelien Van Assche	Universitätsklinikum Münster	Münster	Germany
Vincenzo Oliva	Hospital Clinic- University of Barcelona- IDIBAPS- CIBERSAM	Barcelona	Spain

Publications

Research projects

This project aimed to develop a precision medicine algorithm to predict treatment response and the development of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients by integrating clinical, omics, and gender data, with a two-phase study involving patient stratification, profiling, and real-world validation.

Psych-STRATA

Coordinator: Bernhard Baune, Germany

Aimed to analyze clinical, genetic, and biological data from psychiatric patients to establish early detection criteria for treatment resistance (TR) and develop machine learning models to predict TR risk and guide personalized treatment strategies.

Marató TV3

Coordinator: Mara Dierssen, Spain

Towards understanding and predicting treatment resistance in major depression.

EXosomE MicroRNA

Coordinator: Claudia Pisanu, Italy

Profiling to identify biosignatures of mood disorders and treatment response (EXEMPLAR). Funding body: Italian Ministry of Research and University (MUR).

Meetings

Knowledge Hub

Research

Awards

Early Career

News

About

Pharmacogenomics and Transcriptomics Network

History

Goals

Publications

A meta-analysis of polygenic risk scores for mood disorders, neuroticism, and schizophrenia in antidepressant response

Transcriptional biomarkers of response to pharmacological treatments in severe mental disorders: A systematic review.

Recommendations for pharmacotranscriptomic profiling of drug response in CNS disorders

Polygenic scores of subcortical brain volumes as possible modulators of treatment response in depression.

Telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number in association with trauma-focused psychotherapy efficacy.

Biomarkers of treatment-resistant schizophrenia: A systematic review.

Exploring the use of immunomethylomics in the characterization of depressed patients: A proof-of-concept study.

Multi-omics data integration methods and their applications in psychiatric disorders.

Evaluating study designs and treatment outcomes of antidepressant pharmacogenetic clinical trials - Challenges and future perspectives.

Research projects