New major EU-funded research project takes broader approach to mental health

Mental illnesses represent a significant burden on society, the economy and the individuals affected. The Building Resilience against Mental illness during Endocrine-sensitive life stages (RE-MEND) research project will focus on four critical life stages at which an individual’s susceptibility to mental illness is strongly influenced by changes in hormonal signalling: early life, puberty, peripartum, and transition into old age.

One of the main objectives is to integrate data from large population-based longitudinal cohort studies, allowing for discovery of early risks as well as protective factors that influence mental states in the general population across these life stages.

“If we understand how an individual’s genome and environment interact to make it more susceptible or resilient to mental health issues, we can prevent instead of treat mental disorders,” says Joëlle Rüegg, coordinator of RE-MEND and Professor of Environmental toxicology at Uppsala University.

An important feature of the project is that it will integrate biological, medical and social aspects. For example, findings in human data will be complemented by experimental studies to establish correlative and causative links leading to a mechanistic understanding of mental health and illness. Furthermore, communication scientists will investigate how the project’s findings can be used to change medical practices and reduce stigma against affected individuals.

“Interdisciplinarity is key to solving today’s challenges such as the rise of mental disorders,” adds Rüegg.

Erika Comasco and Alkistis Skalkidou, researchers at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, will both work within RE-MEND.

"As mental health among young women is on the rise, we are very excited at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health to have the opportunity to contribute in this transdisciplinary project!  We expect that the results will be able to guide clinical advice in order to increase women’s resilience through several reproductive phases, says Alkistis Skalkidou, Professor at Department of Women's and Children's Health.

The EU collaboration paves the way towards validated biomarkers for assessing the state of a person’s mental health, predisposition to illness and personalised preventive and therapeutic measures. The aim of RE-MEND is to produce better strategies to protect vulnerable individuals from mental illness during sensitive life stages and to decrease stigma associated with mental health issues.

Brief facts

Project title: Building Resilience against Mental illness during Endocrine-sensitive life stages (RE-MEND)
Project duration: 5 years (start date 1.12.2022)
EU funding: € 10.4m (The research and innovation programme Horizon Europe)
Coordinating institution: Uppsala University, Sweden
Consortium: 15 partners: Uppsala university, Sweden; University of Cologne, Germany; Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Umeå University, Sweden; Stockholm University, Sweden; University of Milan, Italy; Bielefeld University, Germany; Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Germany; Karlstad University, Sweden; Fondazione Telethon, Italy; University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA; VA (Public and Science), Sweden; International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh; University of Helsinki, Finland; and Ulster University, Northern Ireland.