The Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) has been selected to coordinate the ambitious European project Synapsing, an unprecedented initiative funded with seven million euros by the European Union through the Horizon-Europe programme. This project, involving thirteen leading institutions in clinical research, neuroimaging, and social sciences from nine European countries, aims to revolutionise the diagnosis and management of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases through blood biomarkers, socioeconomic data, and innovative tools.
The coordination of the project will fall to Dr Olivia Belbin, head of the Molecular Neurodegeneration Group at IR Sant Pau, who will bring her expertise in translational research to advance understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. Dr Maria J. Portella, head of the Mental Health Research Group, will also play a key role, contributing her specialised knowledge in mental health to ensure effective integration between both fields of study. This joint leadership reinforces the multidisciplinary and collaborative character of the project, highlighting the synergy between two traditionally separate areas of research.
Synapsing not only promises scientific advances but also seeks to promote greater equity in medical care. By integrating knowledge from different disciplines and geographical areas, the project aims to create a diagnostic and therapeutic model applicable across Europe. “IR Sant Pau is coordinating, for the first time, a European project of this scale, marking a historic event in our trajectory and consolidating our position as a reference centre in clinical and translational research,” highlighted Dr Belbin.
In the field of mental health and neurodegenerative research, the lack of objective diagnostic tools and personalised treatments remains a significant challenge. Synapsing represents a paradigm shift, seeking practical and scientific solutions to these problems.
“Psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder, often share symptoms with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This overlap causes delays in diagnoses and complicates the administration of appropriate treatments,” explained Dr Portella, who added that this new European project will attempt to address this issue through an innovative approach based on biomarkers and transdiagnostic data.
Among Synapsing’s primary objectives is the integration of advanced technologies, multimodal data, and biological samples from patients with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases into unified and easily accessible collections. This will overcome the lack of transdiagnostic research resources and establish the foundations for a better understanding, diagnosis, and measurement of psychiatric symptoms.
The project will also seek to understand the shared pathophysiological mechanisms of synaptic degeneration that lead to clinical symptoms common to both types of disorders. This knowledge will guide the development of more effective and specific therapeutic strategies. “Another key aspect is the development of blood biomarkers to improve diagnosis. Synapsing seeks to establish tools that allow for faster and more objective diagnoses of disorders such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, reducing errors and confusion with neurodegenerative diseases,” commented Dr Belbin.
Additionally, the project aims to better manage patients with psychiatric symptoms through biomarkers that enable the measurement of treatment efficacy and the prediction of therapeutic outcomes. “This will help personalise therapies and ensure more rigorous monitoring of patient progress,” added Dr Portella.
Another fundamental pillar is the analysis of modifiable sociodemographic risk factors that may be associated with biological changes in patients with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. The findings from this research will provide evidence for designing public policies aimed at preventing the debilitating symptoms of these diseases.
Finally, Synapsing focuses on engaging the research community, clinicians, and patients in a collective effort to bridge the gap between research, clinical practice, and governmental policies. This objective aims to ensure that scientific advances translate into tangible benefits for patients and society.
Synapsing will bring together experts from various disciplines, including neurology, psychiatry, biology, social sciences, and ethics. This approach is essential to addressing the complexity of these diseases, which are often studied separately but share underlying mechanisms. As Dr Belbin commented, “For the first time, a project of this magnitude addresses both psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, recognising their overlaps and leveraging a transdisciplinary approach to better understand these pathologies.”
IR Sant Pau will play a central role in all phases of the project thanks to collaboration between its Memory Unit and its Mental Health Unit. As Dr Portella highlighted, “This collaboration marks a turning point in integrating the efforts of two traditionally separate areas. It is an example of how breaking down barriers between disciplines can generate significant advances in patient care.” This synergy is expected to enable the integration of clinical, neurobiological, and sociodemographic data for a more in-depth understanding of these conditions.
One of the main innovations will also be the generation of an unprecedented cohort, including more than 3,000 patients from various European countries, encompassing both psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. By unifying clinical, neurobiological, and sociodemographic information in a single database, the project aims to provide a unique tool for future research.
The cohort will not only allow for the identification of blood biomarkers distinguishing these pathologies but will also facilitate the analysis of sociodemographic risk factors. “For the first time, we will have a database integrating multidimensional information from patients across the psychiatric and neurodegenerative spectrum. This will be crucial for understanding the connections between these diseases and how they evolve in different contexts,” said Dr Belbin.
Furthermore, this joint effort establishes a new way of addressing challenges in mental health and neurodegenerative research. The quality and scale of this data will help outline more effective clinical guidelines and design personalised treatments, opening new doors in translational medicine. “This integrated and accessible database will have a lasting impact, allowing researchers and clinicians across Europe to advance together towards more equitable and personalised medicine,” emphasised Dr Portella.
The Synapsing project will span five years, aiming to achieve significant advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Among the most anticipated results is the identification of key blood biomarkers in 2025, marking a historic milestone for personalised medicine. Additionally, the first scientific articles reflecting the impact of this project on understanding these complex diseases are expected to be published in 2026.
Beyond scientific advances, the project seeks to transform the clinical and social approach to these conditions. The collected data will be used to update clinical guidelines, enabling more precise diagnoses and treatments tailored to the specific needs of each patient. Similarly, evidence-based recommendations will be developed for public policies aimed at mitigating the risk factors associated with these diseases.
The social focus of Synapsing is also essential. Through a specially designed questionnaire, sociodemographic factors influencing the progression and development of these diseases will be identified. “This project not only seeks biomedical results but also aims to improve patients’ living conditions by understanding how factors such as unemployment or socioeconomic inequality affect their health,” pointed out Dr Belbin. These findings will enable governments to implement more effective preventive measures and reduce inequalities in healthcare.
