COST Action CA24130
Psychedelic Renaissance: Turn On, Tune In and Drop In
Uniting Europe's experts to drive the psychedelic breakthrough. Network. Standardize. Transform Mental Health.
Uniting Europe's experts to drive the psychedelic breakthrough. Network. Standardize. Transform Mental Health.
Given the current stagnation in developing new treatments based on traditional drugs and mechanisms in the neurosciences, the resurgence of psychedelics has opened up a new, rapidly expanding field of research into consciousness, mental disorders and their treatment.
Psilocybin, LSD, DMT or MDMA have already shown efficacy in the treatment of depression, anxiety and addiction. Recent advances in neuroimaging have made it possible to understand in detail the processes behind their unique effects, and groundbreaking discoveries about the therapeutic effects of psychedelics are finding their way into the world’s most prestigious journals.
Despite all this, academic psychedelic research still suffers greatly from a lack of coordination at the international level in the areas of developing new molecules and formulations, understanding the underlying neurobiology from the molecular level to neuroimaging, conducting multicentre academic clinical trials, and sharing and standardising data to generate big data.
The current project aims to network academic scientific institutions from all these research areas with the pharmaceutical industry and organisations working on the reclassification of psychedelics. The aim is to create a platform for psychedelic research that will pave the way for the submission of large collaborative research projects, multicentre academic clinical trials at European level, open access data sharing, big data analysis and the conditions for the implementation of psychedelics in mental health care.
PSY-NET is built on three interconnected pillars to maximize research impact and accelerate translation from lab to clinic.
Connecting preclinical R&D with clinical research, ensuring high translational validity and bridging the gap between research and real-world care.
Efficient networking in clinical research focused on therapeutic responses, neurobiology, and big data. Aggregation and analysis of large datasets across institutions.
Linking academia with regulatory authorities, advocacy groups, and industry. Maximized impact and advocacy at the EU/UN level for legislative change.
Six specialized working groups covering the full spectrum of psychedelic research, from molecular chemistry to policy making.
Development of new molecules and formulations, analytical chemistry, and biophysical characterization of psychedelic compounds for therapeutic applications.
Understanding the underlying neurobiology from the molecular level, developing animal models, and establishing preclinical efficacy and safety profiles.
Designing and coordinating multicentre academic clinical trials at European level, developing treatment protocols, and establishing best practices for psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Leveraging cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques to understand the neural mechanisms underlying psychedelic effects on consciousness and mental health.
Creating open access data platforms, standardizing data collection across studies, and enabling big data analysis to accelerate research discoveries.
Addressing outdated regulatory frameworks, working with regulatory authorities on reclassification of psychedelics, and advocating for evidence-based policy changes.
COST Actions fund networking activities through various instruments. Check current opportunities and application guidelines.
The following grant opportunities are currently available within the PSY-NET Action. Click on each grant to view full details, eligibility criteria, and application guidelines.
Research visits to a host institution in another COST member country to foster collaboration and learn new techniques.
Learn More →Support for researchers from Inclusiveness Target Countries to present their work at high-level international conferences.
Learn More →Funding for Young Researchers and Innovators (under 40) to present their work at international conferences.
Learn More →
Latest developments, upcoming meetings, and announcements from the PSY-NET network.
WG4 publishes their first collaborative review on cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques applied to psychedelic research, mapping the neural signatures of altered…
Guidelines for submitting STSM applications within the PSY-NET network have been published. Short-Term Scientific Missions are exchange visits designed to…
The first annual Action meeting will gather all Working Group members and stakeholders to set the research agenda and establish…
Have questions about the PSY-NET Action? We'd love to hear from you.
If you have any questions about the PSY-NET Action, feel free to reach out. To join the network, please apply through the official COST Action page.
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.
