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INTPART-International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research

Improving clinical services in bipolar disorders through education and research on underlying illness mechanisms

Alternative title: Forbedring av behandling og kliniske tjenester for bipolar lidelse gjennom utdanning og forskning på sykdomsmekanismer

Awarded: NOK 1.8 mill.

Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness with significant negative consequences for quality of life and daily functioning. The disorder particularly affects the younger segments of the population. Our knowledge about the causes of the disorder is still limited, and identifying factors that contribute to the onset and development of the illness could yield substantial health and societal benefits. This is the focus of the Center of Excellence NORMENT (Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research) at Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo. The current project was initiated by NORMENT's clinical research groups based on their research collaboration with INSERM (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) and the University of Paris, France. The main purpose of the project was to combine research on bipolar disorder in Norway with similar research in France, as well as to educate future researchers in the field of mental health and enhance the integration of research and clinical services. The project has contributed to creating synergies and knowledge transfer between the collaborating partners in several areas, such as the use of digital tools in assessment and treatment of bipolar disorder, clarifying the relevance of chronobiological disturbances, genetic, epigenetic, and other biomarkers, as well as the impact of environmental factors such as substance use and early trauma on the course of bipolar disorder. The project has employed an interdisciplinary approach. Education and methodological training have naturally built upon the existing expertise of the two partners, both of which combine basic research on disease mechanisms with important clinical aspects. The project has also helped establish a framework for long-term collaboration between the partners at the institutional level.

The collaborative program has been formative during the establishment of the specialized clinical unit for bipolar disorder at Oslo University Hospital thanks to the experience transferred from the Paris expert centre. This has been of immediate value both for the researchers and clinicians involved and for the patients receiving treatment for bipolar disorder in Oslo. We are also working for the unit to serve as a model for the development of similar clinics in other Norwegian hospitals. Furthermore, the project has strengthened the research groups involved in bipolar disorder research at Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo, and further consolidated these milieus as the most important hubs for bipolar disorder research in Norway. It has also expanded international collaboration to strong European research groups outside the partner institutions. Furthermore, the project has contributed with new knowledge of importance for the understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder, such as the use of digital tools in assessment and treatment, how substance use and early trauma affects the outcome of the disorder, the role of chronobiological disturbances and the genetic basis of the disorder. The project has founded a strong basis for further scientific progress in bipolar disorder research in Norway and internationally.

Bipolar disorders are ranked among the leading causes of the burden of disease worldwide, especially in the younger population. Thus, identifying the underlying pathophysiology of the illness is imperative and can lead to major health and societal benefits. The project focuses on education of our future scientists within mental health. It is based on the CoE NORMENT (Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo) and its clinical research groups, and frontline collaborative research projects with INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) UMR-S1144, Paris, France. The main purpose is to combine bipolar disorder research in Norway (NORMENT) with complementary research in France (INSERM). The proposal builds on an already existing and fruitful collaboration between NORMENT and INSERM, and will extend into a general model for integration of clinical services and research in mental health, with benefit from the use of new digital technology. The project proposes to more fully integrate research and education to train the next generation of mental health researchers in conducting research within clinical services, using novel digital tools in disease monitoring, while also strenghtening translational perspectives. The project will expand the research approaches of the two partners, and a strong synergy will be developed between the different areas of expertise. We will use state-of-the-art clinical characterization of bipolar disorder while exploring significant underlying illness mechanisms in order to form a strong framework for excellent research. The education and methodological training proposed in this grant naturally build on the infrastructure and expertise from INSERM, combining research on biological mechanisms with crucial clinical aspects, an approach that fits well with the overall strategy of NORMENT. The project also provides a framework for long-term collaboration at the institutional level.

Funding scheme:

INTPART-International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research