This is a remarkable achievement: across the EU, only 349 of 3,121 applications were approved in this round – a success rate of around eleven percent. Hauser, who conducts research in the field of computational psychiatry at the University of Tübingen's Faculty of Medicine, has thus prevailed against high-calibre European competition.
Personalised therapies through AI and neuroscience
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses and can have a massive impact on the everyday lives of those affected. However, existing therapies do not work equally well for everyone. This is precisely where Hauser's innovative approach comes in: He combines classic psychotherapy with state-of-the-art technologies, including brain scans, computer models of thinking, and generative AI.
‘We are at a turning point in the treatment of mental illness,’ explains Hauser. ‘With CoNbI-OCD, we want to use the findings from modern brain research and AI to finally offer those affected more effective therapies that are better tailored to their personal needs.’
Practical development in dialogue with those affected
Hauser attaches particular importance to close cooperation with people who have personal experience of obsessive-compulsive disorders, as well as with mental health professionals. In this way, the project aims to ensure that the new methods are not only scientifically sound but also practical, safe, and suitable for everyday use.
The goal: to develop individually tailored, state-of-the-art treatment approaches based on a better understanding of the neurobiological processes involved in obsessive thoughts – an important step towards more precise and effective therapies.
Source: Press release from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
