BMFTR emphasizes societal significance
In a press release on 2 June 2025, Federal Minister of Research Dorothee Bär highlighted the societal importance of this funding:
“Mental health disorders are among the most burdensome and prevalent public health challenges. With this expansion phase, we are laying the foundation for establishing the DZPG as a leading center for research in mental health for the long term.”
The expansion phase will allow the scaling up of research projects, the establishment of shared infrastructures, and the intensification of collaboration across sites and disciplines. Particular focus will be placed on promoting mental health in children and adolescents, developing new prevention strategies, and systematically involving people with lived experience in the research process.
Prevention, early detection, and participation in focus
The DZPG spokesperson team, Prof. Dr. Silvia Schneider (Bochum-Marburg) and Prof. Dr. Peter Falkai (Munich-Augsburg), emphasize the significance of the expansion. Prof. Dr. Silvia Schneider explains: “A key focus of the DZPG is translation — transferring scientific findings into practice. It is essential that we systematically incorporate the perspectives of those affected and their relatives into our research. Moreover, we will place particular emphasis on early detection in childhood and adolescence, as well as on prevention, because mental health in early life is a crucial protective factor for the entire lifespan. With the expansion phase, we can further strengthen these areas — in an interdisciplinary, participatory, and impact-oriented manner.”
Prof. Dr. Peter Falkai adds: “With the expansion phase, we are creating the foundation to monitor mental health nationwide, identify developments at an early stage, and develop targeted interventions. Through its funding, the BMFTR sends a clear signal: mental health must be a top priority on the public health agenda.”
Press contact
Dr. Cordula Baums
MASTERMEDIA GmbH
+49 151 70125839
presse@dzpg.org
