Young Talents in Psychiatry

Young Talents in Psychiatry Programme

In France, 13 million people live with a mental disorder. Early detection is essential to provide effective and appropriate care. Today, advances in research are improving our understanding of the mechanisms and causes of psychiatric disorders. These developments are paving the way for innovative and personalised diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Initiated by the Fondation FondaMental, with the support of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, the Young Talents in Psychiatry Programme enables early-career psychiatrists to fully dedicate themselves to research by undertaking a PhD.

Training the Next Generation of Psychiatrists

Tomorrow’s psychiatrists will play a central role in the development and dissemination of precision psychiatry. To improve the quality of care for patients, it is essential to provide them with strong research training.

With this objective, the Fondation FondaMental, supported by the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, created the Young Talents in Psychiatry Programme. This unique initiative enables psychiatrists to strengthen their scientific skills and contribute to the medical advances of tomorrow.

An Outstanding Doctoral Programme

Over a three-year period, the programme offers its laureates:

• Full funding to conduct research on a full-time basis for three years
• Comprehensive research training, including multidisciplinary seminars on key topics:
  • Methodology and regulatory affairs
  • Project management and grant applications
  • Scientific writing
  • Research valorisation, communication, and science outreach

Application and Selection Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be a national of France, an EU Member State, or a country of the European Free Trade Association
• Be a qualified psychiatrist or currently enrolled in a psychiatry residency (DES) at a French faculty
• Hold a Master’s degree (Master 2)
• Be under 35 years old at the application deadline
• Propose a research project hosted in a laboratory located in France and accredited by a major research institution (Inserm, CNRS, universities, etc.)
• Submit a project related to one of the following psychiatric conditions: bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders without intellectual disability, treatment-resistant depression, suicidal behaviours, post-traumatic stress disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder

Laureate insights

Through inspiring insights from three former laureates, discover how this excellence programme is helping to train a new generation of psychiatrist-researchers tackling the challenges of tomorrow’s medicine.

Damien Etchecopar-Etchart, Psychiatrist, Bordeaux

I had the opportunity to carry out a PhD focusing on pregnant women with severe psychiatric disorders, in order to better understand the increased risks they face, such as diabetes or hypertension during pregnancy. Our objective: to better understand in order to provide better care, using robust data to inform discussions with fellow psychiatrists, obstetricians, and midwives, and to develop new personalised care approaches together.

Hugues Lamothe, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Robert Debré University Hospital

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) combines intrusive anxious thoughts with compulsive behaviours aimed at reducing distress. My PhD focused on studying the brain regions involved in OCD. I was able to explore the impact of genetic mutations on these disorders and show that their presence in specific brain regions influences the nature of OCD symptoms.

I am very grateful to the Young Talents in Psychiatry Programme, which enabled me to strengthen my technical skills in computer programming and improve my ability to develop and critically assess scientific hypotheses. Above all, this experience enhanced my clinical skills, as I now have a better understanding of my patients’ symptoms and how their disorders function.

Psychiatry is a dynamic and stimulating field, where research and clinical practice enrich each other. Join us in advancing this discipline and improving patient care!

Valeria Lucarini, Psychiatrist, Assistant Professor (Chef de Clinique), GHU Paris Psychiatrie & Neurosciences

Thanks to the Young Talents in Psychiatry Programme, led by the Fondation FondaMental and supported by the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, I had the opportunity to fully dedicate myself to my research for three years as part of a PhD.

My research project explores new methods for analysing language interactions to better understand psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. By combining clinical practice and linguistics, this work helps identify subtle markers, enabling more precise diagnoses and more personalised patient care.

This programme offered me much more than financial support: it also allowed me to collaborate with leading experts and broaden my perspective beyond disciplinary and national boundaries.

Psychiatric research is a dynamic and exciting field, constantly evolving through technological innovation. If you are curious and motivated, I encourage you to join us on this journey. Together, we can better understand, better treat, and shape the future of psychiatry.