King’s College London researchers will play a key role in the UK Government’s Mental Health Goals programme, which aims to improve mental health research infrastructure across the country. The initiative seeks to enhance how mental health and biological data are combined, strengthen industry partnerships, and advance clinical trial methods.
The programme is funded by the Office for Life Sciences and delivered by the Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). King’s will co-lead two out of four workstreams alongside Cardiff University, Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley, and University of Oxford.
More than £10 million from the new funding will go toward developing what is expected to be the world’s largest nationally representative ‘multi-omics’ dataset for severe depression. This project is led by Professor Gerome Breen at King’s College London, in collaboration with Queens University Belfast and University of Edinburgh. The study will also partner with a psychosis-focused initiative led by Professor James Walters at Cardiff University.
Multi-omics research examines multiple types of biological molecules—such as DNA, RNA, proteins, and metabolites—to better understand disease mechanisms. Building on King’s existing Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) study, researchers plan to recruit an additional 12,000 participants with recurrent severe major depressive disorder. Data collected will include genome sequencing, epigenetic profiling, biomarker analysis from blood samples, speech-based artificial intelligence assessments, wearable device outputs, and medical records.
The expanded dataset will also integrate information from Mental Health Mission Clinical Networks and an 8,000-participant psychosis study. In total, around 20,000 individuals are expected to be included in this resource.
Professor Gerome Breen said: "For the first time we will gather detailed longitudinal assessments and high quality biosamples with voice, digital, genetics, proteomic and other biomarker data. This will give us a more complete picture of depression and its treatments than ever before."
Despite growing interest from pharmaceutical companies in working within the UK sector for mental health innovation—including digital therapeutics—progress has been slow due to complex systems that are difficult for industry partners to navigate.
To address these challenges, another £14 million in funding will support experts at King’s College London; Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley; University of Oxford; Universities of Manchester; and Liverpool. These groups aim to create an Industry Alliance Team as well as an Innovative Trials Hub designed to streamline support for industry collaborators through a unified system.
The Industry Alliance Team—led by Professor Mitul Mehta at King’s—will serve as a single national point for innovators seeking access to research facilities or datasets such as GLAD or DATAMIND.
Professor Mitul Mehta stated: "We are excited to provide bespoke support for industry based on our expertise, the excellent networks and facilities in the UK and new tools to leverage our data resources, making the UK highly attractive for industry collaborations."
Meanwhile, Professor Richard Emsley at King’s leads the Innovative Trials Hub which aims to improve clinical trial design using advanced methodologies developed through partnerships like MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership.
Professor Richard Emsley commented: "This is a tremendously exciting time for clinical trials in mental health. The UK has a world-leading track record in trials methodology... This programme builds on that expertise...to drive forward more effective personalised treatments for those who need them most."
Additional efforts led by Dr Siân Rees at Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley together with Professor Edward Harcourt at University of Oxford focus on strengthening patient-industry partnerships so patients have greater input into how their data is used—and what treatments are developed—increasing trust between stakeholders.
According to organisers behind these initiatives such changes are expected not only attract further commercial clinical trials but also help bring promising treatments onto market faster.
Professor Matthew Hotopf CBE from King’s Institute of Psychiatry described it as “an exciting moment,” highlighting government investment into mental health research infrastructure while Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi CBE FREng FRS noted: "We are very pleased that King's has been entrusted to lead two of the four workstreams within the UK Government's Mental Health Goals programme. King's is committed to translating research into impact; these workstreams will strengthen the UK's mental health research infrastructure datasets and partnerships needed to improve accessibility and effectiveness of treatments in years ahead."
