SE17 – Crushing the Barriers in Psychedelic Science COST Action CA24130 (PSY-NET) – WG2 Meeting
We are thrilled to announce that the official PSY-NET Working Group 2 Satellite Event has been confirmed at the FENS Forum 2026 in Barcelona!
As the medicinal use of psychedelics enters a renewed era of exploration, there is a pressing need to advance research under the highest scientific standards. Although psychedelics are generally considered physiologically safe, their profound subjective effects pose major challenges for translating findings from preclinical models into clinical practice. These challenges highlight critical gaps in study designs, which must be refined and harmonized across research groups to enable robust clinical translation.
Establishing a shared database of preclinical data on the toxicity, safety, and therapeutic mechanisms of both established and novel compounds could significantly accelerate progress. However, this raises key questions around data sharing, intellectual property protection, and collaborative frameworks. How can we design preclinical studies that are truly fit for purpose — efficient, translatable, and compliant with complex and often uncharted regulatory landscapes?
At the WG2 meeting, we aim to tackle these challenges head-on, spark interdisciplinary dialogue, and break down the barriers limiting the next generation of psychedelic research.
We will discuss these topics in 3 panels with leading experts in the field:
1) Preclinical research – What should we investigate next, and how? What are the methodological limits, and how to overcome them?
2) Translational approach – How to plan early stage research to facilitate translation into the clinic. What are the real-life obstacles?
3) Intellectual property and business approach – Scientific discovery is only part of the equation. Bringing therapies to patients requires integrating research with business strategy, navigating complex and confusing commercial environments to deliver safe, effective, and affordable treatments to patients in need.
This meeting is organized as a part of the COST Action CA24130 – Psychedelic Renaissance: Turn On, Tune In and Drop In (PSY-NET) and aims to identify and critically evaluate methodological and systemic challenges in the emerging field of psychedelic therapeutics. The overarching objective is to develop evidence-based recommendations that enhance methodological rigor and translational validity in neuroscience research in this field -we look forward to welcoming the neuroscience community for deep discussion.
Due to the high interest and the limited space, to participate in this satellite event, please fill this application form by the end of May 2026
👉 https://forms.gle/pFknsDEqUgmXrPCw8
We will contact selected people. The list of speakers will be published within days.
📅 Dates: 11 – 12 July 2026 🕗 Time: 11 July: 8:30 – 17:00 | 12 July: 8:30 – 12:00 📍 Venue: OneCoWork Catedral | Barcelona Coworking, Barcelona, Spain
đź”— View the official event page on FENS Forum
This event is organized by COST Action PSY-NET (CA24130), Work Group 2.
