Reflection by CORE-BD Early Career Travel Award Winner Johnny Park
Thanks to CORE-BD’s generous ECR travel award, I had the pleasure to attend Biennial International Congress on Mental Health (BICOMB) 2026, held in One Farrer Hotel in Singapore.
As a translational researcher and a neuroscientist, I thought it was an outstanding conference from start to finish – every session offered something new to learn. It began with Prof. John Torous’ clear, witty and insightful presentation on how large language models (LLMs) are trained and why they aren’t yet well-calibrated in supporting mental health care. The program also covered cutting-edge and precision treatments for mood disorders, digital phenotyping, and emerging combination therapies. I was particularly fascinated by Prof. Stefano Pallanti’s work on imaging-guided neurotherapeutics for anxiety and OCD. CORE-BD’s Prof. Michael Berk also delivered two excellent presentations, showcasing an impressive amount of new research in the field of novel therapeutics, reflecting how quickly the field is advancing.
Beyond the latest techniques and treatments, many of the discussions challenged the way I think about mental health research. Ideas such as whether all medical data should be more openly available for research and the view that mental health care should transcend political borders left a lasting impression. I also had the chance to speak with Prof. Ian Hickie, one of the CORE-BD Investigators and leading researcher in adolescent mental health and Prof. Nick Titov, whose presentation on the five pillars of strong mental health was inspiring. Equally valuable were the networking opportunities, which allowed me to connect with many of the researchers and clinicians I wished to talk to.
It was refreshing to see the conference also placed strong emphasis on lived experience, integrating it through theatre, textile art, performing arts and other forms of creative expression. These offered perspectives that researchers do not always encounter in traditional scientific settings, and reinforced the importance of lived experience as a fundamental component of mental health research.
I was also pleased to present my work in an oral presentation and answer questions from the audience. Overall, BICOMB 2026 was an inspiring experience. I returned with new ideas and valuable connections and would like to thank CORE-BD once again.
