Jenny Barnett: New tests and drugs for schizophrenia

The Big Experiment

Can neuroscience finally catch up with the complexity of mental illness?

Society faces a huge and growing burden from mental illness and impairment. Schizophrenia, for example, is a bigger socioeconomic burden than all cancers put together.

We have medicines for some of these conditions, but typically they work well for some, not at all for many, and cause side-effects for others. One of medicine's greatest challenges has been identifying exactly which patients will benefit from a treatment before they even start their pills.

In this episode I am joined by Jenny Barnett, neuroscientist and CEO of Monument Therapeutics, to explore one of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine: how to develop truly effective treatments for complex, multi-factorial mental health conditions like schizophrenia and cognitive impairment.

Jenny shares the work they are doing on neuroscience drug development, revealing how Monument Therapeutics is using cognitive tests and precision psychiatry to target pharmaceutical treatments more effectively.

She explains why the current "one-size-fits-all" model of psychiatric medication is failing patients, and how a diagnostic-therapeutic approach could transform lives and health systems alike.

We discuss the state of funding for the research, clinical trial challenges and bottlenecks, and the urgent economic and social need for accessible mental health solutions.

Don't miss this fascinating glimpse into the next frontier of neuroscience.

“Schizophrenia costs society more than all cancers put together.” – Jenny Barnett

You’ll hear about:

● How digital biomarkers are revolutionising psychiatric drug development and patient selection

● Why current mental health medications only work for one-third of patients

● The groundbreaking computer-based tests that rats and humans can both perform

● How Monument Therapeutics is targeting cognitive impairment in schizophrenia patients

● The staggering economic impact of mental health disorders on society

● Why precision psychiatry could catch up neuroscience to cancer treatment advances

Connect with Jenny Barnett

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-barnett-4b035826/

Website - https://monumenttx.com/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdavison100/

If you need any lab equipment:

Grant Instruments: https://www.grantinstruments.com/

Grant Instruments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grant-instruments-cambridge-ltd/

Chapters

1. Jenny Barnett: New tests and drugs for schizophrenia (00:00:00)

2. Jenny Barnett's Journey into Science (00:01:52)

3. Monument Therapeutics: Addressing Unmet Medical Needs (00:02:42)

4. Precision Psychiatry: Measuring Brain Function (00:04:05)

5. Challenges in Psychiatry Drug Development (00:09:51)

6. Targeting Specific Patient Subsets for Drug Development (00:12:27)

7. Choosing the Right Clinical Indication (00:18:16)

8. Funding Challenges in Biotech (00:21:47)

9. The Economic Impact of Schizophrenia (00:24:43)

10. Health Economics in Mental Health (00:27:03)

11. Developing Small Molecule Drugs (00:31:05)

12. Future Aspirations for Monument Therapeutics (00:35:32)