In a compelling Genomic Press Interview published today in Brain Medicine, Professor Siegfried Kasper shares extraordinary insights from his distinguished career that has transformed global understanding of psychiatric disorders and their treatment. The interview reveals how this internationally renowned psychiatrist revolutionized approaches to treatment-resistant depression while establishing biological psychiatry as a cornerstone of modern medicine worldwide.
Professor Kasper, who serves as Professor Emeritus at the Medical University of Vienna’s prestigious Center for Brain Research, has fundamentally reshaped how the international scientific community understands and treats psychiatric conditions. His groundbreaking research demonstrating that psychiatric disorders have biological bases alongside psychosocial determinants has influenced treatment protocols across continents and improved millions of lives globally.
Transforming Global Psychiatric Practice Through Scientific Discovery
The interview illuminates Professor Kasper’s journey from his early fascination with brain anatomy as a medical student to becoming Austria’s most frequently cited psychiatrist. His pivotal moment came when studying at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, where he connected Michel Jouvet’s animal research on raphe nuclei lesions with the sleep disturbances he observed in depressed patients. This insight launched his pioneering research into the serotonergic system in depression, challenging the then-dominant norepinephrine theory.
“I realized that this is precisely what I do see in my patients: they cannot sleep,” Professor Kasper recalls in the interview. This observation led to decades of transformative research that would reshape psychiatric treatment worldwide. His subsequent work at the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States expanded into circadian rhythms and seasonal affective disorder, where he conducted the first epidemiological study demonstrating latitude-dependent variations in mood disorders across North America.
Professor Kasper’s research has consistently bridged laboratory discoveries with clinical applications, exemplifying what he calls “back-translation” from clinical observations to basic science. This approach has yielded remarkable breakthroughs that continue to influence psychiatric practice internationally.
Revolutionary Treatments Changing Lives Across Continents
Throughout his career, Professor Kasper has been instrumental in introducing and validating revolutionary psychiatric treatments now used globally. His work establishing the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors transformed depression treatment in countless countries. He also pioneered research on atypical antipsychotics for schizophrenia, demonstrating their effectiveness for depressive and negative symptoms with improved side effect profiles compared to older compounds.
One particularly fascinating discovery emerged serendipitously through interdisciplinary collaboration. When a colleague from the Department of Epileptology mentioned that patients seemed happier after transcranial magnetic stimulation used to identify epileptogenic foci, Professor Kasper immediately recognized the potential psychiatric application. After personally experiencing the procedure to ensure its safety, he introduced TMS for depression treatment, establishing foundations for what has become a worldwide therapeutic approach.
More recently, his leadership of the European Group for the Study of Resistant Depression has redefined how the global medical community understands and treats treatment-resistant depression. The group’s analysis of over 3000 patients across Europe established criteria subsequently adopted by the European Medicines Agency and used in developing intranasal esketamine, now available internationally.
Advancing Science Through International Leadership
Professor Kasper’s influence extends far beyond individual discoveries through his leadership of major international psychiatric organizations. As founding president of the Austrian Society of Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, former President of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry, and former President of the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology, he has shaped global research priorities and clinical standards that benefit patients worldwide.
His extraordinary achievements have earned him Austria’s highest honors, including the Grand Decoration of Honor in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria, the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art First Class, and most recently, the 2025 CINP Pioneer Award recognizing his lifetime contributions to advancing psychiatric science globally.
The interview also reveals Professor Kasper’s dedication to mentoring the next generation of researchers across continents. He describes fostering an environment where young scientists question established paradigms while maintaining rigorous scientific standards. This commitment to education ensures his transformative approaches to psychiatric research and treatment will continue benefiting humanity for generations.
Humanizing Scientific Excellence
Beyond his scientific achievements, the Genomic Press interview provides glimpses into Professor Kasper’s personal philosophy and motivations. His love of nature, dedication to his informal scientific outpost in Puglia, Italy, and companionship with his Lakeland terrier reveal a scientist who finds inspiration beyond laboratory walls. These personal elements underscore how great scientific minds draw insights from diverse life experiences.
Professor Kasper emphasizes the importance of listening carefully to patients while maintaining awareness of scientific literature, embodying Louis Pasteur’s principle that “chance favors only the prepared mind.” This philosophy has enabled him to recognize patterns others might miss, leading to discoveries that have transformed psychiatric treatment globally.
