Siegfried Kasper receives Pioneer Award for pioneering psychiatric research!

Siegfried Kasper receives Pioneer Award for pioneering psychiatric research!

Wieden, Österreich - The MedUni Vienna can report another great success in the world of neuropsychopharmacology. In the past few days, Dr. Siegfried Kasper, the long-time head of the University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, awarded the coveted “Pioneer Award” of the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP). This prize recognizes its life's work and its significant contributions in the field of neuropsychopharmacology. The ceremony took place on June 15, 2025 during the World Congress for Neuropsychopharmacology in Melbourne, Australia. The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (wfsbp) 800 publications have to show what makes him the most cited Austrian psychiatrist.

awards and commitment

In the course of his career, Dr. Kasper received numerous awards. These include the great silver honor for services to the Republic of Austria and the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, 1st Class. He was awarded the Golden Honor of Honor for the State of Vienna and also received the City of Vienna Prize in 2019. Most recently, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the WFSBP was awarded in 2024.

its influence extends far beyond the borders of Austria. He was President of the WFSBP from 2005 to 2009 and has been honorary president since 2013. He was also a member of the CINP executive committee from 2012 to 2018 and held various important positions in several national and international specialist societies.

research focuses and future prospects

The research of Dr. Kasper has particularly devoted himself to the biological foundations of psychiatric disorders. There is a focus on depression, fear, psychoses and dementia. The Federal Institute for Medicines and Medical Devices (BfArM) describes the experimental neuropsychopharmacology as a future-oriented area Medicines such as antidepressants and antipepressants. The aim is to clarify the central rhythmicities in the nervous system and the search for new diagnostic methods to improve treatment approaches.

Kasper also remains active after his retirement and researches at the Center for Brain Research at the MedUni Vienna, especially in the Department of Molecular Neurosciences, where he develops new approaches to analyzing and treating psychiatric diseases. His work requires a good hand in the combination of clinical-neurophysiological research and animal experimental studies, which leads to a better understanding of the effects of neuropsychopharmaceutical. The success of his research could be of great importance not only for science, but for affected patients.