I am thrilled and honoured by this award. It will sustain me the next time I have a grant proposal rejected! Credit must go to the very many talented people who have worked with me over the years and to the volunteers who've taken part in our studies. Thank you.
Professor Oliver Howes
20 May 2026
Professor Oliver Howes receives 2026 ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award
Award is presented annually and recognises exceptional research achievements in applied and translational neuroscience.
Professor Oliver Howes has been announced as the recipient of the 2026 ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award.
The annual award, from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), recognised Professor Howes’ achievements in molecular psychiatry, advancing our understanding of the causes and treatment of psychotic and affective disorders, particularly the roles of dopamine and neuroinflammation in psychosis.
Oliver Howes is Professor of Molecular Psychiatry at IoPPN, and Head of Department, Psychosis Studies in the School of Academic Psychiatry. Professor Howes is also a consultant psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Professor Howes has been named as one the world's leading scientists in both psychiatry and neuroscience by ISI Thompson on the basis of high impact publications over the last decade. His work has been recognised by a number of awards, including the Schizophrenia International Research Society Translational Research Award 2024 and the Robert Sommer Translational Science Award 2025. Faculty 1000 has identified 10 papers as outstanding & Science Watch identified two papers as amongst the top six in psychiatry by citations for the year
Oliver is an outstanding member of the ECNP community, recognised internationally not just for his exceptionally innovative research, but for his commitment to advancing what we are learning about the causes of mental illnesses into new and improved treatments. We congratulate him on this award!
ECNP Award Committee chair Eduard Vieta, Spain
The ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award is presented annually and recognises exceptional research achievements in applied and translational neuroscience. The award is granted each year, alternating between preclinical and clinical research. The 2026 award is in clinical research.
Professor Howes will receive the award during the 39th ECNP Congress on 10-13 October 2026 in Munich, Germany. The award is accompanied by an invitation to present the Plenary Lecture 'How will we get novel medicines in psychiatry? Lessons from schizophrenia' at the 39th ECNP Congress, which is scheduled for Sunday 11 October at 16.40 -17.25.
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Professor of Molecular Psychiatry