Bipolar disorder affects millions of people across Europe. It causes strong shifts in mood, energy, and behaviour that can disrupt daily life and put pressure on families and health services. Many current treatments do not work well for everyone because they do not consider personal differences in biology, lifestyle, and environment.

The BIPOLAR CAN networking event aims to address this gap by bringing together experts from two ERA PerMed projects – BIPCOM and PLOT BD – along with doctors, policymakers, patient groups, and industry partners. Their goal is to help turn scientific discoveries into practical improvements in everyday care.

The event, planned for 28–29 January 2027 at the San Servolo Congress Centre in Venice, Italy, will include workshops, round table discussions, and networking sessions to identify clear next steps. Key topics include testing blood based markers and digital tools such as wearable devices to spot early signs of mood changes, using artificial intelligence to guide medication choices, and tackling common physical health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Another priority is making sure that new tools are affordable, easy to use, and helpful for both patients and clinicians. Patient representatives will play an active role to ensure that solutions reflect real life needs.

Expected outcomes include a shared Action Plan, practical guidelines for using these tools in clinics, and stronger European partnerships. The aim is to speed up personalised treatments, reduce hospital stays, and improve quality of life for people living with bipolar disorder. Registration details will be available soon on the event website.