VIRTU Research ​Group

The primary aim of the program is to research ways to optimize psychotherapeutic treatment methods for patients with psychiatric disorders. Additionally, the program focuses on investigating and treating cognitive difficulties associated with psychiatric conditions, primarily psychotic spectrum disorders. The goal is to establish a foundation for offering more targeted and individualized treatment for severe psychiatric disorders.

VIRTU is a self-funded entity anchored within the Mental Health Center Copenhagen

​For further information, please contact us at virtu@regionh.dk

Follow VIRTU Research Group on LinkedIn​ to stay updated!

Further info​rmation on specific ongoing projects

• ALF: “Enhancing psychotherapy for schizophrenia spectrum disorders using AI"
  Please contact postdoc benjamin.alexander.thorup.arnfred@regionh.dk
  
  
• Dialogue: “A pilot study evaluating the effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of a virtural reality-based treatment for eating disorders"
  Please contact phd student nina.kappel.hansen@regionh.dk​
  
  
• ENGAGE pilot study: Alleviating negative symptoms in schizophrenia using a virtu reality-based intervention targeting social reward learning"
  Please contact research assistant valentin.donath@regionh.dk
  
  
• HOPE-VR pilot study: targeting difficult-to-treat-depression using an innovative personalized virtual reality-based intervention"
  Please contact postdoc benjamin.alexander.thorup.arnfred@regionh.dk
  
  
• Neuro-VR: a pilot study investigating an innovative virtual reality-based intervention emplying neurofeed back to increase tolerability and therapy efficacy in psychosis"
  Please contact research assistant sara.breivik.soleim@regionh.dk
  
  
• Prescient: Trajectories and Predictors in the Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Population
  Please contact phd student kristina.ballestad.gundersen@regionh.dk
  
  
• STEPS: Social cognitive Training Enhancing Pro-functional Skills in autism"  & “EYEdentify"
  Please contact phd student johannes.andresen@regionh.dk 
  phd student alberte.cathrine.ehrhardt.jeppesen@regionh.dk

Coll​​aborators

In Denmark: 

• Pioneer Center for AI
• ITU: Dan Witzner, Christian Hardmeier, Stella Grasshof
• CNSR Glostrup: Bjørn Ebdrup, Tina Dam Kristensen, Karen Ambrosen
• NEAD: Kamilla Miskowiak, Andreas Elleby
• FIUNIT: Henrik Larsson
• DIKU: Joanna Bergstrøm, Kasper Hornbæk
• Aarhus Universitet: Ole Mors, Søren Dinesen Østergaard
  

Internationally:

• Germany: Charite University: Kerem Bøge + University of Bochum: Mar Rus-Calafell
• Holland: University of Groningen, Wim Veling, Chris Geraets
• England: Kings College: Matteo Cella, Tom Ward
• USA: University of Dallas, Texas: Amy Pinkham; University of Georgia: Greg Strauss
• Australia: University of Swinburn: Neil Thomas, University of Melbourne: Barnaby Nelson, Lucia Valmaggia
  

​Fund​​ing

We are very grateful to have received research funding from the following grant providers:

• Danish Life Science Cluster
• Læge Sofus Carl Emil Friis og Hustru Olga Doris Friis' Legat
• Lundbeck Foundation
• The Danish Parliament
• The Danish Council for Independent Research, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation
• Inge Lehmann Grant
• European Research Council (ERC)
• TrygFonden
• The Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark​