An interview with Professor Benjamin Becker: understanding our brain and mental disorders requires collaboration across all disciplines

Abstract

From July 20 to 22, 2024, the ISMRM Endorsed Workshop on MR for Psychiatry was held in Chengdu City, China. This prestigious event attracted numerous academic elites worldwide, and Professor Benjamin Becker from the University of Hong Kong was invited. On the morning of July 20, during the “Advances in MR Technology” session, Professor Becker delivered an engaging lecture entitled “Novel approaches to precision MRI-imaging of human emotion.” His presentation was met with great enthusiasm and sparked lively discussions among the participants. Following the conference, the Psychoradiology journal interviewed Professor Becker. In the interview, Benjamin emphasized the significant role of interdisciplinary collaboration, spanning various fields including psychology, neuroscience, clinical medicine, biomedical engineering, and computer science. Professor Becker firmly believed that such collaboration was crucial for a deeper understanding of the brain and psychiatric disorders. Additionally, he highly valued the importance of international cooperation, especially in addressing global mental health issues and challenges related to psychiatric disorders.