My research has focused on explaining the biological reasons that contributes to the development of severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism - disorders, that all have great personal and social costs. In the future this knowledge provides us with the tools to diagnose patients on a patient specific level. Further it provides the basis for a personalized drug development. These can have a more directly effect on the diagnosed disease and less side effects compared to current drugs used in treatment of mental disorders. During my research I have taken initiative to create the Danish Psychiatric Biobank, which aims to identify the genetic constellations of mental disorders. Together with other international research groups I have identified changes in the genome that for some carriers can be associated with the development of severe mental disorders. On a daily basis I am PI and Co-PI on several projects that all have the purpose to obtain a thorough explanation of the biological causes of mental disorders. Such kind of work requires a broad interdisciplinary collaboration where the disorders are examined on multiple levels; from genes and cells to population cohorts, and from fetal life to the patient.