Welcome to our research portfolio. Below is a comprehensive overview of our active and completed research projects.
Our research
Research Projects
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BEACON: Bipolar Early Assessment and Clinical Onward Navigation
Grant & Funder: Wellcome Trust
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating early biological and clinical markers of relapse in bipolar disorder and develop dynamic tools to predict and monitor changes in mental health over time.
Publications / Outputs:
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IGNITE: Inflammatory and neuroimmune Guided iNvestIgation of underlying faTiguE in patients with cirrhosis
Grant & Funder: The Lorna and Yuti Chernajovsky Biomedical Research Foundation
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating the inflammatory and neuroinflammatory mechanisms that contribute to fatigue in patients with cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction.
Publications/ Outputs:
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From skin to synapse: how psoriasis-associated inflammation modulates hippocampal neurogenesis
Grant & Funder: Psoriasis Association
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating how psoriasis-associated inflammation affects hippocampal neurogenesis.
Publications / Outputs:
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How minocycline affects the brain: in vitro effects of serum from inflamed patients with treatment-resistant depression and obesity receiving minocycline
Grant & Funder: Psychiatric Research Trust
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating how inflammatory factors in serum from patients with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid obesity disrupt brain cellular pathways, and how these effects are modulated by minocycline.
Publications / Outputs:
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INSPIRE: Defining the INflammatory pathophySiology of dePressIon in alcohol-RElated Cirrhosis
Grant & Funder: Medical Research Council
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating the inflammatory mechanisms underlying depression in alcohol-related cirrhosis.
Publications / Outputs:
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Using ultrasonic neuro-immuno-modulation for the treatment of depression: an in vitro study
Grant & Funder: Rosetrees Trust
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating whether ultrasonic neuro-immunomodulation can alter inflammatory and brain-related cellular pathways relevant to depression.
Publications / Outputs:
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Understanding the detrimental effect of inflammation on neurogenesis in the context of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders
Grant & Funder: Psychiatric Research Trust
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating how inflammation disrupts neurogenesis across neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
Publications / Outputs:
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King’s College London /TU Dresden International Research Training Group (IRTG): Risks and Pathomechanisms of Affective Disorders - The impact of physical activity on hormonal, metabolic, inflammatory mediators and the regulation of affective states
Grant & Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating how physical activity influences hormonal, metabolic and inflammatory pathways involved in the regulation of affective states and vulnerability to mood disorders.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41352653/
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Gaining Mechanistic Insights on How Long-COVID-19 Induces Depression
Grant & Funder: Rosetrees Trust
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating the biological mechanisms through which Long COVID contributes to depression, with a particular focus on inflammation and its effects on brain-related cellular pathways.
Publications / Outputs:
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Gaining mechanistic insights in vitro on how minocycline affects brain-related cellular pathways in treatment-resistant depression and obesity
Grant & Funder: NIHR Maudsley BRC
Research/Analysis: Ongoing
Research Focus: Investigating how minocycline modulates inflammatory and brain-related pathways in a cellular model of depression and comorbid obesity.
Publications / Outputs:
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Oral Symprove (a probiotic) for the management of motor and non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson’s
Grant & Funder: Parkinson’s UK
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating whether the probiotic Symprove can improve motor and non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease, with a focus on the role of the gut–brain axis.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41126787/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34364965/
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Gaining Mechanistic Insights on How Long-COVID-19 Induces Fatigue
Grant & Funder: NIHR Maudsley BRC
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating the biological mechanisms through which Long COVID drives persistent fatigue, with a particular focus on inflammation and its effects on brain-related cellular pathways.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42457661/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41672159/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42253624/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42395031/
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Causative Mechanisms & Integrative Models Linking Early-Life-Stress to Psycho-Cardio-Metabolic Multi-Morbidity
Grant & Funder: European Horizon 2020
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating the biological and psychosocial mechanisms through which early-life stress contributes to the development of comorbid psychiatric, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders across the lifespan.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33476328/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40670679/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37593199/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383145/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32180741/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39297528/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41360307/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39639175/
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Neurogenesis as Therapeutic Target for Adolescent Depression
Grant & Funder: Wellcome Trust
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating neurogenesis as a potential therapeutic target in adolescent depression.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37612364/
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Gaining Mechanistic Insights on How COVID-19 Affects the Brain
Grant & Funder: Rosetrees Trust
Research/Analaysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating how COVID-19-related inflammatory responses affect brain function and cellular pathways.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36195636/
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The Role of the Inflammatory Systemic Environment on Human Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Grant & Funder: NIHR Maudsley BRC
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating how the systemic inflammatory environment influences human hippocampal neurogenesis.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32726406/
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Modulation of the gut-brain axis and mental health by cranberries: The CRANMOOD study
Grant & Funder: The Cranberry Institute
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating how cranberry consumption modulates the gut–brain axis and influences mental health, with a focus on the biological mechanisms linking diet, the microbiome and brain function.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42134099/
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Neurogenic Interventions Targeting Inflammation-Induced Brain Alterations
Grant & Funder: NIHR Maudsley BRC
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating whether neurogenic interventions, particularly nutritional strategies, can prevent inflammation-induced alterations in brain function and promote neurogenesis.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34131267/
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AMBROSIAC: A Menu for Brain Responses Opposing Stress-Induced Alterations in Cognition
Grant & Funder: Medical Research Council
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating biological mechanisms that protect the brain against stress-induced changes in cognition.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28529072/
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Immunopsychiatry: a consortium to test the opportunity for immunotherapeutics in psychiatry
Grant & Funder: Medical Research Council
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating the role of immune dysfunction in psychiatric disorders and evaluating the potential of immunotherapeutic approaches for improving mental health outcomes.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29040650/: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31207337/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25579391/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29230022/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31427751/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28688579/
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Persistent Fatigue Induced by Interferon-alpha: A New Immunological Model for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Grant & Funder: Medical Research Council
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating the immunological mechanisms underlying persistent fatigue using interferon-alpha treatment as an experimental model of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Publications / Outputs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30567628/
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Predicting psychiatric symptoms in patients receiving interferon-alpha for chronic viral hepatitis
Grant & Funder: Medical Research Council
Research/Analysis: Completed
Research Focus: Investigating biological and clinical predictors of psychiatric symptoms in patients undergoing interferon-alpha treatment for chronic viral hepatitis.
Publications / Outputs: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6934231/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27067128/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32860939/
Take Part in Our Research
Do you have Type I Bipolar Disorder and want to help improve earlier detection and monitoring of the condition?
The BEACON (Bipolar Early Assessment and Clinical Onward Navigation) study is looking at new ways to recognise bipolar disorder earlier and to better understand what may contribute to changes in mood or relapse. By taking part, you can help us learn more about the biological changes that may be linked to bipolar disorder. In the future, this research could help improve how bipolar disorder is diagnosed, monitored and treated.
