I am an expert in prediction and early intervention for bipolar and related mood disorders. With my research, my vision is to improve our understanding of the complexity of mood disorders such as bipolar, and to develop better access to care for individuals with this condition. I aim to understand the pathways into and within the early course of bipolar and related conditions, which can in-turn help tailor treatments.
I am a psychiatrist and the James Packer Chair in Mood Disorders. I lead a program of clinical research involving prediction and intervention development in youth mood disorders. In this work, I supported the development and validation of one of the first clinical risk prediction approaches in bipolar disorder. With national and international collaborators, I led the development of a digitally-supported early intervention model for youth with...view more
I am a psychiatrist and the James Packer Chair in Mood Disorders. I lead a program of clinical research involving prediction and intervention development in youth mood disorders. In this work, I supported the development and validation of one of the first clinical risk prediction approaches in bipolar disorder. With national and international collaborators, I led the development of a digitally-supported early intervention model for youth with bipolar disorder which is being evaluated further. I have also undertaken a range of collaborative projects involving efficacy and effectiveness trials in youth mental health.
As a psychiatrist, I have worked across tertiary and primary care settings, predominantly in youth mental health. I have led clinical programs in early psychosis and mood disorders. At UNSW Sydney, my role also extends to the Mindgardens Neuroscience Network and its key partners, the BlackDog Institute and the South-East Sydney Local Health District.
I co-lead the Early Intervention Taskforce within the International Society of Bipolar Disorders. I am also an Associate Editor for the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. I am an executive committee member for the Australasian Society for Bipolar and Depressive Disorders, and RANZCP Committee for Research.
My Grants
1.National Health and Medical Research Council, 2022- (Lead Investigator, CI A): Partnership project investigating the effectiveness and implementation of BLEND, a novel multicomponent model of evidence-based care
2.National Health and Medical Research Council, 2022- (Chief investigator): Centre for Research Excellence in Bipolar Disorder (CORE-BD).
3.National Health and Medical Research Council, 2017- Salary Support- Early Career Fellowship 2019-2022:
4.National Health and Medical Research Council, 2016- (Chief investigator)- project grants to evaluate interventions in early bipolar disorder and psychosis.
5.University of Melbourne, Australia 2020 (CI A)- Bipolar At-risk prospective study
6.Department of Health, Victoria, Australia- 2020- Methamphetamines and mental disorders research grant (CI A)
7.Hearts and Minds Investments, 2020- 2023(CI A), Collie Foundation, 2020- 2022 & EH and Marian Flack Trust 2020- 2023: Pilot evaluation of BLEND.
8.Society for Mental Health Research, Australia, 2019 (CI A)- Developing and evaluating progression of transdiagnostic staging in youth mental health.
My Qualifications
PhD 2017
FRANZCP 2011
MD Psychiatry 2009
MBBS 2005
My Awards
2017, 2015: Best early career researcher presentation, Australasian Society for Bipolar and Depressive Disorders conferences
2014: Best poster award, International Early Psychosis Association conference, Tokyo
2013: Japanese Society for Psychiatry and Neurology fellowship
2009: Travel award, International Society for Bipolar Disorders, New Delhi
My Research Activities
As a clinician researcher I undertake diverse projects in epidemiology, clinical mental health, digital health and neuroscience. Having led prospective studies in prediction of bipolar and related disorders, I am interested in novel and multi-modal approaches to prediction and phenotypic delineation in the early course of mood and psychotic disorders. I currently use birth cohort and clinical datasets to better understand markers of poor outcomes in early illness course. I am also leading a randomised controlled trial evaluating a blended digital model of early specialised intervention for bipolar disorder.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
PhD project areas include prediction modelling in early course of mood disorders, digital phenotyping in early help mood disorders and evaluating digital early intervention models.
