Research

Our research is primarily concerned with population health issues in relation to mental health. We strive to enhance knowledge to reduce impairment and distress associated with mental ill health across the life-course. Our research includes: 

• The identification of biological, psychological, cognitive and behavioural risk factors and mechanisms to explain mental health risk and using this knowledge to inform treatment and prevention of mental disorder.
• The identification of biomarkers predicting transition to disorder and treatment response.
• Large scale trials and natural experimental evaluations of interventions. 

Research themes

• Addiction
• Eating disorders and body image
• Intergenerational research including mental health
• Epidemiology and treatment of common mental disorders in primary care
• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Immunopsychiatry
• Personality disorder
• Psychosis
• Suicide and self-harm

Our Research strategy May 2019 (Office document, 37kB) is also available.

We use the results from our research to develop and test novel interventions to treat, prevent and reduce harms associated with mental disorder. Our research also informs local, national and international health policy regarding the prevention and treatment of mental disorder.

As well as strengths in these specific research areas, our research utilises a wide range of methodologies, including life-course and genetic epidemiology, health economics, statistics, cognitive and behavioural science, qualitative research methods, and anthropological/ethnographic approaches. We also have a strong track record in conducting large multi-centre randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

We carry out studies in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and have a number of randomised controlled trials, contributing towards the BTC Bristol Trials Centre. We are also interested in more experimental research and its application to the problems. We have links to University Neuroscience.