Professor Rachel Upthegrove is our new Mental Health Research and Development Lead
Professor Rachel Upthegrove has been appointed the Mental Health Research and Development Lead for our Trust.
Rachel is Professor of Psychiatry and Youth Mental Health at the University of Birmingham and Consultant Psychiatrist for BWC. She trained in Medicine at the Royal Free Hospital, University of London and Psychiatry in Birmingham and completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham, investigating depression and suicidality in first-episode psychosis.
Her recently funded studies are taking translational research into practice, including the NIHR-funded Early Psychosis Informatics into Care (EPICare) study. Working with teams in our Trust, the research aims to improve patient outcomes in early psychosis and provide long-term cost savings for the NHS.
Professor Upthegrove said: "We have been really busy opening studies as we hopefully get back to full research capacity, with a number of studies now open and actively recruiting, which is really exciting.”
She added: “It is an exciting if challenging time in mental health research, particularly with the increasing focus on the need for evidence-based treatments specifically for young people and at early stages. BWC is in a unique position to make national and internationally leading contributions to this challenge and I am pleased to be part of that endeavour.
“Our Trust's strong links with the Institute for Mental Health at the University of Birmingham is something to cherish and unique to Birmingham. I really appreciate our ability to take basic science, psychology, and social policy and work to improve interventions and services for young people."
Professor Upthegrove is the chief investigator and co-investigator on several RCTs for repurposed and targeted treatments. She is also the Deputy Chair of the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Consortium, Honorary General Secretary of the British Association for Psychopharmacology and Deputy Editor for the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Professor Upthegrove and her team are currently recruiting for several exciting studies, including the ADePP trial, which is investigating the use of antidepressants for the prevention of depression following the first episode of psychosis. Keep an eye out on our website for more information and for more updates in mental health research.