Meet the team

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Professor Elvira Bramon | Chief Investigator

I am the Chief Investigator on the Pharmacogenetics project. I completed my medical degree at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, followed by early specialist psychiatry training (MIR) at the Hospital Mútua de Terrassa – Universitat de Barcelona. In 1999 I moved to the Institute of Psychiatry – King’s College London and Maudsley Hospital to do my PhD and further training in psychiatry. I have always combined research, clinical and teaching activities. My academic posts at the Institute of Psychiatry included clinical lecturer and reader in psychiatry along with at the Maudsley Hospital initially as associate specialist and by 2005 as consultant psychiatrist. At the Institute I held a Welcome Trust research training fellowship, subsequently a NIHR post-doctoral fellowship and most recently a MRC New Investigator Award. I joined UCL in 2012 as reader in biological psychiatry and I'm now based at the Division of Psychiatry and the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. More about Elvira > 

Rosemary Abidoph | Clinical Trials Manager

I am the Clinical Trial Manager for the Pharmacogenetic Trial in Mental Health. I completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Neuroscience at Goldsmiths University London and followed shortly with a Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Adult Mental Health. I then went on to work for a year within a mental health hospital as a Mental Health Practitioner. Prior to this role I worked as a research assistant within Camden and Islington NHS Trust where I developed an interested in genomics and personalised medicine.

Dr Stephen Murtough | Research Fellow

I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow exploring the genetics and pharmacogenetics of psychosis and schizophrenia. I first trained as a clinical pharmacist, before studying for an MSc and PhD at Queen Mary University of London's medical school. I then worked as Associate Editor at Nature Cancer, before moving back into academic research at Imperial College London, prior to beginning my research here at UCL. More about Stephen > 

Dr Daniele Panconesi | Specialty Doctor

I am currently working as a Specialty Doctor in General Adult Psychiatry in Brent, CNWL NHS Trust. After completing an MSc in Mental Health Research Sciences at the UCL, I have started to work as an Associate Staff/ Visiting Researcher with the Mental Health Neuroscience team at UCL, and I am researching how Pharmacogenomic testing can be applied to guide antipsychotic treatment.

Lauren Varney | Research Assistant

I am a Research Assistant within the team. I completed my BSc in Psychology with a Year in Employment at the University of Southampton, during which I did a placement in neuropsychology. I then moved to UCL to complete my MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences, where I developed an interest in the role of genetics in mental health.

Maria Richards-Brown | Research Assistant

I am a Research Assistant within the team. I completed my BA in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford. I then completed my MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences at UCL, which is where I discovered my interest in how genetics can contribute to personalised medicine in mental health. More about Maria >

Daisy Mills | Research Assistant

I am a Research Assistant within the team since October 2024. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry (BSc) at Imperial College London where I developed a passion for Neuroscience. I then completed an MRes in Brain Sciences at UCL in 2023 where I began carrying out research in the team, developing a deep interest in Mental Health Neuroscience, especially with genetic applications. More about Daisy >

Marius Cotic | PhD Student and Research Assistant

I am a part-time PhD student and Research Assistant at UCL since October 2020. Before I started working at UCL on rapid COVID-19 sequencing, I completed an MSc in Pharmacology at the University of Oxford, specialising in neuropharmacology and antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. My PhD builds upon my interest in neuropharmacology and personalised medicine, focusing on the identification and characterisation of the effect of high-risk mutations that predispose individuals to psychosis. More about Marius >

Noushin Saadullah Khani | PhD Student

I am a PhD student at University College London since September 2021. Prior to my PhD, I completed an Integrated Master’s degree in Biochemistry at the University of Surrey, where I developed an interest in genomics. My PhD involves conducting analysis to determine whether the genetics-guided intervention improves patient quality of life and other clinical outcomes. More about Noushin > 

Recruitment Status

This study is currently ongoing. We are actively recruiting new participants. Please register your interest here.

Contact

For all enquiries, please contact the UCL study team at gems@ucl.ac.uk