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Dr Isobel Heyman
Honorary Professor
UCL GOS Institute of Child Health
Faculty of Pop Health Sciences
- Joined UCL
- 7th Sep 2011
Research summary
Recent research is on clinical phenomenology and treatment studies, with an emphasis on improving recognition of mental health conditions and improving outcomes in children with physical ill-health. Ongoing research programs at Great Ormond Street UCL Institute of Child Health, focussing on detection, robust measurement of symptoms and functioning, and early intervention in children with combined mental and physical health problems. Continuing with research collaborations in the epilepsy program, focusing on the psychiatric aspects of childhood epilepsy, Tourette Syndrome and mental health of children with movement disorders.
Teaching summary
Teaches on the MSc in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry course and the MSc in Paediatric Neuropsychology course at UCL Institute of Child Health. Regularly teaches on the Epilepsy Masterclasses hosted at Young Epilepsy, and on European Paediatric neurology training programs. At Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, teaches undergraduate and postgraduate medical trainees on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Main teaching areas are neuropsychiatry, epilepsy, obsessive compulsive disorder, Tourette Syndrome and childhood anxiety.
Education
- United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St.. Thomas's Hospitals
- Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 1995
- University College London
- Doctorate, Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery | 1987
- University College London
- First Degree, Bachelor of Science | 1982
Biography
Dr Isobel Heyman is a clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist/Neuropsychiatrist who leads the Psychological Medicine Team at GOSH.
She was awarded UK Royal College of Psychiatrists 'Psychiatrist of the Year' 2015/16
Graduated in pharmacology and medicine fromUniversity College London. Junior doctor positions in the ProfessorialUnits at UCL and Middlesex Hospitals, and then at the Hammersmith Hospital andthe National Hospital, Queen Square. Went on to train in psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital. Interest inneuropsychiatry and neurodevelopment led to leaving clinical medicine for 3years to obtain a laboratory based PhD in developmental neurobiology , as anMRC Training Fellow with ProfessorAndrew Lumsden FRS.
1995 returned to the Institute ofPsychiatry as Clinical Lecturer and completed Higher SpecialistTraining in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1998 made a Consultant at the Maudsley Hospital and Honorary Senior Lecturerat the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London. Over the next 15years founded and ran a national specialist service for severe obsessivecompulsive disorder and related conditions, which became an international modelfor a research active clinical service. Published widely in the fieldof OCD whilst working as a full-time clinician, and has sat on many nationaland international working groups, advisory panels and academic programs. Promoted to Honorary Reader in 2011. On moving to GOSH as a consultant psychiatristin 2012, has continued with neuropsychiatric clinical work and researchin Tourette Syndrome and epilepsy, and is developing new clinical services andresearch programs focussing on the detection and treatment of mental healthproblems in children with physical illness. Particularly committed tointegrating clinical practice with academic medicine, and in promoting the researchcareers of junior staff. The representation of psychiatry in the media is alsoan area of interest; has contributed to TV documentaries as well asworking closely with the National OCD Charity OCDAction. Made an Honorary Professor at UCL in 2012.
She collaborates with several of the research teams within Developmental Neurosciences, teaches on MSc programmes, and supervises trainees research. She is co-applicant/collaborator on several Tourette Syndrome studies including an NIMH funded international genetics study TicGenetics and a European multicentre study on the course of Tourette Syndrome EMTICS