Our vision is to build communities free from the burden of disorders of the brain for better health and better lives.
Our researchers and collaborators focus on the prevention, treatment, cure and care of neurological, mental health and addictive disorders. We improve the lives of patients by including and drawing upon our solid relationships with communities. Together, we work towards the common goal of better health and better lives.
Objective
Our researchers seek to prevent, treat, cure and care for a broad range of neurological, mental health and addiction disorders. Our strength lies in building effective networks of collaborative research. By working with and alongside patient communities, we can better translate our research outcomes into real-world solutions that improve quality of life.
Solution
The UNSW Medicine & Health Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction research theme addresses the burdens imposed by neurological, mental health, and drug and alcohol disorders. We’re a network of internationally recognised researchers and clinicians leading the understanding and treatment of complex clinical conditions with physical, behavioural, mental and social dimensions across the lifespan.
Impact
Our research spans the following sub-themes:
- children and adolescent wellbeing
- complex and difficult-to-treat diseases
- healthy ageing
- brain sciences and translational neuroscience.
Each area is led by world-renowned researchers who partner with other UNSW faculties as well as centres and institutes working directly within and alongside patient communities for prevention and treatment. These include the Black Dog Institute, Centre for Big Data Research in Health (CBDRH), National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA). We investigate suicide, depression and anxiety, trauma-related conditions, alcohol and drug addictions, cognitive ageing, stroke, neural coding, therapeutics and prosthetics, and much more.
Dr Michelle Torok (nèe Tye) works on suicide prevention. She addresses the current major gaps in the availability, implementation and accessibility of interventions to prevent suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
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We aim to address the burdens imposed by neurological, mental health and drug and alcohol disorders. Our network of internationally recognised researchers and clinicians lead in the understanding and treatment of complex clinical conditions with physical, behavioural, mental and social dimensions across the lifespan.
Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction consists of four sub-themes:
- Children and Adolescent Wellbeing
- Complex and Difficult to Treat Diseases
- Healthy Ageing
- Brain Sciences and Translational Neuroscience
The 2024 Neuroscience, Mental Health & Addiction Theme Seed Grant Recipients have been announced.
The 2025 Round will open in October 2024.
The annual NMHA Seed Grant Scheme is an excellent opportunity for researchers who are interested in addressing the burdens imposed by neurological, mental health, and drug and alcohol disorders. Funding is available to support strategic projects led by early-to-mid-career researchers that relate to at least one of the four sub-themes above.
For more information on the 2024 round, please click here.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact:
Rita Zhang, Research Development Manager
UNSW Faculty of Medicine and Health
Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction Theme
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UNSW Medicine & Health Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction theme closely aligns with the SPHERE Clinical Academic Group (CAG) of the same name. This creates a formal partnership between UNSW Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, Western Sydney University, local health districts, medical research institutes and other industry partners.
Together, we support the initiation and development of collaborative groups that bring together research, education and clinical partners to address the burdens imposed by neurological, mental health, and drug and alcohol disorders.
Theme Principal
- Professor Michael Farrell - National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney
Children & Adolescent Wellbeing Sub-Theme Co-Leads
- Dr Iain Perkes - Senior Lecturer, Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Sydney
Complex & Difficult to Tread Diseases Sub-Theme Co-Leads
- Professor Philip Ward - Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Sydney
- Associate Professor, Julia Lappin - Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Sydney
Healthy Ageing Sub-Theme Co-Leads
- Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty - Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing
- Professor Gerald Muench - Western Sydney University
Brain Sciences & Translational Neuroscience Sub-Theme Co-Leads
- Scientia Professor Bernard Balleine - School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney
- Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell - Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney
- Professor Gary Housley - School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW Sydney
Neuroscience, Mental Health & Addiction Theme & SPHERE CAG Collaborating Partners
- UNSW Sydney
- Including the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health (Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing and Dementia Collaborative Research Centre), School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, School of Population Health, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Rural Clinical School, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Brain Sciences UNSW, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Psychology and UNSW Engineering
- Black Dog Institute
- Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Care Network
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research
- Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), University of Technology Sydney
- Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network
- Mindgardens Neuroscience Network
- Neuroscience Research Australia
- South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD)
- Including Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women, SESLHD Mental Health Service, and SESLHD Drug and Alcohol Service
- South Western Sydney Local Health District
- St Vincent's Hospital Sydney
- Sydney Children's Hospitals Network
- Western Sydney University
- Including the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development
Related Research Units
- UNSW Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing
- Dementia Collaborative Research Centre
- Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD)
- Neuroscience Research Australia
- Black Dog Institute
- Centre of Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention
- Brain Sciences UNSW
- School of Biomedical Sciences
- School of Clinical Medicine
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Population Health
- Rural Clinical School
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health
- UNSW Psychology
- UNSW Engineering
Contact Us
For all enquires, contact our team: