In the news...
for JANUARY 2026
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from the Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham
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As we welcome 2026 with renewed energy and enthusiasm for the year ahead, it's inspiring to look back on some of our achievements from 2025. Institute researchers from different disciplines are making a real impact on mental health across the lifespan. Alongside the highlights included here, our researchers continue to influence policy, care and treatments through their projects - from the many papers published to conference presentations, media coverage - even a red carpet appearance! I'm immensely proud to lead the IMH into 2026, which will be our 20th anniversary! More on that to come. In the meantime, I would like to wish you all a very happy new year, and I look forward to seeing our colleagues shape the future of mental health care.
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Professor Martin Orrell
Director, Institute of Mental Health
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STADIA findings published
The STADIA trial, led by Professor Kapil Sayal (pictured) and supported by Nottinghamshire Healthcare's Research Delivery Team, drew to a close, revealing the difficulties families and young people face in accessing support for emotional problems.
Read the STADIA findings
Listen to Professor Kapil Sayal on the BJPsych podcast
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Dr Charlotte Hall makes an impact
MindTech's Dr Charlotte Hall (pictured) was awarded an NIHR Impact Prize, recognising her research into computer-aided assessment in ADHD in children and young people. She went on to feature in the NIHR Annual Report
Read about Charlotte Hall's Impact Prize
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Digital Youth programme report
The multi-million pound Digital Youth programme published findings from research spanning digital risks and opportunities to create a safer and supportive digital environment for young people.
Read the Digital Youth programme report
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Prestigious award for Dr John Tully
Dr John Tully, Associate Professor in Forensic Psychiatry was awarded a Clinician Scientist Fellowship by the Medical Research Council to explore the neural basis of empathy in violent offenders with antisocial personality disorder, using cutting edge technologies.
Read more about the EmpaMeg project
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ADHD Taskforce
Professor Chris Hollis, Dr Blandine French (pictured) and Dr Alessio Bellato are among a handful of ‘experts in evidence’, bringing their knowledge, research and expertise to NHS England's ADHD Taskforce.
NHS England » Report of the independent ADHD Taskforce
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IMH Star
At our annual Research Day, we were delighted to award our IMH STAR Award 2025 - Best Contribution to Research Facilitation and Development. The award went to Administration Manager, Darren Wright, for his contribution to the set-up and delivery of the 'Wellbeing in the Woods' project.
Explore the IMH Research Day 2025 prize winners
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Funding to lead brain research
Professor Marcus Kaiser (pictured) and Dr Mohammad Katshu will lead research into non-invasive interventions to improve brain function in a range of mental health conditions.
Read the full press release on the Institute website
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Recovery research
The long-running NEON programme published its findings as the Recovery Research Team held their 7th international Refocus on Recovery conference
Read the NEON report
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Congratulations to Dr Paul Briley
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Congratulations to our colleague Dr Paul Briley (pictured), now Clinical Associate Professor in Mood Disorders. Paul will be working with the MH-TRC Mission Mood Disorders, including developing our commercial research portfolio through new pharma and tech approaches for depression and bipolar disorder. Clinically, Paul will be helping to develop the new depression research and advice clinics, alongside our partners in primary care – to develop fuller and more representative recruitment to clinical trials. Paul also continues to contribute to research in neuromodulation for mood disorders. Congratulations Paul! What a great start to the new year.
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New paper highlights importance of user involvement
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Dr Michael Craven (pictured) is among researchers examining Assistive Technologies (AT) in dementia. Their latest findings highlight the importance of user involvement, along with adequate training and support, when designing and implementing AT in the dementia community. The findings emerged from a Covid-19 subgroup of the INTERDEM Assistive Technologies Task Force
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Findings offer alternative approach to difficult-to-treat depression
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Research supported by Dr Neil Nixon of our Centre for Mood Disorders suggests pramipexole augmentation is a cost-effective treatment for patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD). Findings published in The Lancet Europe demonstrate consistent benefits across multiple outcomes, including cost-effectiveness.
Read the findings in The Lancet Europe
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INVOLVEMENT AT THE INSTITUTE
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Kate Horton (pictured), Public Involvement Lead at the Institute, reflects on a busy 2025:
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) at the Institute continues to flourish, with three successful cohorts of our CPD accredited PPI training programme completed. Feedback from attendees has been positive, and it’s been great to meet researchers from around the country. Applications to join our Spring 2026 programme are now open, alongside opportunities to join our free research facilitator sessions.
More and more people are signing up to receive our PPI newsletter, which is really encouraging. We continue to work closely with our local community, forging new connections with Evolve Nottingham, The Wolfpack Project, and Diversity Education & Communities. Closer to home, it’s inspiring to welcome a new intake of PhD fellows on the Midlands Mental Health and Neurosciences Doctoral Training Programme and support them in embedding PPI in their research.
Despite many organisations facing financial challenges, and the ever increasing cost of living which is affecting public contributors and organisations alike, we’re encouraged to see the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) publish guidance around an uplift in payments for public contributors, reflecting the time, experience and knowledge they bring to research.
On a more personal level, I’m honoured to have chaired the Recovery Research Team (RRT) Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) for another year and to see their work showcased at the Refocus on Recovery Conference in September. I was also thrilled to see colleagues in the East Midlands Cancer Alliance Centre for Psychosocial Health recognised for integrating patients and the public in their work.
To find out more about PPI at the Institute, email Kate Horton or visit our website
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OPTIMISE - optimising pathways of psychological care after transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke
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Are you a clinician or professional working with people who have experienced a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or minor sttroke in the past year?
Could you take part in a short online survey to help researchers understand the support available for changes in mood and cognition after a TIA or minor stroke?
Participants must be over 18 and working in the UK. To find out more and complete the survey, view the online information sheet
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Could you help develop a new digital neuropsychology assessment?
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You're invited to take part in a new research project exploring UniCog, an online neuropsychology assessment designed to measure key cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and mental speed. Participation involves completing a set of questionnaires and assessments in-person at the Institute of Mental Health. This should take no longer than 1.5 hours.
Find out more about UniCog
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Trial using AI to detect early-stage post-natal depression is seeking participants
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If you, or anyone you know is between 12 weeks pregnant and 12 weeks post-partum, why not take a look at the TrueBlue study, led by Dr Neil Nixon of our Centre for Mood Disorders? Participants will use the TrueBlue app on their mobile devices to assess whether the app is safe, usable, acceptable and reliable. To find out more view the TrueBlue clinical study
Alternatively, email the TrueBlue team or call 0115 748 6749.
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📅 15 April 2026 to 13 May 2026, 1pm to 3pm
📍 Online via MS Teams
🎟️ £250
📥 More information on the IMH website
Applications are now open for our spring 2026 Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) training programme. This CPD accredited course is led by Kate Horton (pictured), our PPI Lead, and takes place on weekly two-hour sessions, via MS Teams.
This programme is designed for Early Career Researchers, future PPI facilitators and those people expected to deliver on the asks of PPI. The learning is designed to help you consider and embed meaningful PPI within your systems so you can incorporate living experiences, peer researchers and patient and public contributors to improve the relevance, acceptability and accessibility of your research.
If you’re not sure if this course is for you then please get in touch. We would love to hear from you, and we can talk about some of the content, feasibility for your own context and also discuss alternatives for your progress in this area. Email Kate Horton
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📅 11 to 17 January 2026
📍 The Squire Performing Arts Centre, NG1 4JB
🎟️ Adults £8 , under 12s £4
ℹ️ Buy tickets
Tickets are now on sale for this season's NUH pantomime! They're promising "a traditional panto tale with some unexpected twists to entertain all ages".
And if that's not enough to reel you in, our very own Professor Martin Orrell will be making an appearance as Baron Hardup, Cinderella's father! Oh yes he is!
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We would love to hear from you.
Please visit our website or follow us on our social media pages to
keep up to date with our news and updates. |
The Institute of Mental Health brings together healthcare staff and academics to lead mental health research designed to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care. We are a partnership between two highly respected organisations, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Nottingham. |
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@institutemh institutemh.org.uk
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