Congratulations to three MQ researchers who have recently had their ground-breaking contributions to mental health research recognised!
Professor Rory O’Connor, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory at Glasgow University, was awarded the American Foundation for Suicide Preventions’ prestigious Research award for 2023. Rory is just the third person from the UK, and the first person from Scotland, to win the award for his contribution to our understanding of suicidal behaviour and his work to prevent it.
Rory also co-presents the MQ Open Mind podcast, which you can listen to here.
Professor Ann John, Director of DATAMIND and the PI for MQ’s Adolescent Data Platform, was awarded the Frances Hoggan Medal 2022 for her work in preventing suicide and self-harm. As a pioneer of the use of Data Science in mental health research, Ann’s work has already led to policy changes relating to young people’s mental health and new guidance being issued to schools in Wales to help prevent self-harm.
The Frances Hoggan Medal is awarded annually and recognises the contribution of outstanding women connected with Wales in the areas of science, medicine, engineering, technology or mathematics.
Read more about the DATAMIND project here.
Dr Maxime Taquet from Oxford University was awarded the Core Psychiatric Trainee of the year award from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Max recently published this paper from his MQ-supported study into brain fog in Long-COVID patients. He is hoping that by learning more about the physical causes of the cognitive decline, or ‘brain fog’ that is caused by COVID, he can develop effective interventions for it, which could also be used in other cases, such as in MS or dementia patients.
