The Research Team:
Claudia Danielmeier
Hi, I’m Claudia, Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. As the Principal Investigator of this project, I’m engaged in nearly all facets of our research project. My background is in clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience.
Laura Blackie
Hi, I’m Laura, I’m an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. I am a social psychologist with expertise in mixed-method designs that investigate how people adjust to and find meaning from acute and significant experiences in their lives. Within the context of research into psychosis, I have published research articles that examine the extent to which individuals report psychological changes from their experiences with psychosis, particularly focused on positive changes in their identity, relationships, and worldviews that might be supportive of recovery within a person-centred and trauma-informed approach. I am the lead on the qualitative side of the project, involving interviews with participants, and am the chair of the advisory group.
You can hear more about my research on YouTube.
Katherine Dyke
Hello, I’m Kat. I’m an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. I’ve spent most of my research career working with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS for short) which is used in this project. I also use brain imaging in my work and feel that combining the two is a fantastic gateway into understanding the human brain. My role in this project is to help and support the use of these techniques through working with other team members including the advisory group.
Adam Berrington
I am interested in developing new tools to measure brain chemistry using a technique called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). MRS allows us to non-invasively detect the chemical composition of the human brain. This information provides useful insights into metabolism to inform both clinical and neuroscience research. I look to push the capabilities of what MRS can measure, using ultra-high field strength MRI scanners (7 T) and newer hardware/software. My research is focused improving the robustness of these techniques to measure small changes in neurochemicals over time or across the brain.
One key aim of my work is to realise the unique potential of MRS to investigate and detect metabolic changes which occur as the brain engages in tasks as well as to answer fundamental questions about brain function. I am excited about the EPIC project, and the scientific challenges it will bring. It represents a unique opportunity to measure differences in chemical changes which may occur during more complex brain function.
Daniel Cocking
Hi, I’m Dan. I am a Research Associate positioned in the School of Physics, more specifically in the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre (SPMIC). My expertise lies in magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and I will be working on acquiring the MRS data. I’ll be making sure that we get the best data we can and analysing it in the best way possible to obtain as much information as we can. As the Data Management Champion for the team I also make sure that all data is stored and acquired responsibly in the short-term and long-term.
Ryan Elson
Hey, I’m Ryan. I’m a Research Fellow working on this project based in the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. I will be involved in various aspects of the project, from coordinating advisory group meetings to helping to run the MRI sessions and analysing the data.
Amal Jolly
Hi, I am Amal Jolly. I am a Clinical Research Fellow working on the EPIC project. I am a higher speciality psychiatry trainee currently availing time out of training to take up this research fellowship. I will be working with recruitment of study participants and providing clinical support.
Advisory group members:
We currently have 9 advisory group members. Some of our advisory group are listed below:
Claire Klauza
Hi I’m Claire Klauza. I have worked in many patient and public involvement roles since 2005, including being an inaugural member of the Hearing BRC Steering Group and being an integral part of the ‘COVID PPI Taskforce in Research’, for which we were nominated for a Team NUH award by the CEO of NUH, Tracey Taylor. I have worked in the BBC East Midlands Today newsroom and worked in academia until 2011. From 2011-2015 I worked in mental health research and have first-hand experience of supporting someone with enduring mental health concerns. I have now joined the EPIC project as a PPI member to help shape research into memory and attention in psychosis, along with my lovely assistant dog, Jessi.
Alexis Payne
Hi, I’m Alexis. I’m a PhD student over in the School of Computer Science. I have a long history of pseudo-psychotic hallucinations, or as she likes to be known, Charly, that I’m trying to be open about. Having lived a life that has been shaped around the intersection of my mental health, cognition problems, and academia I am delighted to be joining the EPIC Project as an Advisory Group member offering whatever insight and support I can as well as getting to observe some research very different to my own.
Richard Falvey
Hi, I’m Richard. Labelled Manic Depressive after my first psychotic break aged 17, I went on to have 5 more psychotic episodes before the age of 23, interspersed with depression and trying to live life to the full as a student. Throughout this time I took Lithium and Haloperidol, and continued taking Lithium until 2000, restarting with Sodium Valproate, Quetiapine and sertraline in 2009. In my view none of these drugs worked, neither as cure nor prophylactic. They had negative side effects and I believe were inappropriate and further they reduced rather than enhanced my wellbeing. I stopped my prescription medications circa 2016 following a nearly 10 year period of depression / PTSD / mental ill health. Since then I have focused on self-care through mindfulness, exercise, connecting with nature, journalling, self-reflection and diet. You can find a video of my story here. I am deeply passionate about improving healthcare and am involved in numerous public engagement initiatives as an Expert by Experience such as National Voices, Cripps Health Centre PPG, My Life Choices Nottingham, and Partners in Mind Nottingham, through which I am a member of the Nottinghamshire and Notts Adult and Child Mental Health Partnership Board and Co-chair the Improving Co-production in Mental Health Delivery Group. I am also an advisory group member for the EPIC Project hoping to help co-produce equitable, personalised care using non-invasive brain stimulation as an alternative to medication.