Our sydney.edu.au Brain and Mind Centre Annual Report 2015-16 patients’ success sydney.edu.au/brain-mind sydney.edu.au/brain-mind 0774 2 9351 +61 The University of Sydney Contact us is our greatest reward. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) is a globally recognised certification Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) is a globally recognised certification overseeing all fibre sourcing standards. This provides guarantees for the consumer that products are made of woodchips from well-managed forests and other controlled sources with strict environmental, economical and social standards. Contents Welcome ............................................ 2 Co-Directors...........................................2 Message from Vice Chancellors ...............3 - Overview ............................................ 4 Teams and key research themes ..............4 Partnerships ...........................................6 - Child Development and Behaviour ......... 8 Our core business ...................................9 Highlights .............................................. 10 Key projects and clinical trials ............... 12 2017 and beyond ................................... 13 Key publications .................................... 14 - Youth Mental Health ............................ 18 Our core business ................................. 18 Brain and Mind Centre Annual Report 2015-16 Highlights ..............................................20 2017 and beyond ...................................22 Key projects and clinical trials ..............23 Key publications ....................................25 - Neuroimmunology ..............................29 Our core business .................................29 Highlights ..............................................30 2017 and beyond ...................................32 Key publications ...................................33 - ForeFront Ageing and Neurodegeneration .......................37 Our core business ................................. 37 Highlights ..............................................40 sydney.edu.au/brain-mind sydney.edu.au/brain-mind 0774 2 9351 +61 2017 and beyond ...................................45 Key projects and clinical trials ...............46 Key publications .................................... 47 - The Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics .................. 50 Our core business ..................................51 Highlights ..............................................52 2017 and beyond ...................................54 Key publications ....................................55 - Technical Facilities ..............................58 Our core business .................................58 Highlights ...............................................61 2017 and beyond ...................................63 Key publications ....................................64 - Brain and Mind Centre .........................66 Our donors ...........................................66 Our teams ............................................. 70 Welcome Co-Directors Welcome to the Brain and Mind Centre Annual Report, which celebrates our many achievements over the past sydney.edu.au/brain-mind two years. Our Co-Directors Professors Ian Hickie (left) and Matthew Kiernan. Becoming Brain and Mind Centre As part of this emphasis on The vast amount of peer-reviewed in 2015 marked a radical shift in growing our research potential, papers highlighted in this direction towards developing into we welcome the arrival of publication is testament to the a truly multidisciplinary centre ForeFront, led by Professors tireless work of our researchers that encourages participation Glenda Halliday, John Hodges who have won many grants over from research teams across the and Associate Professor Olivier the past two years. Our work has University of Sydney campuses at Piguet. This team is committed been noticed nationally too – Camperdown and Mallet Street, to discovering early detection Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull Westmead, Nepean, Cumberland methods, identifying new committed $30 million to Project and beyond. By entering into our treatments and understanding Synergy in 2016. This project is network, researchers have access the underlying mechanisms of led by Professor Jane Burns, a to information on relevant funding neurodegenerative disease. relentless innovator in the field of opportunities, news, and events. We are also proudly watching digital mental health. They also have the opportunity the progress of the Lambert Brain and Mind Centre Annual Report 2015-16 to partner with other research Initiative, formed in 2015 after an To help communicate our institutes, local health districts, unprecedented personal donation successes and to further boost government, industry and to support research into the use our profile, as well as making our the community. of medicinal cannabis. patient services more accessible, we are have redeveloped our Most importantly, our researchers We welcome Professor Markus website and social media. are working as part of an Leweke to the role of Chair academic community that is of Youth Depression Studies. We hope you enjoy this focused on finding solutions Joining us from the Central publication and look forward to the most challenging health Institute of Mental Health in to our continued successes. problems in the world. Our unique Mannheim, Germany, Professor approach combines effective Leweke plans to work closely with clinical care with cutting-edge the Sydney Local Health District research, providing researchers to set up a clinical service unit at with live data and giving clinicians the Marie Bashir Centre. Another access to innovative treatments appointment to celebrate is Niels Professor Matthew Kiernan and interventions as soon as they Buus to the St Vincent’s Chair Co-Director, Translation and Discovery The University of Sydney are developed. We encourage of Mental Health Nursing, who researchers to join us in our will work to develop new family multidisciplinary approach to and community-based models tackling the challenges of brain of mental healthcare. and mind disorders. Professor Ian Hickie AM Co-Director, Health and Policy Page 2 Welcome Message from the University The University of Sydney officially launched Brain and Mind Centre in July 2015 to address disorders of the brain and mind, expand the breadth and depth of multidisciplinary research and set new standards in brain and mind sciences, both in Australia and internationally. Previously known as the Brain and With Co-Directors Professors Mind Research Institute (BMRI), Matthew Kiernan and Ian Hickie Welcome the Centre was created as a leading the way, Brain and Mind flagship multidisciplinary initiative, Centre is breaking new ground in one of the key recommendations research and development. We of the Health and Medical are excited to present a snapshot Research Strategic Review. The of this incredible research aim: to leverage the University's conducted throughout 2015 existing research excellence and 2016. in order to deliver significant Professor Duncan Ivision Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research benefits to society. University of Sydney The Centre’s strategic objectives are focused on creating an enduring program of research and education that responds directly Professor Duncan Ivision to 21st century societal challenges Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research of the brain and mind sciences. University of Sydney Message from the University Professor Laurent Rivory Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships Professor Laurent Rivory University of Sydney Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships University of Sydney Page 3 Overview Teams and key research themes The University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre is sydney.edu.au/brain-mind a global leader in research into, and treatment of, disorders of the brain and mind. Our vision is to see a world where people can reach their full potential and play an active role in society. Our multidisciplinary research teams are at Brain and Mind Centre represents a virtual the forefront of brain and mind sciences. network of academics across University We work to find answers to some of the of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Nepean world’s most pressing health concerns, Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, including childhood development and Kolling Institute, Concord Repatriation behaviour disorders, youth mental General Hospital and Sydney Adventist health and addiction, and ageing and Hospital. The Centre is also affiliated with neurodegeneration such as dementia, Sydney Health Partners and Sydney local multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. health districts. Brain and Mind Centre Annual Report 2015-16 Our large-scale research is collaborative and innovative, our laboratories are state-of–the-art and our clinics are a valuable resource for people in need. Our visionary research teams partner with the community, industry, government and diverse branches of academia to make a real difference to people’s lives. The University of Sydney Testing at the Autism Clinic for Translational Research. Page 4 Partnering with patients to find solutions to world health problems. Partnering with patients tofindsolutions world healthproblems. Page 5 Teams and key research themes Overview Overview Partnerships Our cutting-edge research is underpinned by strategic partnerships. New solutions to help people in need require new collaborations - few medical discoveries are made in isolation. sydney.edu.au/brain-mind Brain and Mind