Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry and Clinical Director of the Greater Manchester Dementia Research Centre, with expertise in early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease, biomarkers, and clinical trial delivery. Established the UK’s first psychiatrist-led CSF biomarker service in 2022. Initially single-handed, now scaled into the Manchester Brain Health Centre, underpinned by philanthropic and third sector partnerships and £35 million in industry investment for discovery and clinical science using the cohort as rolling research infrastructure. Principal or Co-Investigator on 30+ clinical trials spanning Phase I-III, with total collaborative research portfolio exceeding £15 million. Current work focuses on platform trials for disease-modifying therapies, molecular diagnostics, and vascular contributions to cognitive impairment.

2010: PgDipStat, Trinity College Dublin. Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics

2010: MRCPsych, Royal College of Psychiatrists. Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

2005: MB BCH BAO, Trinity College Dublin. Medical Degree (Date of degree conferral: 17/6/2005)

2015–Present: Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry, Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust, Manchester

2012–2015: NIHR ACF in Dementia / ST in Old Age Psychiatry, Cambridge University and Cambridge & Peterborough Foundation Trust, Cambridge. Academic Supervisor: Prof. John O’Brien

2008–2012: Research Fellow in Psychiatry, St. Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin. Supervisor: Prof. Declan McLoughlin

2006–2008: SHO in Psychiatry, St. Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin. Supervisor: Prof. Anthony Clare

2005–2006: Intern in Medicine and Surgery, St. James’s University Hospital, Dublin. Supervisor: Prof. John Reynolds

2024–Present: NIHR-RDN NW England Dementia Clinical Lead

2021–Present: Board Member and Dementia Theme Co-Lead, Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre

2020–Present: Theme Lead for Dementia, Health Innovation Manchester (Manchester AHSN)

2019–Present: Clinical Director, Greater Manchester Dementia Research Centre. Leading the largest and most active dementia research centre in the Northwest with 7 staff and 9 ongoing studies. Managing commercial and grant-funded portfolio across Phase I-III trials. Established key partnerships with Salford Royal (NCA) and University of Manchester. Member of the national Dementia Trials Network (led by Prof. Mummery). http://www.gmdrc.co.uk

2019–2024: NIHR-CRN Greater Manchester Dementia Clinical Lead

2019–2024: Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester

2019–2022: Strategic Clinical Network Advisor (Dementia), GM/Cheshire

2012–2015: NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship, Cambridge & Peterborough Foundation Trust

{Educational Supervisor: Dr Deborah Girling; Academic Supervisor: Prof. John O’Brien. Approximately 20
2010–2012: HRB Research Training Fellowship, St. Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin. Clinical Research Fellow on the EFFECT-Dep study. Randomised controlled double blind study of right unilateral versus bilateral ECT in severe depression under PI Prof. Declan McLoughlin.

Undergraduate Teaching

Undergraduate tutor in psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. Regular small group teaching for Cambridge University students during training. Current online seminars with University of Manchester students.

Postgraduate Teaching

Faculty member for the Neurology Academy, Sheffield. Teaching on Parkinson’s Disease neuropsychiatry, Palliative and Dementia Masterclasses, and Mild Cognitive Impairment/Brain Health webinar series. Registered trainer and educational supervisor of higher trainees in old age psychiatry.

Summary: Principal or Co-Investigator on 30+ clinical trials across Alzheimer’s disease, neuropsychiatric disorders, biomarkers, and platform trials. Extensive experience with industry-sponsored Phase II/III trials and NIHR-funded studies.

Alzheimer’s Disease Monoclonal Antibodies (n=9)

2024–: Gabriella, Roche, PI (Brain-shuttle Gantenerumab)

2022–2023: ENVISION, Biogen, PI (Phase IV Aducanumab)

2020–2023: Invoke, Alector, PI (AL002 mAb)

2020–2022: EMBARK, Biogen, PI (Aducanumab)

Other Alzheimer’s Disease Therapeutics (n=6)

2022–: CELIA, Biogen, CI (Tau anti-sense oligonucleotide)

2021–2023: Evoke/Evoke+, Novo Nordisk, PI (Semaglutide for AD/VaD)

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms & Depression (n=5)

2023–: ANTLER75+, NIHR, PI (Antidepressant withdrawal in over 75s)

2022–: CICERO, NIHR, PI (Cognitive intervention for Long-Covid)

2022–: Aspect, Avanir, PI (Dextrometorphan/Quinidine for agitation)

Biomarker, Diagnostic & Cohort Studies (n=8)

2025–: READOUT, NIHR/ARUK/AS, Co-I (Real world dementia outcomes)

2023–: AllinOne, Alzheimer’s Society, Co-I (Blood biomarkers and ASL for AD)

2023–: Hear-App, HInM, Co-I (Pure tone audiometry feasibility)

2022–: ABHAD, Hearing Health BRC, Co-I (Auditory biomarkers in AD)

2020–2022: Cognetivity, Cognetivity Ltd, PI (Novel cognitive testing)

Platform Trials & Innovation (n=3)

2025–: AD-SMART, MRC Trials Accelerator, Co-I (Platform trial in AD)

2020–: StrataStem II, StrataStem Ltd, CI (iPSC platform for molecular libraries)

2026–2031: Treating auditory impairment to preserve cognition in people with mild cognitive impairment, NIHR PGfAR, £3.4 million (Co-Applicant)

2026–2028: AD-SMART, ARUK, £2.5 million (Co-Investigator, “Outcomes WP” lead)

2025–2027: Manchester Brain Health Centre, AlzSoc, £1.5 million (Clinical Director)

2025–2028: Dementia Trials Network Manchester Site, MRC/DRI, £265,431 (PI)

2025–2028: Alzheimer’s Society Research Nurse Post, AlzSoc, £283,000 (PI)

2025–2030: AD-SMART, MRC/DRI, £5.0 million (Co-Investigator, “Outcomes WP” lead)

2024–2026: ADA-PreMASTODON, NIHR-HTA, £200,000 (Co-Applicant)

2024–2025: Biomarkers of cognitive impairment in CKD, Kidneys For Life, £20,000 (Co-Applicant, Supervisor)

2024–2029: READ-OUT – REAl world Dementia OUTcomes, ARUK/AlzSoc/NIHR, £4.5 million (Co-Applicant, Site PI)

2023–2028: ANTLER75+ Antidepressants to prevent relapse in depression in older people, NIHR HTA, £1.95 million (Co-Applicant, Site PI)

2023–2026: All-in-One neuroimaging for Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Society, £383,580 (Co-Applicant, PI)

2023–2025: Molecular imaging of neurodegenerative pathology using deuterium MRI, MRC, £179,765 (Co-Applicant, Adviser)

2022–2023: Neurological impact of COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2 neurovascular and neurodegenerative processes, University of Manchester, £50,000 (Co-Applicant)

2010–2012: Determinants of cognitive impairment after ECT, Health Research Board, £153,000 (PI/Salary award)

2025: Health Services Journal Award. Best NHS Collaboration

2025: Health Services Journal Partnerships Award. Best Pharmaceutical Collaboration with the NHS (DPUK-led multisite evaluation project with Lilly, GMMH and NHS trusts in Sheffield, Oxford, Sussex)

2024: ACCIA National Clinical Impact Award Level N1

2023: Health Services Journal Award. Modernising Diagnostics award for brainHealth Manchester - novel diagnostic pathway for MCI

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

1. Qin, Hongyi and Pointon, Linda and Carpenter, James and Raymont, Vanessa and Dunne, Ross and Reeves, Suzanne and Ali, Shabinah and Iqbal, Sabahat and Bonet-Olivares, Cristina and Whittle, Joanne and Rizzo, Laura and Malhotra, Paresh and Underwood, Benjamin R and AD-SMART team (2026). Patient and public involvement and engagement in clinical trials at scale: Analysis of the first 3250 responses on the POrtal for Patient and Public Engagement in Dementia (POPPED). Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 22, e71113. DOI: 10.1002/alz.71113.

2. Merlino, Lino and Rainone, Francesco and Tollitt, James and Kalra, Michael J and Williford, Sarah and Rusconi, Francesca and Battini, Graziana G and Dunne, Ross A and Hackett, Geoffrey and Kalra, Philip A (2026). Safety of Testosterone Therapy in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study. World Journal of Men’s Health. DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.250333.

3. Merlino, Lino and Rainone, Francesco and Chinnadurai, Rajkumar and Hernandez, Gema and Tollitt, James and Battini, Graziana G and Colombo, Paolo M and Trivelli, Marco and Stewart, Stuart and Dunne, Ross A and others (2025). Health outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients with cognitive impairment or dementia: a global collaborative analysis. Clinical Kidney Journal, 18, sfae401. DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfae401.

4. Merlino, Lino and Tollitt, James and Dunne, Ross A and Kalra, Philip A (2025). Pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in chronic kidney disease. Current opinion in nephrology and hypertension, 34, 459–468. DOI: 10.1097/MNH.0000000000001117.

5. Vanova, Martina and Patel, Aysha Mohamed Rafik and Scott, Iona and Gilpin, Gina and Gilpin, Gina and Manning, Emily N and Ash, Charlotte and Wittenberg, Philippa and Lim, Jason and Hoare, Zoe and Evans, Rachel and Bray, Nathan and Kipps, Christopher and Devine, Ciara and Ahmed, Saliha and Dunne, Ross and Dunne, Ross and Koniotes, Anna and Warren, Catherine and Chan, Dennis and Suarez-Gonzalez, Aida (2025). Effectiveness of Telehealth-Delivered Cognitive Rehabilitation for People with Cognitive Impairment as Part of Long COVID: Results from the CICERO (Cognitive Impairment in Long COVID: Phenotyping and Rehabilitation) Randomised, Controlled, Two-Arm, Parallel-Group, Clinical Trial. Preprint. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.5527836.

6. Iqbal, Sabahat and Olivares, Cristina Bonet and Rizzo, Laura and Parker, Thomas D and Wong, Charis and Underwood, Benjamin R and Carpenter, James and Dunne, Ross and Raymont, Vanessa and Reith, Alastair and others (2025). Repurposed Drug Prioritisation Pipeline for an Alzheimer’s Disease Multi-arm Platform Trial. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 21, e102227. DOI: 10.1002/alz70859_102227.

7. Koychev, Ivan and Harrison, Judith and Malhotra, Paresh and Dunne, Ross and Sheehan, Bart (2024). Shifting paradigms in dementia care: navigating new therapies and prevention strategies. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 224, 187–188. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2024.75.

8. Vanova, Martina and Patel, Aysha Mohamed Rafik and Scott, Iona and Gilpin, Gina and Manning, Emily N and Ash, Charlotte and Wittenberg, Philippa and Lim, Jason and Hoare, Zoe and Evans, Rachel and Bray, Nathan and Kipps, Christopher M and Devine, Ciara and Ahmed, Saliha and Dunne, Ross and Koniotes, Anna and Warren, Catherine and Chan, Dennis and Suarez-Gonzalez, Aida (2024). Telehealth-delivered cognitive rehabilitation for people with cognitive impairment as part of the post-COVID syndrome: protocol for a randomised controlled trial as part of the CICERO (Cognitive Impairment in Long COVID: Phenotyping and Rehabilitation) study. Trials, 25, 704. DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08554-3.

9. Dunne, Ross and Coulthard, Elizabeth (2023). Tipping the scales towards routine APOE genotyping. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 94, 669–669. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-332045.

10. Taylor, Jade L and Walsh, Katy R and Mosneag, Ioana-Emilia and Danby, Thea GE and Luka, Nadim and Chanda, Bishal and Schiessl, Ingo and Dunne, Ross A and Hill-Eubanks, David and Hennig, Grant W and others (2023). Uncoupling of Ca2+ sparks from BK channels in cerebral arteries underlies hypoperfusion in hypertension-induced vascular dementia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120, e2307513120. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307513120.

11. Dunne, Ross A and Aarsland, Dag and O’Brien, John T and Ballard, Clive and Banerjee, Sube and Fox, Nick C and Isaacs, Jeremy D and Underwood, Benjamin R and Perry, Richard J and Chan, Dennis and others (2021). Mild cognitive impairment: the Manchester consensus. Age and ageing, 50, 72–80. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afaa228.

12. Husain, Muhammad Omair and Zehra, Syeda S and Umer, Madeha and Kiran, Tayyaba and Husain, Mina and Soomro, Mustafa and Dunne, Ross and Sultan, Sarwat and Chaudhry, Imran B and Naeem, Farooq and others (2020). Stigma toward mental and physical illness: attitudes of healthcare professionals, healthcare students and the general public in Pakistan. BJPsych Open, 6, e81. DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2020.66.

13. Iracema, Leroi and Charlotte, Peel and Rebecca, Davenport and Ross, Dunne and Louise, Ebenezer and Mahesh, Gopakumar and Vachagan, Krishnaswami and Jane, Lumsden and Helen, Martin and Jane, Price and Wilby, Williamson (2020). Blueprint for a Brain Health Clinic to Detect and Manage Early-Stage Cognitive Decline: A Consensus Exercise. Journal of Neurodegenerative Disorders, 3. DOI: 10.36959/459/600.

14. Leroi, Iracema and Chaudhry, Nasim and Daniel, Anna and Dunne, Ross and Eman, Saima and Farina, Nicolas and Haidry, Sana-e-Zehra and Husain, Nusrat and Jafri, Hussain and Karim, Salman and others (2019). A roadmap to develop dementia research capacity and capability in Pakistan: a model for low-and middle-income countries. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 5, 939–952. DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2019.11.005.

15. Donald, Graeme and Wilson, Ian and McCarthy, Jodie and Hall, Ian and Crossley, Brenda and Adshead, Paula and Shaw, Vanessa and Dunne, Ross and Dwyer, Trish (2019). Experiences of nurses and other health workers participating in a reflective course on compassion-based care. British Journal of Nursing, 28, 1020–1025. DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2019.28.15.1020.

16. Ryan, Karen M and Dunne, Ross and McLoughlin, Declan M (2018). BDNF plasma levels and genotype in depression and the response to electroconvulsive therapy. Brain stimulation, 11, 1123–1131. DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2018.06.004.

17. Ryan, KM and Glaviano, A and O’Donovan, SM and Kolshus, E and Dunne, R and Kavanagh, A and Jelovac, A and Noone, M and Tucker, GM and Dunn, MJ and others (2017). Electroconvulsive therapy modulates plasma pigment epithelium-derived factor in depression: a proteomics study. Translational psychiatry, 7, e1073. DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.44.

18. Semkovska, Maria and Landau, Sabine and Dunne, Ross and Kolshus, Erik and Kavanagh, Adam and Jelovac, Ana and Noone, Martha and Carton, Mary and Lambe, Sinead and McHugh, Caroline and others (2016). Bitemporal versus high-dose unilateral twice-weekly electroconvulsive therapy for depression (EFFECT-Dep): a pragmatic, randomized, non-inferiority trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 173, 408–417. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15030372.

19. Noone, Martha and Semkovska, Maria and Carton, Mary and Dunne, Ross and Horgan, John-Paul and O’Kane, Breige and McLoughlin, Declan M (2014). Construction and updating of a public events questionnaire for repeated measures longitudinal studies. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 230. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00230.

20. Dunne, Ross A and McLoughlin, Declan M (2012). Systematic review and meta-analysis of bifrontal electroconvulsive therapy versus bilateral and unilateral electroconvulsive therapy in depression. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 13, 248–258. DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2011.608473.

21. Dunne, Ross A and McLoughlin, Declan M (2012). Physical treatments. Medicine, 40, 672–673. DOI: 10.1016/j.mpmed.2012.09.014.

22. Semkovska, M and McLoughlin, D and Dunne, R and Noone, M (2012). Cognitive effects of ECT. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 15, 26–27.

23. Dunne, Ross and McLoughlin, DM (2011). Regional variation in electroconvulsive therapy use. Irish Medical Journal, 104, 84.

24. Kolshus, Erik and Douglas, Leonard and Dunne, Ross (2011). Antidepressant augmentation and combination in unipolar depression: strong guidance, weak foundations. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 28, i–ix. DOI: 10.1017/S0790966700011800.

25. Dunne, Ross and Kavanagh, Adam and McLoughlin, Declan M (2009). Electroconvulsive therapy, capacity and the law in Ireland. Irish journal of psychological medicine, 26, 3–5. DOI: 10.1017/S0790966700000033.

26. Dunne, Ross and McLoughlin, Declan M (2008). Physical treatments. Medicine, 36, 499–500. DOI: 10.1016/j.mpmed.2008.06.013.

Book Chapters

1. Dunne, Ross and Burns, Alistair (2020). Drugs to Treat Dementia. In Seminars in Clinical Psychopharmacology. Cambridge University Press.

2. Dunne, Ross A. and O’Neill-Kerr, Alex and McLoughlin, Declan and Waite, Jonathan (2019). Practical Aspects of ECT. In ECT Handbook 4th Edition. Cambridge Core.

3. Fear, Christopher F and Dunne, Ross A and McLoughlin, Declan M (2013). Treatment of Schizophrenia and catatonia. In The ECT Handbook. RCPsych Publications.

4. Dunne, Ross A and McLoughlin, Declan M (2013). ECT prescribing and practice. In The ECT Handbook. 3rd ed. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists Publications.

5. Dunne, Ross A and McLoughlin, Declan M (2012). Electroconvulsive therapy and therapeutic neuromodulation. In Core Psychiatry. Elsevier BV.

Conference Proceedings and Abstracts

1. Bowden, Freya and Sparasci, Oliver and Land, Laura-May and Ahmed, Saliha and Matys, Tomasz and Menon, Vandana and Greenstein, Adam and Dunne, Ross and T O’Brien, John and Parkes, Laura M (2025). Altered CBF and Oxygen Metabolism in MCI and Association With Degree of Cognitive Impairment. Cerebral Circulation-Cognition and Behavior. DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2025.100425.

2. Dunne, Ross A and Exalto, Lieza and Young, Simon and Hainsworth, Atticus and Raymont, Vanessa (2025). Variation in vascular risk assessment and management across UK memory/brain health clinics: a cross-sectional survey. **. DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2025.100476.

3. Merlino, Lino and Rainone, Francesco and Chinnadurai, Rajkumar and Battini, Graziana and Colombo, Paolo and Trivelli, Marco and Dunne, Ross and Kalra, Philip A (2024). # 1490 Long-term health outcomes in non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients with cognitive impairment or dementia. **. DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfae069.0673.

4. Kellett, Katherine and Pickard, Adam and Fisher, Kate and Mitchell, Adam and Dunne, Ross and Smith, Craig and Kadler, Karl and Hooper, Nigel (2024). Uptake and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the cells of the neurovascular unit. **. DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2022.100116.

5. Bradley, Rosie and Fox, Sarah and Dunne, Ross and Leroi, Iracema (2023). Risk Reduction: A Novel Brain Health-focused Pathway for Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment in Greater Manchester. **. DOI: 10.1002/alz.082741.

6. Senior, Morwenna and Hewson, Thomas and Brownless, Francesca and Dunne, Ross (2022). Improving the Identification, Assessment and Management of Osteoporosis and Fragility Fracture Risk on a Later Life Psychiatry Ward: A Complete Audit Cycle. **. DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2022.340.

7. Dunne, Ross and Lambe, Sinead and Kavanagh, Adam and McLoughlin, Declan (2012). Predictors of Immediate Physical and Cognitive Side Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY.

8. Hughes, Martina M and Dunne, Ross and Noone, M and McLoughlin, DM and Connor, TJ (2010). Inflammatory gene expression profile in treatment resistant depression. **. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2010.07.240.

Other Publications

1. Noone, Martha and Semkovska, Maria and Carton, Mary and Dunne, Ross and Horgan, John-Paul and O’Kane, Breige and McLoughlin, Declan M (2014). Public Events Questionnaire. Dataset. Frontiers in Psychology.

International

2026: Building consensus on the design, delivery and growth of UK brain health clinics, ICOPAD 2026, Geneva

2026: Brain Health Clinics – The Manchester Model, 5th APAA, Abu Dhabi

2025: Variation in vascular risk assessment and management across UK and Irish memory/brain health clinics: a cross-sectional survey, VasCog 2025, Exeter

2025: Repurposed Drug Prioritisation Pipeline for an Alzheimer’s Disease Multi-arm Platform Trial, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, USA

2024: Long-term health outcomes in non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients with cognitive impairment or dementia, ERA-EDTA 2024

2024: brainHealth Manchester and preparedness for Disease Modifying Treatments, American Hospital for Neurology and Psychiatry, Abu Dhabi

2023: Brain Health Clinics, novel pathways for the diagnosis of neurodegeneration, Royal College of Psychiatrists International Congress

2023: Psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease, World Parkinson’s Congress, Barcelona

2023: Roundtable on Psychosis in PD, World Parkinson’s Congress, Barcelona

2023: Risk Reduction: A Novel Brain Health-focused Pathway for Patients with MCI in Greater Manchester, AAIC, Amsterdam

2022: Lithium and other Inhibitors of Tau phosphorylation, Royal College of Psychiatrists International Congress

2022: Improving Identification, Assessment and Management of Osteoporosis and Fragility Fracture Risk on a Later Life Psychiatry Ward, RCPsych International Congress

National (UK and Ireland)

2025: Cases in Dementia Diagnosis, Dementias UK Conference, London

2024: Building molecular diagnostics in NHS Mental Health Trusts, NHSE Northwest Dementia SIG, Online

2024: brainHealth Manchester, roadmap toward DMTs for GM, British Geriatrics Society NW division, Online

2024: Dementia Research Update, RCPsych Northwest Dementia Symposium, Online

2024: Titanic problems in machine learning, ARUK Research Conference, London

2024: Getting up and walking with CSF biomarkers in UK MH trusts, London Memory Clinic Network, Online

2024: Neuropsychiatry of Parkinson’s update, Parkinson’s UK, London

2024: Clinical Cases, Dementias Conference 2024, London

2023: Building a Brain Health Clinic, Old Age Psychiatry Faculty RCPsych Webinar, Online

2023: Brain Health Clinics, RCPsych Old Age Psychiatry Conference, Liverpool

2023: Cases panel chair, Dementias Conference 2023, London

2022: Cognitive Assessment in Context: Education, Language and Culture, ARUK Clinical Conference, London

2022: Motivational Interviewing for Brain Health, Brain Health 2022, Edinburgh

2022: Brain Health Manchester - Pathway and Progress, Oxford Brain Health Symposium, Oxford

2021: Effect of baseline systolic hypertension on cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, ARUK Research Conference

• International Psychogeriatric Association (2019–Present)

• International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Society (2018–Present)

• British Geriatric Society (2017–Present)

• Royal College of Psychiatrists (2010–Present)

Manchester Brain Health Centre: In 2022, established the UK’s first psychiatrist-led CSF biomarker clinic—initially single-handed, personally pipetting, processing, and freezing CSF samples. Integrated MFT cardiovascular risk assessment services and secured £1.6m from Alzheimer’s Society, scaling this foundation into the Manchester Brain Health Centre. Built infrastructure now supporting £35 million industry investment across two research strands (discovery science and clinical science), with the Brain Health Centre population serving as rolling clinical cohort for translational research. Centre provides comprehensive risk assessment including CSF and blood molecular diagnostics, cardiovascular risk profiling, risk reduction interventions using Motivational Interviewing, and clinical trial recruitment. Part of the UK’s Brain Health Coalition led by ARUK and Alzheimer’s Society.

National Impact: First psychiatrist in the UK to establish in-house CSF biomarker diagnostics for AD. Advised clinicians throughout UK, Middle East, and Europe on replication. Number of biomarker-active brain health clinics in UK increased from 1 to 10 over past two years. Worked with industry partners (Lilly, Roche) and MFT Laboratory Directorate to establish England’s second NHS Alzheimer’s CSF Biomarker laboratory, now receiving samples from Sussex, Oxford, Sheffield, Salford and Surrey.

Regional MDT: Convened regional MDT group (August 2024) with neurology, neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, geriatrician and pharmacy colleagues for safe implementation of monoclonal antibodies as disease modifiers in Alzheimer’s.

Clinical Trial Experience

Extensive experience in clinical trial design, setup, and coordination for both multicentre industry studies and complex local studies. Proficient in ethics applications, rater training, scale standardisation, data security, and trial coordination. Experienced in biological sample handling including human plasma, CSF, DNA and RNA samples.

Proficient in diagnostic and therapeutic lumbar puncture and CSF pre-analytic sample management for biomarker studies.

Rating Scales: RBANS, CDR, MoCA, MMSE, ADAS-Cog, CIBIC, CSSES, MADRS, HAMD17/24, TOPF, Mediterranean Diet Scale, PSQI, ESI, CASP-19, GAD9, PHQ9. Proficiency in Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity measurement and Pure Tone Audiometry (HEARX).

Statistics and Computing

Programming: Experience in R, Python, and C++. Statistical programming includes multi-level/mixed effects modelling (lmer in R) and deep learning (TensorFlow, PyTorch). Working knowledge of Django web development framework, HTML, JavaScript, CSS.

Qualifications: PgDipStat from TCD (2010). Google accredited certificate in IT automation with Python. Completed 4-day “Regression Modelling Strategies” course with Prof. Frank Harrell at Vanderbilt (2022/3). Attended ONS ``Safe Researcher Training’’ 2021.

Tools: Familiar with BASH shell and Linux environments. Regular use of LaTeX and Quarto for document typesetting. Developed web calculator for cognitive assessment based on RBANS and TOPF.

Current Study: BSc in Mathematics with the Open University (in progress).

bibword: TypeScript MS Word plugin for the use and management of pure BibTeX bibliographies in academic writing: https://github.com/sadneurons/bibword

RBANS calculator: JavaScript web app for the lookup and plotting of RBANS cognitive scores based on age norms: http://brainhealthmanchester.com/rbanstools/rbanscalc.html

sysreport: Linux CLI tool for reporting hardware and utilisation https://github.com/sadneurons/sysreport

maxima-quarto-extension: A Quarto extension enabling the “Maxima” symbolic mathematical engine: https://github.com/sadneurons/maxima-quarto-extension

Statistical and Computing Courses

2023: European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems Summer School, Manchester ELLIS centre

2023: Regression Modelling Strategies, F. Harrell/Vanderbilt

2022: Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, David Beazley

2022: Regression Modelling Strategies, F. Harrell/Vanderbilt

2021: Safe Researcher Training, UK Data Service

2021: Google IT Automation with Python (Certificate), Coursera (Google)

2021: Customising models with TensorFlow 2, Coursera (Imperial College London)

2021: Mathematics for Machine Learning (Multivariable Calculus), Coursera (Imperial College London)

2021: Getting started with TensorFlow 2, Coursera (Imperial College London)

2019: Mathematics for Machine Learning (Linear Algebra), Coursera (Imperial College London)

2013: BUGS for data analysis, MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge

2012: Advanced R programming, Hadley Wickham

2011: R programming for researchers, Tango Consulting

UK Brain Health Coalition: Founder member and Co-Chair of UK’s Brain Health Coalition (convened under ARUK and Alzheimer’s Society). Lead regular meetings to teach and disseminate approaches to early diagnosis and post-diagnostic support, advancing the brain health model nationally.

CRN Leadership: Clinical Research Network Lead for Dementia since 2019. Facilitated delivery and development of dementia research across Greater Manchester.

COVID Response: Member of NIHR’s working group on remote trial delivery during COVID pandemic, developing framework for COVID-safe and robust trials.

International Advisory: As first psychiatrist in UK to establish CSF biomarker clinic for AD, advised clinicians throughout UK, Middle East, and Europe on service development. Hosted visiting fellows from Spain and Oman.

Grant Review: Grant review board co-chair for Alzheimer’s Society UK (2022–25), chairing and co-chairing expert review panels on physiology, biomarkers and clinical research. Grant review board member for Alzheimer’s Research UK (2023–25) and The Alzheimer Society Ireland (2023).

Trial Oversight: Member of two clinical trial steering committees, chairing COBALT (NIHR EME).

Peer Review: Regular peer reviewer for journals in the field. Reviewer and panel member for NIHR i4i programme (2022).

Editorial: Invited guest editor for British Journal of Psychiatry’s special issue on disease modifying therapies in Alzheimer’s Disease (2023).

• Trafford MCI group – regular speaker

• Together Dementia Support – go-to speaker for research updates

• Trafford Parkinson’s Peer Support Group

Dr. Sasha Philbert: Cardiovascular Sciences – Alzheimer’s Society Fellowship (Sodium MRI in VaD)

Dr. Karen Hampson: Vision Science – UKRI cross-disciplinary application on Adaptive Optics for retinal biomarkers of neurodegeneration, as well as DTP PhD applications

Prof. Stuart Allan: Neuroscience – Manchester Brain Health Centre and Manchester Vascular Risk, Inflammation and Cognition (MaVRICS) bid

Prof. Adam Greenstein: Cardiovascular Sciences – Manchester Brain Health Centre and validation of druggable targets for improving brain bloodflow

Dr. Jenna Littlejohn: Hearing Health BRC – ABHAD study and plans for Brain Health Centre

Prof. Laura Parkes: Neuroimaging – AllinOne study and Manchester Brain Health Centre

2024: BBC Radio Manchester. Interview on developments in dementia research and diagnostics

I hold no shares, and have no financial interest in any pharmaceutical companies. I have never taken speaker fees from pharmaceutical companies and involvement in, for example, advisory boards (Roche, Biogen, Lilly) is contracted with my trust, with all monies ploughed back into R & I. In my capacity as theme lead in Health Innovation Manchester I have worked with major pharmaceutical companies: TauRx, Biogen, Lilly, Roche, as well as spin-out companies: Stratastem, AInostics, and SMEs like Linus, Scottish Brain Sciences, and Cognito, in preparing grant applications, designing roll-out, building an evidence base for healthcare system adaptation, and other aspects of service improvement and evaluation at the devolved health-system level. Most recently, I have consulted on Health Technology Assessment for novel therapeutics for Lilly, who likewise contracted with my NHS Trust.

Available upon request