Our Mental Health and Neuroscience research program is making a meaningful difference to thousands of Australians.

The research is critical with about half of all Australians experiencing mental ill-health at some stage in their lives. It focuses on a range of mental health areas including anxiety, depression, ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia.

Our neuroscientists, geneticists, epidemiologists and clinical researchers are devoted to developing treatments, finding the causes, and working out how to prevent these conditions.

This includes investigations into innovative neuro-stimulation and psychopharmacological interventions for people with serious mental disorders. Our understanding in the areas of psychiatric genetics, neuroimaging and neuroscience will inform novel strategies for prevention, early intervention and the treatment of complex syndromes.

Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), motor neuron disease, epilepsy and dementia including Alzheimer’s disease are a growing health issue in Australia, often with limited treatment options. Our researchers are providing a broad interdisciplinary expertise in advancing understanding of this area from infancy to the elderly.

Professor Sarah Medland OAM, Program Director 

Professor Sarah Medland is the Program Director for Mental Health and Neuroscience at QIMR Berghofer. Her research focuses on understanding the genetic and environmental contributions to human behaviour and disease.

Her work bridges a broad range of mental health areas and includes both studies focusing on specific disorders and those aiming to improve our understanding of psychological processes in the community in general. She is well known for her work on large-scale meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies.