James Scott
Professor | Honorary Senior Scientist
Group Leader for Child and Youth Mental Health
james.scott@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Professor James Scott leads the Child and Youth Research Group at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. He also practices clinically as a Child and Youth Psychiatrist with the Metro North Mental Health Service, where he is the Director of the Early Psychosis Service. Professor Scott is the recipient of a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Practitioner Fellowship (2016-2020), awarded for his research into prevention and intervention strategies to improve the mental health of adolescents.
Professor Scott has established a program of research developing preventative strategies and cost-effective real-world interventions for mental illness in children and youth. His research incorporates studies in epidemiology, clinical trials, bullying and psychiatric neuro-immunology. He is the elected chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Section for Youth Mental Health and an editor of the Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. In 2018, he was awarded the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ Senior Research Award, conferred on the ‘Fellow who has made the most significant contribution to psychiatric research in Australia and New Zealand over the preceding five years’.
ORCID ID
RESEARCHER ID
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
- Completion of the first RCT of the Efficacy of Sodium Benzoate in people with early psychosis
- 2018: Publication of a study showing that approximately 5% of patients hospitalised for first episode of psychosis had antibodies to neuronal surface antigens in their plasma and CSF and responded positively to immunotherapy
- 2017: Publication of a systematic review and meta-analysis showing the broad impact on health and psychosocial outcomes of bullying in adolescents
- 2015: Lead Author “Childhood Mental and Developmental Disorders”. In Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (Volume 4). Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development /The World Bank. This chapter reports the most cost-effective interventions for childhood mental disorders globally.
- 2013-2016: Senior Author on papers reporting the Global Burden of Disease attributable to childhood mental disorders such as Conduct Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder
- 2009: Publication of the First National Survey of Hallucinations in Adolescents showing approximately 1 in 12 adolescents experience hallucinations
WORK HISTORY
2019
- Head of Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer
- Pre-Eminent Medical Specialist
2018
- Director of Early Psychosis Metro North Mental Health Service (0.5 FTE)
2015
- Group Leader Child and Youth Mental Health; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (Affiliate)
2014-2019
- Conjoint Associate Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist
- The University of Queensland Discipline of Psychiatry
- The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Early Psychosis Service
2010-2013
- Conjoint Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiatrist
- The University of Queensland Discipline of Psychiatry
- The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Early Psychosis Service
2007-2010
- Consultant Psychiatrist
- Director: Child and Family Therapy Unit,
- Evolve Therapeutic Services North Brisbane
- E-CYMHS (Video-psychiatry)
2004 – 2006:
- Director of Inpatient Services, Mater Child and Youth Mental Health Services
2003-2003
- Deputy Director, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital: Eating Disorder Outreach Service
2001-2003
- Consultant Psychiatrist
- Royal Brisbane Hospital
- Royal Children’s Hospital
- Pine Rivers Child and Youth Mental Health Service
- Rural Clinics Longreach
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2017: Present International Federation of Psychiatric Epidemiology
2017: Present Australian ADHD Professionals Association
2016: Present Child Protection Practitioners Association of Queensland
2014: Present Neurodevelopmental and Behavioural Paediatric Society of Australia (NBPSA)
2014: Present Faculty of Psychotherapy (RANZCP)
2012: Present Youth Mental Health Special Interest Group (RANZCP)
2005: Present Schizophrenia International Research Society
2005: Present Australian Society of Psychiatric Research (ASPR) / The Society of Mental Health Research (SMHR)
2001: Present Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (RANZCP)
2001: Present Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry
1993: Present Australian Medical Association
AWARDS RECOGNITION
2019
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (Qld Branch) – Excellence in Teaching and Supervision Award
- Metro North Research Excellence Award “Clinical Research”
2018
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Senior Research Award
2016
- The University of Melbourne Beattie Smith Oration
- Metro North Health Service Research Excellence Award: ‘Promoting Healthy Minds and Bodies’
2015
- Best Clinical, Education or Health Services Oral Presentation 24th Annual RBWH Health Care Symposium
- National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Practitioner Fellowship
2014
- The 53rd Barton Pope Lecture (Adelaide RANZCP)
2012
- The Alice and John Bostock Oration (Queensland RANZCP)
2009
- The University of Queensland Dean’s Award for Research Excellence
2007
- The Australian Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, Queensland Chapter Award for Research
2005
- UQ School of Medicine Central Clinical Division Post Graduate Student Conference: Best Presentation- Second Year Category
- Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research, “Best Debut Presentation”
2001
- Dr Helen Rowe Zonta International Memorial Prize in Psychiatry
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2009: Doctor of Philosophy: ‘The prevalence and correlates of psychotic-like experiences in the Australian community’. The University of Queensland
2001: Certificate in Advanced Training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists: Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training Program
2000: Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry (FRANZCP)
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Training Program
1993: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Queensland
PODCASTS
Real Risk: S2 E7 Lost in the Himalayas – The Impossible Tale of James Scott