Professor Young elected President of ISAD

Professor Allan Young, Director of the Centre for Affective Disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King’s College London, has been elected President of the International Society for Affective Disorders (ISAD).

ISAD is the leading international scientific society focusing on Affective Disorders and has been hosted by the IoP since 2005. ISAD exists to promote research into the affective disorders, including unipolar and bipolar depression and anxiety disorders, through interdisciplinary research focusing on genetics, neuroscience and the social and behavioural sciences.

Professor Allan Young leads the IoP’s Centre for Affective Disorders (CfAD) - a centre of excellence for understanding the science related to mood and anxiety disorders, and using this knowledge to help develop new treatments both psychological and pharmacological.

Dr Roger Pinder, former President of the ISAD and longest current serving member of executive team, said: "Psychiatry and research into Affective Disorders is going through an unprecedented period of change with new challenges but also new opportunities emerging. It leaves a critically important role for ISAD which needs to be both relevant to and engaging with its members and with a continued focus on its key responsibility towards the advancement of the research agenda in a challenging financial climate."

Professor Anthony Cleare, also from the IoP at King’s, and executive member of ISAD commented: "I am pleased to see Allan nominated to be the new President. He is a long serving and respected member of ISAD. I am looking forward to working with him and the rest of Society executive to help lead and support the Society in them coming years.”

Prof Allan is to succeed current President Prof Sidney Kennedy and will be inaugurated as President at the Society’s 7th Biennial meeting to be held 28th to 30th April in Berlin, Germany.