Inaugural lectures are given by newly arrived or promoted professors, who use the opportunity to introduce themselves, to present an overview of their own research and to highlight the latest developments in their field.
Open to the general public, each event concludes with a drinks reception.
Upcoming lectures
Matthew Grubb as Professor of Neuroscience, King's College London
Nosing around in the changing brain
Thursday 9 May 2024 | 17:30 – 18:30
Harris Lecture Theatre, Hodgkin Building, Guy's Campus, Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL
Registration is essential via this Eventbrite link
Gail Gilchrist as Professor in Addictions Healthcare Research, King’s College London.
New understanding and approaches to addressing intimate partner violence in the context of substance use
Thursday 16 May 2024 | 17:30 - 18:30
Wolfson Lecture Theatre, IoPPN, 16 De Crespigny Park London SE5 8AF
Registration is essential via this Eventbrite link.
Eleanor Dommett, Professor of Neuroscience, King’s College London.
Merging of education and research: A journey from the midbrain out
Tuesday 21 May 2024 | 17:30 – 18:30
Wolfson Lecture Theatre, IoPPN Main Building, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
Registration is essential via this Eventbrite link.
Richard Wingate, Professor of Developmental Neurobiology, King’s College London.
Cerebellar tales: balancing a journey through science, art and education
Thursday 23 May 2024 | 17:30 – 18:30
New Hunt's House Lecture Theatre 1, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, Newcomen Street, London, SE1 1UL
Registration is essential via this Eventbrite link.
Previous Lectures 2024
A Geneticist’s Guide to the Galaxy of Mental Health
Chair: Professor Thalia Eley, Professor of Developmental Behavioural Genetics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
Vote of Thanks: Professor Robert Plomin, MRC Research Professor in Behavioural Genetics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.
The third Inaugural Lecture of 2024 was delivered by Gerome Breen as Professor of Psychiatric Genetics.
Never Too Late
Chair: Professor Rachel Mills, Senior Vice President (Academic), King's College London.
Vote of Thanks: Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Regius Professor of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and Professor Matthew Hotopf, Executive Dean, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
The second Inaugural Lecture of 2024 was delivered by Sally Marlow, Associate Dean for Impact and Professor of Practice in Public Understanding of Mental Health Research.
Hopping into Education: from Frogs to Pedagogues
Chair: Professor Mark Richardson, Head of School (Neuroscience), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
Vote of Thanks: Helen Collins, Professor of Immunology & Education, Dean of Bioscience Education and Co-Director of the Centre for Education
The first Inaugural Lecture of 2024 was delivered by Esther Bell as Professor in Bioscience Education
Previous Lectures 2022/2023
The role of concepts, trends and lived experience in autism research
Chair: Professor Declan Murphy, Professor of Translational Neurodevelopment, and Director of the Institute of Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
Vote of Thanks: Professor Francesca Happe, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
The sixth Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Eva Loth as Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience.
The finger of blame in depression and the brain
Chair: Professor Allan Young, Vice Dean (Academic Psychiatry), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience..
Vote of Thanks: Professor Trudie Chalder, Professor of Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
The seventh Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Roland Zahn as Professor of Mood Disorders & Cognitive Neuroscience.
When the drugs don't work: the challenge of treatment resistant psychosis
Chair: Professor Oliver Howes, Professor of Molecular Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
Vote of Thanks: Sir Robin Murray, Professor of Psychiatric Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and Fellow of the Royal Society.
The eighth Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by James MacCabe as Professor of Epidemiology and Therapeutics in Psychosis.
The role of concepts, trends and lived experience in autism research
Chair: Professor Declan Murphy, Professor of Translational Neurodevelopment, and Director of the Institute of Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
Vote of Thanks: Professor Francesca Happe, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
The sixth Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Eva Loth as Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Body-mind interaction in a galaxy far far away
Chair: Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Interim Executive Dean, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. Regius Professor of Psychiatry.
Vote of Thanks: Professor Carmine Pariante, Professor of Biological Psychiatry, IoPPN.
The fifth Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Professor Valeria Mondelli as Clinical Professor of Psychoneuroimmunology, IoPPN.
Fighting for Health and Social Equity: Lessons from a southernplayalistic ATLien
Chair: Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Interim Executive Dean, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. Regius Professor of Psychiatry.
Vote of Thanks: Professor Matthew Hotopf, IoPPN Vice Dean (Research) and Director, NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre.
The fourth Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Professor Stephani Hatch as Professor of Sociology and Epidemiology and Vice Dean, Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, IoPPN.
Listen, share, negotiate – Approaches to empower and destigmatise
Chair and Vote of Thanks: Professor Sir Graham Thornicroft, Professor of Community Psychiatry at the Centre for Global Mental Health and the Centre for Implementation Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.
The third Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Professor Claire Henderson, Clinical Professor of Public Mental Health, IoPPN.
‘The Call of Duty: Pharmacology vs Parkinson’s Disease’
Chair: Professor Mark Richardson, Head of School (Neuroscience), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
Vote of Thanks: Professor Patrick Doherty, Emeritus Professor, Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
The second Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Professor Susan Duty as Professor of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, IoPPN.
'Translating Neuroscience – across species, across development and into clinic’
Chair: Professor Allan Young
Vote of Thanks: Professor Declan Murphy
The first Inaugural Lecture of 2023 was delivered by Professor Gráinne McAlonan, Professor of Translational Neuroscience, IoPPN.
Thursday 12 January at 17:30, Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Main IoPPN Building
'Understanding protein-RNA condensates and their disruptions in ALS’
Chair: Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Interim Executive Dean, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and Regius Professor of Psychiatry
Vote of Thanks: Professor Chris Shaw, Neurology & Neurogenetics, IoPPN and Director of The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute
The first Inaugural Lecture of 2022 was delivered by Professor Jernej Ule, Van Geest Professor of Neurodegeneration Research and UK Dementia Research Institute Centre Director. Monday 5 December at 17:30, Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Main IoPPN Building.
Previous Lectures 2017-2019
'The journey from synapse physiology to drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease'
Chair: Professor Ian Everall
Vote of Thanks: Professor Chris Shaw
The fourth Inaugural Lecture of 2019 was delivered by Kei Cho, Professor of the UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, IoPPN.
Lecture video: The journey from synapse physiology to drug discovery for Alzheimer’s disease
'The big picture, flexibility and positivity in the treatment of eating disorders'
Chair: Professor Allan Young
Vote of Thanks: Professor Ulrike Schmidt
The third Inaugural Lecture of 2019 was delivered by Kate Tchanturia, Professor in Psychology of Eating Disorders at the IoPPN.
Lecture video: The big picture, flexibility and positivity in the treatment of disorders
'ScienceMatters to Alzheimer's disease - a recount of my scientific journey so far'
Chair: Professor Ian Everall
Vote of Thanks: Professor Mark Richardson
The second Inaugural Lecture of 2019 was delivered by Lawrence Rajendran, van Geest Professor of Dementia Research and Deputy Director, UK Dementia Research Institute, IoPPN.
Lecture video: ScienceMatters to Alzheimer's disease - a recount of my scientific journey so far
'Rethinking childhood trauma'
Chair: Professor Ian Everall
Vote of Thanks: Professor Sir Michael Rutter
The first Inaugural Lecture of 2019 was delivered by Andrea Danese, Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the IoPPN.
Lecture video: Rethinking childhood trauma
'The Fear Factor: Life as a Military Epidemiologist'
Chair: Professor Anthony David
Vote of Thanks: Professor Simon Wessely
The second Inaugural Lecture of 2018 was delivered by Professor Nicola Fear, Director of the King's Centre for Military Health Research and Chair of the Psychological Medicine PhD sub-committee.
Lecture video: The Fear Factor: Life as a Military Epidemiologist
'Kanye West and the cause of psychosis'
Chair: Professor Sir Robin Murray
Vote of Thanks: Professor Philip McGuire
The first Inaugural Lecture of 2017 was delivered by Oliver Howes, Professor of Molecular Psychiatry at the IoPPN.
Previous Lectures 2012/2013
Something old, something new: disentangling genetic and environmental influences on anxiety and depression
Chair: Professor Til Wykes
Vote of thanks: Professor Robert Plomin
The third and final inaugural lecture of 2014 was given by Thalia Eley, Professor of Developmental Behavioural Genetics at the IoPPN.
Lecture video: Disentangling genetic and environmental influences on anxiety and depression
'The mind in diabetes: the final frontier'
Chair: Professor Shitij Kapur
Vote of Thanks: Professor Sir Simon Wessely
The second inaugural lecture of 2014 was given by Khalida Ismail, Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at the IoPPN.
Lecture video: The mind in diabetes: the final frontier
'Bedside to bench and back: improving care for headache disorders'
Chair: Professor Mark Richardson
Vote of Thanks: Professor Mark Richardson
The first inaugural lecture of 2014 was given by Professor Peter Goadsby, Director of the NIHR / Wellcome Trust, King's Clinical Research Facility.
Lecture video: Bedside to bench and back: improving care for headache disorders
'Depression and the Immune System: from Madonna to Lady Gaga'
Chair: Professor Shitij Kapur
Vote of Thanks: Dr. Susan Pawlby
The second inaugural lecture of 2013 was given by Carmine M. Pariante, Professor of Biological Psychiatry at the IoPPN.
Lecture video: Depression and the immune system: from Madonna to Lady Gaga