It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Nicola, Safa, Kate and Keyoumars on their well-deserved awards in the 2025 New Year Honours.
Professor Matthew Hotopf, IoPPN Executive Dean
07 January 2025
New Year Honours for IoPPN Researchers
Congratulations to Professor Nicola Fear, Professor Safa Al-Sarraj, Professor Kate Tchanturia and Professor Keyoumars Ashkan who were recognised in the 2025 New Year Honours.
Four IoPPN researchers have been recognised on the 2025 New Year Honours.
Professor Nicola Fear was awarded an CBE for services to Veteran and Military Mental Health; Professor Safa Al-Sarraj received an OBE for services to services to Medicine, particularly to Neuropathology; Professor Kate Tchanturia received an MBE for services to people with eating disorders and autism; and Professor Keyoumars Ashkan received an MBE for services to neurosurgery.
Professor Nicola Fear, CBE for services to Veteran and Military Mental Health
Nicola has been with King’s since 2004, and is Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Psychological Medicine. She is currently Co-Director for King’s Centre for Military Health Research, a Director of the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre, and Academic Advisor to the Office for Veterans’ Affairs within the Ministry of Defence.
Nicola is one of the Principal Investigators on the KCMHR military cohort study and leads several studies looking at the impact of military service on families. Over twenty years, the KCMHR cohort study remains the key longitudinal source of data informing the UK Government and voluntary sector policies and service provision along with leading the way in academic research.
I am delighted and very honoured to receive this award, and I want to especially thank my team – I could not have achieved this without them. I feel privileged to be able to work with the Armed Forces Community, and I look forward to continuing this work over the coming years.
Professor Nicola Fear, CBE
Professor Safa Al-Sarraj, OBE for services to services to Medicine, particularly to Neuropathology
Safa joined King’s College Hospital in 1995. He is Honorary Researcher in Basic & Clinic Neuroscience Department, and Head of Clinical Neuropathology, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. He is also Director of the Brain Bank.
Safa is renowned globally for his contributions to the understanding of neurological diseases, including dementia, neurodegeneration, traumatic brain injury and brain tumours. His work has had a profound impact on both clinical practice and research, particularly in advancing comprehension of brain pathology.
The news of an OBE came completely out of the blue. I am both surprised and delighted to receive this honour, which I feel is not only for me but for everyone in the Department of Clinical Neuropathology and Brain Bank at King’s College Hospital and King’s Neuroscience centre.
Professor Safa Al-Sarraj, OBE
Professor Kate Tchanturia, MBE for services to people with eating disorders and autism
Kate has been part of IoPPN since 1997. She is Professor of Psychology in Eating Disorders within the Department of Psychological Medicine, and also works as a Consultant Psychologist with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Her work on eating disorders and autism spectrum disorders in women helped to develop the pioneering PEACE pathway. In 2024, she was the first psychologist to receive the prestigious National Award of Georgia.
It is both a delight and an honour to be recognized in the King’s New Year Honours List. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to the community I have served, my colleagues, students, the large research and clinical teams, and my family for all their support over the years. I am also deeply grateful to the nominators who took the time to put me forward. Although I do not know their names, I am incredibly thankful for their kindness. I look forward to continuing to work hard and collaborate with great people. I have been blessed with fantastic opportunities since moving to the UK 28 years ago, and I hope to make further contributions to both academic and clinical psychology.
Professor Kate Tchanturia, MBE
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, MBE for services to neurosurgery
Keyoumars joined King’s College Hospital in 2006, and is Professor of Neurosurgery in the Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience at IoPPN. He is the lead for Functional and Oncological Neurosurgery at King’s College Hospital, and Co-Chair of the Neuroscience Research Delivery Unit.
Keyoumars’ expertise in brain tumour surgery, as well as deep brain stimulation for conditions including movement disorders, are recognised across the world, and he was voted 'Clinician of The Year' by the Brain Tumour Charity in 2018.
In life, I have only ever done things because I felt they needed to be done. It is, however, very comforting and joyful to be acknowledged. To receive such an honour is truly beyond my expectations and fills me with immense pride and gratitude.
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, MBE
In this story
Professor of Epidemiology
Professor of Psychology in Eating Disorders
Professor of Neurosurgery