Professor Marta Di Forti MD, MRCPsych, PhD
Professor of Drug use, Genetics and Psychosis
- MRC Senior Research Fellow
Research interests
- Psychiatry
Contact details
Biography
Marta Di Forti is Professor of Drug use, Genetics and Psychosis at the Department of Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), and Honorary Consultant Adult Psychiatrist, Lambeth EI Community team, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
She leads the first Cannabis Clinic for patients with Psychotic disorders in UK. She was recently awarded the Royal College of Psychiatrist Researcher of the year prize. In 2020, she was granted a MRC Senior Research Fellowship to expand her research in the role of cannabis use in psychosis and its underlying biology. With her team she showed for the first time that use of high potency types of cannabis e.g. "skunk" carries a higher risk of psychosis than use of traditional types and that it affects rates of Psychotic disorders across Europe. Though it still remains unclear who are those cannabis use most at risk. Her future work aims to investigate the interaction between cannabis use and genes predisposing to schizophrenia, and how cannabis changes the epigenome.
Cannabis & Me Study. Link to online survey: Cannabis & Me
Research
IoPPN Virtual Reality Lab
The IoPPN Virtual Reality Research Lab (VR Lab) is a world-leading multidisciplinary group dedicated to VR based research, assessment and treatments to improve mental health, enhance well-being and promote resilience.
News
First specialist NHS clinic provides effective help for young adults with psychosis to decrease or stop their cannabis use
The NHS Cannabis Clinic for Psychosis (CCP) offers a feasible and effective treatment strategy to help young adult cannabis users to significantly cut down...
Cannabis use increases risk of psychosis independently from genetic predisposition
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust...
High-potency cannabis use leaves a distinct mark on DNA – new research
Cannabis is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Yet there’s still much we don’t know about it and what effects it has on the brain – including...
First study to show high potency cannabis use leaves unique signature on DNA
High potency cannabis use leaves a distinct mark on DNA, according to new research by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s...
King's College London spearheads the largest ever independent study into cannabis use
The Medical Research Council has allocated over £2.5 million of funding to Cannabis & Me, a scientific study into the effects of cannabis on the human brain.
Three researchers win awards at the RcPsych Awards 2021
Dr Marta Di Forti, Prof. Neil Greenberg, and Prof. Carmine Pariante all come out on top in their categories
IoPPN researchers shortlisted for upcoming RCPsych Awards and HSJ Awards 2021
Several IoPPN researchers and projects have recently been shortlisted for upcoming awards.
Dr Marta Di Forti awarded MRC Senior Clinical Fellowship
Medical Research Council's Senior Clinical Fellowships support independent Clinical Academics who are emerging as global leaders in their field and want to...
Events
9th Mediterranean Maudsley Forum
The 9th Mediterranean Maudsley Forum will provide an update on social, psychological and biological aspects of psychiatric disorders, reviewing both advances...
Please note: this event has passed.
Demystifying Impact
This event is an opportunity to hear from others on their journey toward research impact, with sessions on how to maximise your own impact.
Please note: this event has passed.
Research
IoPPN Virtual Reality Lab
The IoPPN Virtual Reality Research Lab (VR Lab) is a world-leading multidisciplinary group dedicated to VR based research, assessment and treatments to improve mental health, enhance well-being and promote resilience.
News
First specialist NHS clinic provides effective help for young adults with psychosis to decrease or stop their cannabis use
The NHS Cannabis Clinic for Psychosis (CCP) offers a feasible and effective treatment strategy to help young adult cannabis users to significantly cut down...
Cannabis use increases risk of psychosis independently from genetic predisposition
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust...
High-potency cannabis use leaves a distinct mark on DNA – new research
Cannabis is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Yet there’s still much we don’t know about it and what effects it has on the brain – including...
First study to show high potency cannabis use leaves unique signature on DNA
High potency cannabis use leaves a distinct mark on DNA, according to new research by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s...
King's College London spearheads the largest ever independent study into cannabis use
The Medical Research Council has allocated over £2.5 million of funding to Cannabis & Me, a scientific study into the effects of cannabis on the human brain.
Three researchers win awards at the RcPsych Awards 2021
Dr Marta Di Forti, Prof. Neil Greenberg, and Prof. Carmine Pariante all come out on top in their categories
IoPPN researchers shortlisted for upcoming RCPsych Awards and HSJ Awards 2021
Several IoPPN researchers and projects have recently been shortlisted for upcoming awards.
Dr Marta Di Forti awarded MRC Senior Clinical Fellowship
Medical Research Council's Senior Clinical Fellowships support independent Clinical Academics who are emerging as global leaders in their field and want to...
Events
9th Mediterranean Maudsley Forum
The 9th Mediterranean Maudsley Forum will provide an update on social, psychological and biological aspects of psychiatric disorders, reviewing both advances...
Please note: this event has passed.
Demystifying Impact
This event is an opportunity to hear from others on their journey toward research impact, with sessions on how to maximise your own impact.
Please note: this event has passed.