Professor Emily Simonoff heads the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry which has a diverse research program studying both common and rarer, severe disorders that start in childhood often persisting into adulthood. The disorders studied in the Department include: autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, affective disorders, substance misuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, intellectual disability, as well as childhood neglect and maltreatment and deliberate self-harm.

We aim to improve our understanding of how mental disorders develop, including understanding their environmental causes, genetics, neurobiology, neuropharmacology and behavioural and cognitive deficits and establish methods of treatment and prevention. Our research extends into risk factors (both biological and environmental) for the development of disorders and treatment strategies. Members of the Department use a range of scientific methods, including epidemiology, behaviour and molecular genetics, neuroimaging, neuropsychopharmacology and clinical trials.

Research receives substantive funding from external bodies such as the Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, National Institute of Health Research as well as industry, smaller charities and other arms of the government.

We have an integrated scheme of research, teaching and clinical work. The aim is to understand how disorders develop and to apply the results to make new treatments and assessments, evaluate them and provide need and cost information for health services planners. The links between basic science and translation into improved clinical services are strengthened by the structures of the academic health sciences centre, King’s Health Partners.

Many senior academic staff members have particularly strong links with the National Specialist teams based at the Maudsley Hospital. These teams focus on the development of methods and services in specific clinical areas that are integrated with the Department’s research interests.

Key benefits

• Interaction with internationally recognised researchers in a wide range of child psychiatry related topics
• Access to state-of-the-art imaging, physiology, neurocognitive and brain therapy equipment
• Excellence in both basic, applied and clinical research and development
• Strong partnerships with hospitals (South London & Maudsley Trust and others), industry and other research centres
• Access to rich and varied pediatric clinical populations
• PhD students have access to a wide range of educational resources, ranging from (child) psychiatry, neuroscience, and psychology specific lectures from the Department and the IOPPN to transferable skills and career development resources at the KCL level.
• Opportunities to assist with graduate and postgraduate teaching.

A list of publications, research grants and researchers from the department can be found online HERE.

A detailed list of research projects of each researcher from the department and more information on the department can be found online HERE.

Other related courses:

• An MSc in Child & Adolescent Mental Health for psychiatrists, paediatricians and psychologists with an emphasis on knowledge and skills relevant to countries with developing services.
• A bi-annual refresher course for consultants.

In collaboration with the Children’s Directorate of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust the Department provides postgraduate clinical training for CT1-3 ‘core trainees’ and ST4-6 ‘specialty registrars’.