The Trust works closely with the University of Oxford’s Department of Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences across mental and brain health research efforts. Research at OHFT explores a wide array of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder and dementia.

Since 2016 OHFT and the University of Oxford have hosted the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC), dedicated to translating innovative research into better treatments for mental and brain health disorders, receiving in excess of £50m of funding since, from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

OH BRC hosts the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH TRC) – a network currently comprising of 20 UK centres of excellence with strong industry collaborations. Funded by the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), Office for Life Sciences (OLS) and also hosted by OH BRC, since 2022, The Mental Health Mission (MHM), has been working with the NIHR MH-TRC, to increase capacity in mental health research through providing relevant training and creating better systems to support industry- and academic-led research and investment across the UK.

Since 2011, OHFT has hosted the NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF), a dedicated centre for improving mental and cognitive health treatments through clinical research, forming an integral part of OH BRC and is the only NIHR supported CRF dedicated to mental health.

Across these infrastructures, we saw changes in leadership during 2024 welcoming a new Head of Research & Development (R&D) at OHFT, Dr Martin Batty and a new Director of OH BRC, Professor Rachel Upthegrove bidding a fond farewell to Bill Wells and Professor John Geddes respectively.

Although challenging to narrow down a short list of highlights from 2024, we discussed the years activity with colleagues from across the research landscape at OHFT.

NIHR OH BRC

Prof Upthegrove

Professor Rachel Upthegrove, OH BRC Director said:

“As 2024 becomes 2025, it is amazing to reflect on the impactful work the whole OH BRC team has achieved. Here we highlight just some of the important discoveries across our themes, and in academic career development. 2025 is sure to go from strength to strength and we look forward to sharing successes as they happen!”

Jan 2024

OH BRC hosts national NIHR Connect & Grow Networking and Collaboration Event to discuss NMAHP Academic careers and opportunities. The principal speaker on the day was Professor Ruth Endacott, NIHR Director of Nursing & Midwifery. The event led to a successful application (Nov 2024) under the Infrastructure and Schools Pre-Application Support Fund involving 5 OH BRC collaborative partners.

July 2024

Molecular Targets Theme

Study in Nature Medicine reports the new recombinant shingles vaccine ‘Shingrix’ is associated with a reduced risk of dementia compared with an earlier shingles vaccine

July 2024

Psychological Treatments/ Mental Health in Development Themes

Four new online therapies for anxiety and PTSD made available on the NHS. Targeting childhood anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders

August 2024

Molecular Targets Theme

An OH BRC study led by the University of Oxford and the University of Leicester reported in Lancet Psychiatry on the long-term cognitive and psychiatric effects of Covid -19

OH BRC Strategic Partnerships Manager Dr Pamela Reid said:

“2024 has been an impactful year for OH BRC with the highlighted work representative of important discoveries across the Themes plus work undertaken to enhance academic career development. We look forward to sharing new discoveries and advances made by our dedicated teams in 2025.”

More achievements from 2024 (and all previous years) across OH BRC can be found on the OH BRC Key Achievements webpage.

These diagrams help illustrate a summary of OH BRC achievements during 2024.

NIHR OH CRF

Amanda Colston

OH CRF Matron Amanda Colston reflecting on 2024 said:

“As the Matron of OH CRF, I am delighted to share that we have had an incredibly busy and successful year. The fantastic team at OH CRF has achieved everything we aimed for, demonstrating their exceptional commitment to high quality research and inclusion. Their hard work is the force behind our success, and I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished together.”

June 2024

OH CRF additional lab opening by Professor John Geddes. The new lab expands capacity for the CRF team to process blood, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid samples from research study participants meaning they can increase the number of study participants seen at the 8-room facility.

October 2024

The COMPASS study opened and recruited at OH CRF. The first psychedelic study researching a new potential drug treatment for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). Principal Investigator and study lead is OH CRF Clinical Lead Dr Katy Smith. 

November 2024

Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West visited OH CRF to discuss plans for the Warneford Park Development project. During the tour, she met with specialist staff in clinic appointments, viewed the sleep study suite and discussed new OH CRF studies.

2024 saw the successful completion of several studies at OH CRF including:

• PAX-D – a major trial of a new intervention for depression
• PETRUSHKA – an AI algorithm which recommends in real-time the best antidepressants for each individual patient.
• Glutamate Emotion Memory Study (GEMS) – In people with TRD, can ketamine alter the way that people remember events from the past and react to emotional material delivered by a range of computer tasks.
• Perceptual Decisions under Ketamine Study (PEDUKS) – To investigate how ketamine influences brain function during a battery of perceptual decision-making and auditory processing tasks.

2024 was a landmark year for improvement in public engagement at OH CRF with a focus on launching their own independently hosted website as well as stepping into the social media spotlight on 2 social media platforms, LinkedIn and Bluesky.

NIHR MH TRC/MHM

Dr Julie Bieles, NIHR MH-TRC Manager and MHM Operational Lead, said:

“This has been an extremely busy year. The MH-TRC MHM is in its second year, with all teams making good progress. Each of the MH-TRC workstreams have had quarterly meetings, which have resulted in meaningful work – for instance investigating repurposing medications via the new International Recognition Procedure. I look forward to an equally productive 2025, where we continue to make significant impact on research focused on improving mental health.”

Highlights of 2024 at MH TRC/MHM included:

• Launch of the Substance Use and Addiction workstream (first meeting January 2024)
• Securing an additional £18m funding for the mood disorders research clinic network
• Ethical approval has been received for the MHM Early Intervention Mission, with the first sites in set-up. This is a project that is looking at collating a national cohort of individuals with a First Episode of Psychosis.

Reflecting on such a significant year for R&D at OHFT and looking forward to 2025, Dr Martin Batty, Head of R&D at OHFT, said:

“Since joining the Trust in August last year, I have had the pleasure of seeing the dedication and passion of R&D colleagues first-hand in their support for delivering  high-quality clinical research. 2024 brought many successes which all R&D staff should feel proud to have played an important role in. As we look forward into 2025, I hope that we can strive for another impactful year for mental and brain health research at the Oxford Health.”