NIHR Oxford Health and BRC Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford
Deputy Theme Lead: Clinical research infrastructure / experimental medicine
Email: susannah.murphy@psych.ox.ac.uk
I am a NIHR BRC Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford. I graduated with an undergraduate Psychology degree from St Andrews University and was then awarded a Wellcome Trust Neuroscience scholarship to complete an MSc and DPhil at the University of Oxford. My doctoral work consisted of a series of behavioural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies that were pivotal in demonstrating that antidepressants have effects on emotion-related cognition that can be quantified using computerised behavioural tasks and neuroimaging. My current research uses a translational experimental medicine approach to provide an early assessment of novel treatment approaches for depression and anxiety in humans. By developing and using proximal intermediate outcomes, such as the early effect of a treatment on key cognitive processes, it is possible to characterise the likely mechanisms of a novel treatment target and predict later treatment efficacy. Using this approach, I have active programs of work characterising the neuropsychological effects of novel antidepressant targets, including ketamine and the 5-HT4 receptor. I work with a number of pharmaceutical companies (e.g. UCB Pharma; Johnson & Johnson; Pfizer) who recognise the value of deploying this experimental medicine approach in the drug development process.
View Susannah Murphy’s profile on the Department of Psychiatry website.
