Our clinical academics use research facilities at a number of hospitals. 

Clinical psychopharmacology of anxiety disorders

Professor Sean Hood's primary research focus is the clinical psychopharmacology of anxiety disorders, which is the investigation of medication effects and mechanisms in populations with clinical anxiety disorders. 

Recent projects include employing the dietary technique of tryptophan depletion to transiently decrease cerebral serotonin in patients with various anxiety disorders, and investigation of the interplay between serotonin, autonomic instability, panic disorder and hypertension.

Current Student Projects Supervised / Co-Supervised (2012)
PhD Students
Assist. Prof. Zaza Lyons (UWA, with Isaac & Lofchy)
“Attraction of students to a career in psychiatry”

Ms Joanna Crittenden (Curtin, with Peter Thompson – Cardiovascular Medicine)
“Identifying those at risk of developing depression following acute coronary syndrome: A novel screening strategy”

Ms Clare Northend (UWA, with Chris Lind – Neurosurgery)
“Dual target deep brain stimulation trial for obsessive compulsive disorder – a feasibility study”.

MSc Students
Clinical Assoc. Prof, Darryl Bassett (Uni Maastricht & Florence, with David Nutt)
“A comparative study of heart rate variability and salivary cortisol levels during euthymia, in bipolar affective disorder, recurrent major depressive disorder and healthy subjects.”

Dr Davinder Singh Hans (Uni Maastricht & Florence, with David Nutt)
TBA

BMed Sci (Hons, UWA) Students
Mr Binu Jayawardena (with Zaza Lyons)
“Depression in Medical Students and changing attitudes to seeking help from general practitioners: a longitudinal study”

Mr Izaak Lim (with Campbell Paul – Univ. of Melbourne)
“Social & emotional adjustment and feeding behaviour in infants with severe feeding difficulties.”

Mr Malcolm Teng (with Alexander Janca & Justine Clark)
“Use of counselling services by international students”

Yr 4 Research & Discovery Unit MBBS UWA Students
“SCGH ECT Procedure Satisfaction, Awareness & Outcome Survey” (with Salam Hussain)

“A comparative study of heart rate variability and salivary cortisol levels during euthymia, in bipolar affective disorder, recurrent major depressive disorder and healthy subjects.” (with Davinder Hans, Darryl Bassett)

“Subcutaneous flumazenil infusion as a treatment of benzodiazepine dependence.” (With Gary Hulse, Davinder Hans).

Psychosomatic medicine

Professor Hans Stampfer has a longstanding interest in psychosomatic medicine and has developed a heart rate monitoring system which has been patented and is currently being further developed by a Singapore company to which he is a consultant. Over the past few years, Professor Stampfer has been working on a manuscript related to this project which will soon be submitted for publication.