The 2025 Midlands Mental Health and Neurosciences PhD Programme (MHN DTP) Showcase brought together fellows and faculty for a day of inspiring research and collaboration at the Crowne Plaza Nottingham on 18th September 2025.
The day began with a warm welcome from Programme Director, Professor Dorothee Auer, who acknowledged the collective achievements of the MHN DTP community and the growing influence of its fellows across research, clinical practice, and policy.
Her remarks set the tone for a showcase that emphasised collaboration, inclusivity, and innovation, values that continue to define the Midlands MHN DTP for Healthcare Professionals.
Keynote Address: Professor Helen Quinn — Bridging Research and Clinical Practice
The first keynote of the day, Professor Helen Quinn, shared a deeply engaging talk titled “Against the Odds: A Career Forged Between Research and Clinical Practice.”
Drawing from her distinguished career as Research & Development Director at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Clinical Director of Exeter’s NIHR Patient Recruitment Centre, Professor Quinn spoke passionately about the vital interplay between science and patient care.
Her reflections highlighted how perseverance, partnership, and translational research can bridge the gap between discovery and delivery, inspiring fellows to think boldly about the clinical impact of their work.
The Midlands MHN DTP team extends its sincere thanks to Professor Quinn for her thoughtful insights, generosity, and encouragement to emerging researchers navigating the intersections of healthcare and academia.
Spotlight on the 2022 Cohort
The morning session opened with presentations from the 2022 cohort, introduced by Birmingham Deputy Director, Professor Matthew Broome. Each speaker demonstrated the real-world relevance and interdisciplinary strength of their work:
- Naomi Williams explored competency and service effectiveness in supporting young people with autism and intellectual disabilities through the AIDE Study.
- Verity Jones examined how co-production can be embedded in youth mental health services using a realist e-Delphi approach.
- Dr Edward Palmer delved into inflammation and psychosis, tracing the journey from biomarkers to potential treatments.
- Dr Jamie Talbot discussed the influence of dopamine and apathy on motivation and decision-making effort.
- Dr Laurence Astill Wright considered how advances in digital technology could transform interventions for people living with mood disorders.
A lively Q&A session followed, allowing fellows to reflect on clinical implications and opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.
Exploring Diversity and Resilience: The 2023 Cohort
Led by Leciester Deputy Director, Professor Noelle Robertson, the next session showcased the diversity and depth of the 2023 fellows’ research:
- Dr David Wenzel presented an evocative ethnographic study, Deus Ex Machina, on technology, death, and decision-making in respiratory care.
- Anna Bangiri examined cognitive and quality-of-life changes following brain radiosurgery.
- Dr Nitish Jawahar explored MRI markers of brain resilience in young people facing mental health challenges.
This set of talks highlighted the programme’s cross-disciplinary reach, bridging neuroscience, culture, ethics, and patient experience.
Afternoon Keynote: Associate Professor Stacy Johnson MBE — Ensuring Equal Opportunities in Research and Education
Following lunch, Associate Professor Stacy Johnson MBE delivered an energising and thought-provoking keynote, “Ensuring Equal Opportunities in Clinical Research and Higher Education.”
An international leader in inclusive leadership and healthcare innovation, Professor Johnson shared powerful perspectives on diversity, representation, and belonging within academic and clinical spaces. Her insights resonated deeply with fellows and faculty alike, prompting reflection on how equity can drive excellence in research and healthcare delivery.
The MHN DTP extends heartfelt thanks to Professor Johnson for her inspiring contribution, for challenging the community to lead inclusively, and for reminding us that innovation flourishes when every voice is heard.
New Voices, New Directions: The 2024 Cohort Pitches
The afternoon continued with Warwick Assistant Deputy Director, Associate Professor Hayley Crawford introducing the 2024 cohort, whose concise research pitches demonstrated creativity, clarity, and promise:
- Chandrasekar Rathinam outlined a co-creation approach to developing tDCS interventions for fatigue in children with acquired brain injury.
- Dr Morenike Da Silva presented the EMBRACE project, addressing barriers to mental health support for ethnic minority children and young people in paediatric settings.
- Hannah Reilly focused on patterns and predictors of acute hospital readmission in dementia.
- Irene Morgan Brown explored the relationship between sleep disturbance, mental health, and recovery following traumatic brain injury.
- Denisse Levermore examined mental health and relationships during adolescence and the transition to adulthood.
These short presentations offered a glimpse into the future of mental health and neuroscience research — rigorous, compassionate, and focused on improving lives.
Student Reflections and Closing Remarks
In the final session, Training Director, Assistant Professor Elena Nixon invited fellows to reflect on their research journeys, lessons learned, and aspirations for the future. Their reflections captured the spirit of the MHN DTP: curiosity, collaboration, and courage to make a difference.
Professor Dorothee Auer closed the day by celebrating the achievements of all cohorts, reaffirming the programme’s mission to nurture clinician-researchers who can shape a healthier, more inclusive future for mental health and neurosciences.
The 2025 Showcase reaffirmed the strength and promise of the Midlands MHN DTP. Each presentation, from the earliest research ideas to near-completion projects, demonstrated the talent, compassion, and commitment driving this exceptional community of healthcare researchers.
The Midlands MHN DTP extends warm thanks to all speakers, fellows, and guests for making this year’s showcase such a success, and looks forward to seeing how these projects continue to grow and impact patient care across the Midlands and beyond.