RESEARCH PROFILE
- Established: 1995 by Professor Michael Rutter and Professor Robert Plomin.
- Current number of students: 34 PhD students.
- Current number of staff: More than 100 staff members, of which 28 are academic faculty staff.
- Current research projects include:
- Twins Early Development Study (TEDS)
- Environmental Risk (E-Risk)
- Cognitive-experimental and Genetic study of ADHD and Control Sibling Pairs (CEG)
- Genome-based Therapeutic Drugs for Depression (GENDEP)
- IMAGEN study of reinforcement-related behaviour in normal brain function and psychopathology.
- Facilities: The Centre moved into its new £17m building in 2003, which includes state-of-the-art molecular genetic laboratories.
- Funding: To date, research programs have attracted more than £50 million in funding.
KEY FACTS
Student destinations
Students have gone on to become senior lecturers at the IoP and at other institutions or consultant psychiatrists; and professors. Others have continued their research, or gained MRC fellowships.
Head of group/division
Professor Francesca Happé
Duration
For a traditional PhD, expected to be three years FT, five to six years PT; for MSc and PhD, expected to be one and three years. Email
iop.educationsupport@kcl.ac.uk or
julia.wootley@kcl.ac.uk for further information.
Denmark Hill Campus.
Year of entry 2013
Offered by
Institute of Psychiatry
MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre
Closing date
For the traditional 3-year PhDs programme, registration is held four times a year in October, January, April and July, and students are registered from the first day of the month. The corresponding deadlines for applications are around 25th May, 2nd November, 15th February and 10th May.
Deadline for applications to the 1+3 MSc and PhD programme is usually mid- January but please check the website:
http://www.iop.kcl.ac.uk/departments/?locator=10&context=1227
No set number.
Fees
CONTACTS
Contact information
Programme Administrator, Julia Wootley. Telephone: 020 7848 0891.
Email
Website
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION
Our Missionis “To undertake research on the interplay between genetic, environmental and maturational factors, and their roles in the causal processes underlying the origins and course of multifactorial mental disorders; to consider the implications for clinical practice and public health policy; and to train others in the methodologies involved.”
The goal of the Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry (MRC) Centre is to bridge the gap between “nature” (genetics) and “nurture” (environment) as they interact in the development of complex human behaviour, such as depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children.
Launched in 1994 as a partnership between the MRC (Medical Research Council) and the IoP, the Centre is a unique multi-disciplinary institution that studies social epidemiology, child and adult psychiatry, developmental psychopathology, development in the family, personality traits, cognitive abilities, statistical genetics, and molecular genetics. This unparalleled approach has inspired and nurtured collaborative research between the different departments within theInstitute of Psychiatry and demonstrated its impressive multifaceted expertise.
Staff interests associated with the research programme and its research groups
Interests:
Psychiatry, classification and measurement. Genetic and environmental risk factors for unipolar depression and bipolar disorder.
Tel:
020 7848 0888
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Developmental psychopathology; personality assessment; health psychology.
Tel:
020 7848 0937
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Conduct disorder; psychosocial risks for childhood disorders; childhood-adulthood continuities.
Tel:
020 7848 0470
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
My research focus is the development and application of statistical methods in human genetics, to identify and characterise genes contributing to common, complex disorders. Current research includes genome-wide association studies and disease risk prediction using genetic and environmental factors.
Tel:
Fax:
020 7188 2585
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Animal behaviour; molecular genetic techniques (mutation detection, genotyping and gene expression profiling).
Tel:
020 7848 0745
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Addiction; alcohol; animal models; behaviour genetics; cocaine; neurochemistry; psychopharmacology; schizophrenia.
Tel:
020 7848 0873
Fax:
020 7848 0866
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Psychiatry; addiction and molecular genetics.
Tel:
020 7848 0397
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Molecular genetics of eating disorders; schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Tel:
020 7848 0631
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Study of psychopathic tendencies combining cognitive neuroscience and behaviour genetic approaches.
Tel:
020 7848 0038
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Cognitive neuroscience, specifically studies of autism spectrum disorders and investigation of related typical and atypical developmental processes (e.g. social cognition, local-global processing, savant skills).
Tel:
020 7848 0928
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Statistical genetics; behavioural genetics: developing methods for analysing (selected) data.
Tel:
020 7848 0890
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Mood, psychosis and addiction biology and genetics; the genetics of complex psychiatric disorders and co-morbid disorders; genetic technologies and bioinformatics.
Tel:
020 7848 0409
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Addiction biology using genetics, molecular biological and neuroimaging techniques; pharmacogenetics.
Tel:
020 7848 5314
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Molecular genetics; high throughput association studies; epigenetics and sex differences in behaviour.
Tel:
020 7848 0018
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Statistical methods for analysing complex traits.
Tel:
020 7848 0662
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Epigenetics; the molecular basis for gene-environment interactions.
Tel:
020 7848 5433
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Genetic influences on cognition and behaviour; developmental disorders; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Tel:
020 7848 0930
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Children's social emotional and sociocognitive development; parent - child, sibling and peer relationships; development of language and communication abilities; adjustment and development of children in step families.
Tel:
020 7848 0893
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Psychiatric pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics.
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Functional genomics, systems genetics, mouse behaviour.
Tel:
020 7848 0279
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Victimisation; mental disorders; antisocial behaviours and their development.
Tel:
020 7848 0647
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Behavioural phenotypes of genetics disorders.
Tel:
020 7848 5325
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Genetics of normal and abnormal behaviour including psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and conduct disorders; research encompasses quantitative and molecular genetic approaches as well as the co-action and interaction of genes and environment.
Tel:
020 7848 0871
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Genetics of ADHD and related neurodevelopmental disorders; clinical and genetic studies of ADHD in adults; mapping genes in common complex neuropsychiatric disorders; functional studies aimed at delinating the brain processes that mediate genetic risk on ADHD.
Tel:
020 7848 0078
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Psychology; learning abilities and disabilities; quantitative and molecular genetics.
Tel:
020 7848 0893
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Developmental psychopathology; gene-environment interplay; antisocial behaviours and their development.
Tel:
020 7848 0837
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Child and adolescent psychiatry, quantitative and molecular genetics, epidemiology, lifespan development, psychological influences, resilience, neuropsychiatry, and school effectiveness.
Tel:
020 7848 0882
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Functional genetics. Research at the molecular and cellular levels, including analysis of signal transduction pathways, gene expressions, and genetic contributions, to study fundamental processes controlling neuronal function, and their abnormalities in neuropsychiatric disorders. A major focus of the research is drug addiction.
Tel:
020 7848 0528
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Natural history of antisocial behaviour from childhood to adulthood; intelligence; domestic violence; longitudinal research methodology; measurement of abnormal behaviour; neuropsychological assessment; behavioural genetics.
Tel:
020 7848 0936
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Behavioural genetic approaches to developmental psychopathology, particularly anxiety and depression. Links between normal and abnormal development, comorbidity and heterogeneity. Exploring mechanisms of risk and gene-environment interaction using molecular genetic and cognitive psychological approaches.
Tel:
020 7848 0863
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Statistical methods of gene identification for complex traits; microarray and proteomics experiments.
Tel:
+44 (0)20 7848 0827
Fax:
Email:
Website:
Interests:
Control of gene expression in the brain; functional analysis of genetic polymorphisms that are associated with behavioural disorders using in vitro methods.
Tel:
020 7848 0741
Fax:
Email:
Ursula.D'Souza@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Website:
ACADEMIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
General entry advice
Applicants should possess a minimum of an upper second class honours degree from a UK university or the overseas equivalent. Applicants whose qualifications have been gained outside the UK will be checked by the Health Schools Admissions Centre to establish equivalency with these standards before an offer is sent and applicants will need to demonstrate at interview that their background and experience, general education and scolarship are appropriate. All applicants need to possess an adequate level of English competence. Please contact iop.educationsupport@kcl.ac.uk for further information.
APPLYING TO KING'S
To apply for graduate study at King's you will need to complete our graduate online application form. Applying online makes applying easier and quicker for you, and means we can receive your application faster and more securely.
King's does not normally accept paper copies of the graduate application form as applications must be made online. However, if you are unable to access the online graduate application form, please contact the relevant admissions/School Office at King's for advice.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Firstly identify a suitable supervisor within the relevant department: for a searchable list of available supervisors, please see our website (http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iop/depts/mrc/people/academic/index.aspx). Alternatively, you can contact the department directly for general guidance on potential supervisors whose research interests most closely match those of your own. You will then need to complete an application form, available from our website, and provide two references. Successful applicants will be required to obtain approval for their research project prior to registration. The relevant form can be downloaded at http://www.iop.kcl.ac.uk. Forms should be completed in collaboration with your prospective supervisor. For information on application and project approval procedures please contact iop.educationsupport@kcl.ac.uk
PERSONAL STATEMENT & SUPPORTING INFORMATION
No information required.
FUNDING
Students are supported through grants or other award schemes. Studentships on the 1 + 3 programme are Research Council supported.
Student profiles
Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry MPhil/PhD
My interest in completing a PhD in mental health research led me to the Institute of Psychiatry which has an outstanding international reputation and is conveniently located in London. I was able to secure an Economic, Social Research Council and Medical Research Councils’ Interdisciplinary Studentship with the support of King’s staff, which has funded me throughout my course.
King’s College has a very supportive and encouraging study environment. Students not only have access to a number of academic services such as excellent libraries and fantastic training courses but also social facilities such as the Waterfront student bar which overlooks the River Thames and provides excellent views of London!
Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry MPhil/PhD
I joined King's College London for a four year MSc/PhD programme which integrates interdisciplinary research and training. This is an innovative programme, reflecting King's role as a pioneer in scientific research and training.
Several months after I joined the programme, the high expectations I initially had have all been surpassed. The facilities and resources are striking, but the strongest asset is the people. I found myself surrounded by excellent scientists and world leading experts, all of whom are approachable and always ready to help. Doing research in an environment where there is so much diverse expertise around, as well as opportunity for interaction, is exciting.
There are also many weekly events, talks and seminars that allow you to expand your knowledge beyond your primary area of interest. I was particularly impressed by the abundance of opportunities for research and other career development activities that were generously offered to me from the first day I joined.
It is also admirable how seriously students are treated, with every effort being made to facilitate our research and make our time here as enjoyable an experience as possible. I feel that the only limit to what I can achieve is myself!