Bernard is a clinical academic, first qualifying from the University of Oxford in 2020, having previously completed a BA Medical Sciences degree. His early research focused on emotional processing and pharmacological interventions in depression.

Following foundation training, Bernard joined the Psychiatric Imaging Group, headed by Prof. Oliver Howes. His work is centred around schizophrenia and is split between psychosis research and clinical work at the Maudsley Hospital with the TREatment Assistance and Review Team (TREAT).

Bernard is currently working towards completing his PhD, focused on identifying neurophysiological correlates of functional connectivity changes in schizophrenia. 

Research Interests

• Psychosis
• Schizophrenia
• Functional Connectivity
• Neuroimaging
• MRI
• Cognition
• Clinical Innovation

Expertise and Public Engagement 

Published opinion articles in the BMJ and International Review of Psychiatry.

Provided research updates to community mental health teams. 

Research Group

Psychiatric Imaging

Key Publications 

1. Schizophrenia: from neurochemistry to circuits, symptoms and treatmentsOD Howes, BR Bukala, K Beck - Nature Reviews Neurology, 2024
2. Relapse in schizophrenia: a systematic review of criteria for clinical studies and international consensus guidelines to improve themOD Howes, BR Bukala, EYH Chen, CU Correll… - American Journal of Psychiatry, 2025
3. Redesigning psychosis management: future of schizophrenia treatmentsBR Bukala - International Review of Psychiatry, 2025
4. Overnight transdermal scopolamine patch administration has no clear effect on cognition and emotional processing in healthy volunteersBR Bukala, M Browning, PJ Cowen, CJ Harmer… - Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2019