INHERIT Lab is a group of researchers focused on understanding why mental health problems run in families and what we can do about it. Inherit Lab is led by Dr Tom McAdams and comprises postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, MSc students and undergraduates.
INHERIT stands for Interdisciplinary Health Research on Intergenerational Transmission. We are broadly interested in understanding mental health in families. We study large family databases to understand the role of genetic and environmental factors in the intergenerational continuity of mental health problems and associated traits. Our approach to research incorporates methodological techniques from the fields of quantitative genetics, causal inference, epidemiology and more.
We run the Children of Twins Early Development Study (CoTEDS) in collaboration with Professor Thalia Eley and the Twins early Development Study (TEDS).
The Inherit Lab's work is funded by Wellcome.
Projects

Children of TEDS (CoTEDS) Study
The aim of this project is to explore the origins of the development of emotional disorders.

Family Footsteps - A Parent Engagement Project
Family Footsteps is a Wellcome Trust funded project exploring parent beliefs and concerns around mental health in families.
Publications
Awards
Tom McAdams
- 2020 – Wellcome Senior Research Fellowship
- 2015 – Wellcome Sir Henry dale Fellowship
- 2011 – ESRC postdoctoral fellowship
Yasmin Ahmadzadeh
- 2023 – Gottesman-Shields Prize for best PhD theses 2020-2022
- 2022 – NIHR Incubator for Mental Health Research Awards: Building Research in Underserved Areas – Yasmin’s TRADE project team selected as Runners-Up (£500).
- 2022 – King’s Public Engagement Small Grants Scheme (£1,000 for the TRADE project).
- 2021 – Emerging Minds, UKRI Mental Health Network (£40,266 for the Transmission of experiences of Racism, Anxiety and Depression in families (TRADE) project, with Centre for Mental Health).
- 2021 – Emerging Minds Cross Sector Placement Award (£10,579 for a research placement with Centre for Mental Health).
Joanna Bright, Celestine Lockhart, and Yasmin Ahmadzadeh
- 2022 – King's Together Public Mental Health ECR Seed Funding Scheme (£1,500 for public consultation with parents in collaboration with a South London and Maudsley NHS team).
News
Parent and child experiences of racism affect whole family's mental health, according to new study
Parents’ experiences of racism affect their children’s mental health and vice versa, according to a new briefing published today, on World Mental Health Day,...

Press Coverage
“Positive Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes Following SSRI Treatment for Postnatal Depression”
“Maternal depression during pregnancy does not cause mental health problems in children”
“Parental anxiety can be passed on to children for non-genetic reasons”
Press coverage for the Transmission of experiences of Racism, Anxiety and Depression in families (TRADE) project
- “Black parent-child experiences of racism affect whole family’s mental health, new study”
- “Racism can affect mental health across generations”
- “Exploring the Intergenerational Consequences of Racism in the UK”
- “Parent and child experiences of racism affect whole family's mental health, according to new study”
Podcasts/Webinars
- ACAMH 2021 “Genetically informed family research, and anti-racism in mental health research – In Conversation with Dr. Yasmin Ahmadzadeh”
- McPin Foundation “Inclusive #MentalHealthResearchMatters: the role of mental health research in tackling inequalities” (Yasmin Ahmadzadeh on the panel).
Projects

Children of TEDS (CoTEDS) Study
The aim of this project is to explore the origins of the development of emotional disorders.

Family Footsteps - A Parent Engagement Project
Family Footsteps is a Wellcome Trust funded project exploring parent beliefs and concerns around mental health in families.
Publications
Awards
Tom McAdams
- 2020 – Wellcome Senior Research Fellowship
- 2015 – Wellcome Sir Henry dale Fellowship
- 2011 – ESRC postdoctoral fellowship
Yasmin Ahmadzadeh
- 2023 – Gottesman-Shields Prize for best PhD theses 2020-2022
- 2022 – NIHR Incubator for Mental Health Research Awards: Building Research in Underserved Areas – Yasmin’s TRADE project team selected as Runners-Up (£500).
- 2022 – King’s Public Engagement Small Grants Scheme (£1,000 for the TRADE project).
- 2021 – Emerging Minds, UKRI Mental Health Network (£40,266 for the Transmission of experiences of Racism, Anxiety and Depression in families (TRADE) project, with Centre for Mental Health).
- 2021 – Emerging Minds Cross Sector Placement Award (£10,579 for a research placement with Centre for Mental Health).
Joanna Bright, Celestine Lockhart, and Yasmin Ahmadzadeh
- 2022 – King's Together Public Mental Health ECR Seed Funding Scheme (£1,500 for public consultation with parents in collaboration with a South London and Maudsley NHS team).
News
Parent and child experiences of racism affect whole family's mental health, according to new study
Parents’ experiences of racism affect their children’s mental health and vice versa, according to a new briefing published today, on World Mental Health Day,...

Press Coverage
“Positive Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes Following SSRI Treatment for Postnatal Depression”
“Maternal depression during pregnancy does not cause mental health problems in children”
“Parental anxiety can be passed on to children for non-genetic reasons”
Press coverage for the Transmission of experiences of Racism, Anxiety and Depression in families (TRADE) project
- “Black parent-child experiences of racism affect whole family’s mental health, new study”
- “Racism can affect mental health across generations”
- “Exploring the Intergenerational Consequences of Racism in the UK”
- “Parent and child experiences of racism affect whole family's mental health, according to new study”
Podcasts/Webinars
- ACAMH 2021 “Genetically informed family research, and anti-racism in mental health research – In Conversation with Dr. Yasmin Ahmadzadeh”
- McPin Foundation “Inclusive #MentalHealthResearchMatters: the role of mental health research in tackling inequalities” (Yasmin Ahmadzadeh on the panel).