Andrew Kemp PhD, MAPS

Position: Honorary Associate

Ph: (+61) 2 9845 8195
M: (+61) 401 371 780
Email:

Postal Address:
School of Psychology
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006
Australia

Web: http://www.brain-dynamics.net/andrew-kemp


Career Highlights

  • Selected for Future Leaders Program, February 2008
  • Promoted to Senior Research Fellow (Level C) at University of Sydney, July 2007
  • Awarded a 3-year, NHMRC New Investigator Project Grant in 2006: $298,100
  • Awarded a 4-year, NHMRC Peter Doherty Fellowship in 2004: $239,000
  • Admitted to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in October 2004
  • Awarded a Research Excellence Award for my PhD Thesis in 2005
  • Total of 39 articles published since 2001 (inc 2 in Journal of Neuroscience; additional manuscripts 9 submitted)


Research Interests

  • Cognitive and affective neuroscience
  • Neuropsychiatry and mental health
  • Neuropsychopharmacology and genetics
  • Biological bases of behaviour and individual differences
  • Positive psychology and s piritual experience


Education & Training

2005 – 2009: NHMRC Australian Biomedical (Peter Doherty) Postdoctoral Fellow, The Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Hospital & School of Psychology, The University of Sydney

  • Research Focus: examination of clinical, psychometric, neurogenetic and neuroimaging markers of depression and predictors of antidepressant response

1999 – 2003 (awarded Oct 2004): Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Neuropsychopharmacology), Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne Australia

  • PhD Thesis Title: ‘Emotional Processing in Humans: A Neurophysiological and Psychopharmacological Investigation’, awarded a Research Excellence Award

1995 – 1998: Bachelor of Arts (BA) (Hons – Psychology), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Australia

  • Honours Thesis Title: ‘Quantitative EEG (QEEG) Changes Induced by Odour Detection & Identification Tasks: Age Related Effects.’

Achievements, Awards & Prizes

2008: Selected for Future Leaders Program, a program developed by the Group of 8 universities to prepare emerging researchers for future research leadership roles, February 2008

2007: Promoted to Senior Research Fellow (Level C) at University of Sydney, July 2007

2007: Best Poster Presentation at Westmead Research Week, August 2007

2007: Selected participant in the Early Career Researcher Program, University of Sydney

2005: Research Excellence Award, awarded by Swinburne University of Technology for my PhD Thesis

2004 – 2008: NHMRC Australian Biomedical (Peter Doherty) Fellow: awarded research fellowship to examine predictors of response to antidepressants

2003: Young Scholar Award: best postgraduate student poster awarded at the Australasian Society for Psychophysiology Conference, Hobart.

2002: Third prize in research poster competition: Research Week, Swinburne University of Technology

2001: Selected to attend Lecture Course at Riken Brain Science Institute, Japan: Brain Dysfunctions: Molecular and Cellular Bases. All expenses paid by Riken BSI.

2001: member of the business team which was selected as f inalist in the postgraduate section of the Swinburne Venture Cup.

2000 – 2002: Selected for Leadership and Entrepreneurial Attributes Development (LEAD) Program funded by Swinburne University of Technology

1999 – 2002: Offered the Psychopharmacology Research Award, a postgraduate scholarship to fund PhD studies during this period.

1992: Cadet Under Officer (C.U.O): highest rank available to a student in the Australian Cadet Corps

1990 – 1992: Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme: Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards


Grants

ARC Linkage Project ( LP0883621, 2008-2011) : Awarded to examine the gene-brain pathways in emotional brain instability versus resilience. Research funding was awarded to A/Prof LM Williams; Prof PR Schofield; Prof C Clark; Dr AH Kemp; Dr JM Gatt ($670,000).

GlaxoSmithKline Australia Post Graduate Support Grant (2008-2009) : Awarded to provide further financial support to PhD or Post Doctorate research students who are already in receipt of a research grant from a non commercial body ($25,000).

NHMRC Project Grant (Application: 464863, 2007-2009) : Awarded to examine predictors of response to antidepressants. Research funding was awarded to Dr AH Kemp as sole investigator ($298,100).

The University of Sydney Research and Development Grants Scheme (2007 ): Awarded to examine the impact of clinical depression on facial perception using functional magnetic resonance imaging and event-related potentials ($45,838)

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development grant ( 2005-2007): Awarded to conduct pilot study that seeks to determine the biomarkers of depression for which I am the study coordinator ( in confidence)

University of Sydney Start-Up funds ( 2005): Start-up funds awarded for commencement of post-doctoral research activities ($5,000)

NHMRC Australian Biomedical (Peter Doherty) Fellowship (Application: 358770, 2005 – 2009): Research fellowship awarded to examine predictors of response to antidepressants ($239,000)

Blackmores Ltd. Medical Research Grant (2000-2001): Awarded to conduct an electrophysiological comparison of the acute pharmacodynamic effects of the herbal antidepressant hypericum perforatum and a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor Citalopram ($20,750)


Publications

In Press:

39. Falconer, E., Bryant, R., Felmingham, K.L., Kemp, A.H., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (in press). Inhibitory Control in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): a fMRI Study of Response Inhibition. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience. (accepted Nov 16, 2007). (2006 IF: 4.1)

38. Gatt, J.M., Kuan, S., Dobson-Stone, C., Paul, R.H., Joffe, R.T., Kemp, A.H., Gordon, E., Schofield, P.R., Williams, L.M. (in press). The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism impacts depression and memory phenotypes: The mediating effects of brain function endophenotypes. Biological Psychology. (accepted Jan 30, 2008). (2005 IF: 2.698)

37. Joffe, R.T., Gatt, J.M., Kemp, A.H., Grieve, S., Dobson-Stone, C., Kuan, S.A., Schofield, P.R., Gordon, E. & Williams, L.M. (in press). Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Val66Met polymorphism, the Five Factor Model of Personality and hippocampal volume: Implications for Depressive Illness. Human Brain Mapping. (accepted March 26, 2008). (2005 IF: 4.888 )

36. Kemp, A.H., Hopkinson , P.J., Hermens, D.F., Rowe, D.L., Sumich, A.L., Clark, C.R., Drinkenburg, W., Abdi, N., Penrose, R., McFarlane, A., Boyce, P, Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (in press). Fronto-Temporal Alterations Within the First 200ms During an Attentional Task Distinguish Major Depression, Non-clinical Participants with Depressed Mood and Healthy Controls: A Potential Biomarker? Human Brain Mapping. (accepted 16 November, 2007). PMID: 18181154. (2006 IF: 4.888).

35. Mathersul, D., Williams, L.M., Hopkinson, P.J., Kemp, A.H. (in press). Investigating models of affect: Relationships among EEG alpha asymmetry, depression and anxiety. (accepted 20 February 2008).

 

2008:

34. Shankman, S.A., Silverstein, S.M., Williams, L.M., Hopkinson, P., Kemp, A.H., Felmingham, K., Bryant, R., McFarlane, A.M., Clark, C.R. (in press). Resting EEG asymmetry and post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress , 21, 190-8. PMID: 18404640.

33. Bryant, R.A., Felmingham, K.L., Kemp, A.H., Das, P., Hughes, G., Peduto, A., Williams, L.M. (2008). Amygdala and ventral anterior cingulate activation predicts treatment response to cognitive behaviour therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological Medicine, 38, 555-561. PMID: 18005496. (2006 IF: 3.816).

32. Bryant, R.A., Felmingham, K.L., Whitford, T.J., Kemp, A.H., Hughes, G., Peduto, A., Williams, L.M. (2008). Rostral Anterior Cingulate Volume Predicts Treatment Response to Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 33, 142-6. PMID: 18330460. (2006 IF: 4.1).

31. Felmingham, K., Kemp, A.H., Williams, L.M., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A., Bryant, R. (2008). Dissociative responses to conscious and nonconscious fear impact underlying brain function in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Psychological Medicine, 38, 1-10. PMID: 18294420. (2005 IF: 3.816).

 

2007:

30. Bryant, R.A., Kemp, A.H., Felmingham, K.L., Liddell, B.J., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (in press). Enhanced Amygdala and Medial Prefrontal Activation During Nonconscious Processing of Fear in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An fMRI Study. Human Brain Mapping, May 24; [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 17525984. (2005 IF: 4.317).

29. Das, P., Kemp, A.H., Flynn, G., Harris, A.W.F., Liddell, B.J., Whitford, T., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (2007). Functional disconnections in the direct and indirect amygdala pathways for fear processing in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 90, 284-294. PMID: 17222539. (2005 IF: 4.231).

28. Felmingham, K., Kemp, A.H., Williams, L.M., Das, P., Hughes, G., Peduto, A., Bryant, R. (2007). Changes in anterior cingulate and amygdala after cognitive behaviour therapy of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Science, 18, 127-129. PMID: 17425531. (2005 IF: 4.502).

27. Gatt, J.M., Clark, R.M., Kemp, A.H., Liddell, B.J., Dobston-Stone, C., Kuan, S.A., Schofield, P.R., Williams, L.M. (2007). A Genotype-Endophenotype path model of depressed mood: Integrating Cognitive and Emotional Markers. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 6, 75-104. PMID: 17472225. (IF: N/A).

26. Gordon, E., Liddell, B.J., Brown, K.A., Bryant, R.A., Das,P., Dobson-Stone, C., Falconer, E., Felmingham, K., Flynn, G., Gatt, J.M., Harris, A., Hermens, D., Hopkinson, P., Kemp, A.H., Kuan, S., Moyle, J., Paul, R., Rennie, C.J., Whitford, T.J., Williams, L.M (2007). Integrating Objective Markers of Psychiatric Disorders. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 6, 1-34. PMID: 17472223. (IF: N/A).

25. Kemp, A.H., Felmingham, K., Das, P., Hughes, G., Peduto, A.S., Bryant, R.A., Williams, L.M. (2007). Influence of comorbid depression on fear in posttraumatic stress disorder: An fMRI study. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 155, 265-269. PMID: 17572075. (2005 IF: 2.656).

24.Williams, L.M., Felmingham, K., Kemp, A.H., Rennie, C., Brown, K.J., Bryant, R.A., Gordon, E. (2007). Mapping frontal-limbic correlates of orienting to change detection. Neuroreport, 18, 197-202. PMID: 17314656. ( 2005 IF: 1.995).

23. Williams, L.M., Kemp, A.H., Felmingham, K., Liddell, B., Palmer, D., Bryant, R.A. (2007). Negativity biases to covert and overt signals of fear: Dissociation by trait anxiety and depression. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19, 1595-1608. PMID: 17854280. (2005 IF: 5.197).

 

2006:

22. Kemp, A.H., Hopkinson, P., Stephan, B.C.M., Clark, C.R., Gordon, E., Bryant, R.A., Williams, L.M. (2006). Predicting Severity of Non-clinical Depression: Preliminary Findings Using an Integrated Approach. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 5, 89-110. PMID: 16544368. (IF: N/A)

21.Williams, L.M., Brown, K.J., Palmer, D., Liddell, B.J., Kemp, A.H., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A.S., Gordon, E (2006). The ‘mellow years’: Neural basis of improving emotional stability over age. Journal of Neuroscience, 26, 6422-6430. PMID: 16775129. (2005 IF: 7.506).

20. Williams, L.M., Das, P., Liddell, B.J., Kemp, A.H., Rennie, C.J., Gordon, E. (2006). Mode of functional connectivity in amygdala pathways dissociates level of awareness for signals of fear. Journal of Neuroscience, 26, 9264-9271. PMID: 16957082. (2005 IF: 7.506).

19. Williams, L.M., Kemp, A.H., Felmingham, K.L., Barton, M., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Bryant, R.A. (2006). Trauma modulates amygdala and medial prefrontal responses to consciously attended fear. Neuroimage, 29, 347-357. PMID: 16216534. (2005 IF: 5.288).

18. Williams, L.M., Liddell, B.J., Kemp, A.H., Bryant, R.A., Meares, R.A., Peduto, A.S., Gordon, E. (2006). Amygdala-prefrontal dissociation of subliminal and supraliminal fear. Human Brain Mapping, 27, 652-61. PMID: 16281289. (2005 IF: 4.317).

 

2005:

17. Bryant, R.A., Felmingham, K.L., Kemp, A.H.; Barton, M., Rennie, C., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (2005). Neural Networks of Information Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Functional MRI Study. Biological Psychiatry, 58, 111-118. PMID: 16038681. (2005 IF: 6.779).

16. Das, P., Kemp, A.H., Liddell, B.J., Brown, K.J., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (2005). Pathways for fear perception: Modulation Of Amygdala Activity By The Thalamo-Cortical Systems. Neuroimage, 26, 141-148. PMID: 15862214. (2005 IF: 5.288).

15. Kemp, A.H., Cooper, N., Hermens, G., Gordon, E., Bryant, R.A., Williams, L.M. (2005). Toward an Integrated Profile of Emotional Intelligence: Introducing a BRIEF measure. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 4, 41-62. PMID: 16035140. (IF: N/A).

14. Kemp, A.H., Stephan, B.C.M., Hopkinson, P., Sumich, A.L., Paul, R.H., Clark, C.R., 13. Gordon, E., Bryant, R.A., Williams, L.M. (2005). Toward an Integrated Profile of Depression: Evidence from the Brain Resource International Database. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 4, 95-106. PMID: 16035143. (IF: N/A).

13.Liddell, B.J., Brown, K.J., Kemp, A.H., Barton, M.J., Das, P., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (2005) A Direct Brainstem-Amygdala-Cortex ‘Alarm’ System For Subliminal Signals Of Fear. Neuroimage, 24, 235-243. PMID: 15588615. (2005 IF: 5.288).

12. Williams, L.M., Barton, M.J., Kemp, A.H., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Bryant, R.A. (2005). Distinct amygdala-autonomic arousal profiles in response to fear signals in healthy males and females. Neuroimage, 28, 618-626. PMID: 16081303. (2005 IF: 5.288).

 

2004:

11. Hughes J., Matrenza C., Kemp A., Harrison B.J., Liley D., Nathan P.J. (2004). The Selective Effects of Monoamine Depletion on Mood & Emotional Regulation. International Journal Neuropsychopharmacology, 7, 9-17. PMID: 14731308. (2003 IF: 4.000).

10. Kemp, A.H., Gray, M.A., Silberstein, R.B., Armstrong, S.M. & Nathan, P.J. (2005). Augmentation of Serotonin Enhances Pleasant and Suppresses Unpleasant Electrophysiological Responses to Visual Emotional Stimuli in Humans. NeuroImage, 22, 1084-1096. PMID 15219580. (2004 IF: 4.869).

9. Kemp, A.H. & Nathan, P.J. (2004). Acute Augmentation of Serotonin Suppresses Cardiovascular Responses to Emotional Valence. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 7, 65-70. PMID: 14731312. (2003 IF: 4.000).

8. Kemp, A.H., Silberstein, R.B., Armstrong, S.M. & Nathan, P.J. (2004). Gender Differences In The Cortical Electrophysiological Processing Of Visual Emotional Stimuli. NeuroImage, 21, 632-646. PMID: 14980566. (2004 IF: 4.869).

7.Nathan P.J., Matrenza C., Hughes J., Kemp A., Wesnes K., Harrison B.J. (2004). Simultaneous Depletion Of Serotonin And Catecholamines Impairs Sustained Attention In Healthy Female Subjects Without Affecting Learning And Memory. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 18, 21-31. PMID 15107181. (2003 IF: 2.336).

 

2003:

6. Gray, M.A., Kemp, A. H., Silberstein, R. B. & Nathan, P. J. (2003). Neurophysiology of Anticipatory Anxiety: An Investigation Of Temporal Dynamics Using Steady State Probe Topography (SSPT). Neuroimage, 20, 975-986. PMID: 14568467. (2003 IF: 6.192).

5. Kemp, A.H., Gray, M.A., Line, P., Silberstein, R.B. & Nathan P.J. (2003). Preliminary Electrophysiological Evidence For Modulation of the Processing of Negative Affect by Serotonin. Brain and Cognition, 51, 198-200. (2003 IF: 1.063)

4.Nathan, P.J., Kemp, A.H., Harrison, B.J. (2003). (Letter to the Editor). Antidepressants and Emotional Processing. Neuropsychopharmacology, 28, 1383. PMID: 12784110. (2003 IF: 5.201).

 

2002:

3. Eide, P., Kemp, A.H., Silberstein, R.B., Nathan, P.J. & Stough, C. (2002). Test Retest Reliability Of The Emotional Stroop Task: Examining The Paradox Of Measurement Change. The Journal of Psychology, 136 (5), 514-520. PMID: 12431035. (2002 IF: 0.312).

2. Kemp, A.H., Gray, M.A., Eide, P., Silberstein, R. B. & Nathan, P. J. (2002). Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential (SSVEP) Topography During Processing Of Emotional Valence In Healthy Subjects. NeuroImage, 17, 1684-1692. PMID: 12498742. (2002 IF: 5.624).

 

2001:

1. Kemp, A.H., Pierson, J.M. & Helme, R.D. (2001). Quantitative EEG (QEEG) Changes Induced by Odour Detection & Identification Tasks: Age Related Effects. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 33, 95-107. PMID: 11461725. (2001 IF: 0.457).

 

Submitted:

  • Bryant, R.A., Kemp, A.H., Felmingham, K.L., Liddell, B., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (in review). Using fMRI to Detect Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
  • Craig, A., Tran, Y., G. Hermens., Williams, L., Kemp, A., Morris, C., Gordon, E. (in review). Cortical activity correlates of emotional intelligence as a function of gender and personality.
  • Falconer, E., Seymour, K., Bryant, R., Felmingham, K., Kemp, A., Olivieri, G., Peduto, A., Williams, L. (in review). Gender and Age-Related Variations in Neural Activation During Response Inhibition.
  • Felmingham, K., Bryant, R., Kemp, A.H., Liddell, B., Falconer, E., Peduto, A., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (in review). Neural Responses to Masked Fear Faces: Sex Differences and Trauma Exposure in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
  • Felmingham, K., Williams, L.M., Whitford, T.J., Falconer, E., Kemp, A.H., Peduto, A., Bryant, R., (in review). Chronicity of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder predicts extent of hippocampal grey-matter loss.
  • Kemp, A.H., Felmingham,K., Falconer, E., Liddell, B.J., Bryant, R.A., Williams, L.M., (in review). Heterogeneity of non-conscious fear perception in posttraumatic stress disorder: An fMRI study.
  • Kemp, A.H., Gordon, E., Rush, A.J., Williams, L.M., (in review). Improving the prediction of Treatment response in depression: Integration of clinical, cognitive, psychophysiological, neuroimaging and genetic measures.
  • Liddell, B.J., Kemp, A.H., Palmer, D., Simms, E., Peduto, T., Gordon, E., Williams, L.M. (in review). A Temporal Continuum Approach to Understanding the Complexity of Nonconscious Emotion Perceptual Processes: Integrative evidence from ERPs and fMRI.
  • Mathersul, D., Kemp, A. H., Liddell, B., Gordon, E., Williams, L. M. (in review). Negativity biases differentiate non-clinical depression and anxiety.



Teaching, Supervision & Mentorship

Teaching Philosophy: development of problem solving skills and independent working ability and to meet with students beyond that required for completion of their formal education so that student’s findings may be developed for publication.

2004 – Present: appointed as teaching staff member for Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuropsychology in the School of Psychology, The University of Sydney

  • Lecturing for Year 3 Psychology students: Cognitive Neuroscience (2004)
  • Research Supervision

2005 - Present: PhD Supervision

  • Candice Quinn, enrolled at School of Psychology, University of Sydney ( 2008 – Present). (Co-Supervisor)
  • Patrick Hopkinson, enrolled at Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney (2005 – Present). (Co-Supervisor)

2002 - Present: Honours Supervision

  • Rebecca Koncz, enrolled at the Discipline of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney (2008). Thesis title: TBA. (Co-supervision)
  • Kristi Griffiths, enrolled at School of Psychology, University of Sydney (2008). Thesis title: ‘EEG regional brain asymmetry in PTSD and MDD’. (Primary Supervisor)
  • Jane Tu, enrolled at School of Psychology, University of Sydney (2006). Thesis title: ‘Attentional deficits in depression: evidence from event related potentials’ now published in Human Brain Mapping (Kemp et al., 2008). (Primary Supervisor)
  • Corinne Renneberg, enrolled at School of Psychology, University of Sydney (2005). Thesis title: ‘An investigation into the behavioural and neurophysiological correlates of emotional intelligence’ in preparation for publication in peer-reviewed journal. (Co-supervision)
  • Danielle Mathersull, enrolled at School of Psychology, University of Sydney (2005). Thesis title: ‘Investigating models of affect: relationships between alpha asymmetry and depression (and anxiety)’ under review in Emotion (Mathersull et al., under review). (Primary supervisor)
  • Jo Dagostino, enrolled at School of Psychology, University of Sydney (2005). Thesis title: ‘Insomnia effects on EEG frequencies, emotion perception and mood’ in preparation for publication in peer-reviewed journal. (Co-supervision)
  • Jay Hughes, enrolled at the Brain Sciences Institute (BSI), Swinburne University of Technology (SUT), Melbourne (2002). Thesis: ‘The Selective Effects of Monoamine Depletion on Mood & Emotional Regulation’ now published in International Journal Neuropsychopharmacology (Hughes et al., 2004). (Co-supervision)
  • Cathy Matrenza, enrolled at BSI SUT (2002). Thesis: ‘Simultaneous Depletion Of Serotonin And Catecholamines Impairs Sustained Atten-tion In Healthy Female Subjects Without Affecting Learning And Memory’ now published in Journal of Psychopharmacology (Nathan et al., 2004). (Co-supervision)

2003 – Present: informal assistance relating to research activities and mentorship to staff members

  • Ms Laarnie Pe Benito, 2008 - present
  • Mr Daniel Quintana, 2008 - present
  • Dr Kim Felmingham, 2003 – present
  • Dr Pritha Das, 2003 – 2007
  • Dr Stacey Kuan, 2005 – 2008
  • Ms Erin Falconer, 2006 – present

2007: successful completion of the Development Program for Research Higher Degree Supervision, conducted through the Institute for Teaching and Learning, at the University of Sydney

2008: successful completion of the Senior Leaders Program, conducted through the Learning Solutions team, at the University of Sydney. This course included the following modules:

 

 

Proffessional & Community Service

2008 – Present: Editorial responsibilities:

2003 – Present: Committee membership and responsibilities

  • Chair, Westmead Millennium Institute (WMI) Organisational Culture working party (since 2008). Terms of reference were to establish a list of goals with respects to improving the organisational culture of our research institutes on Westmead campus and to determine the methodologies on how to meet these goals.
  • Member, Science Council Career Development Committee (since 2008)
  • Member, Science Council Building Advisory Committee (since 2008)
  • Elected Office Bearer, Science Council Executive Committee (since 2007): activities include setting of meeting agendas, the taking of minutes and engagement with other university personnel unrelated to regular research activities
  • Elected Office Bearer, Clinical Research Professionals Group Executive Committee (since 2008): regular meeting with executive committee and setting of upcoming meeting agendas
  • Chair, Research-only Academics Working Party (2007 – 2008): deals with issues arising between the University of Sydney and WMI&RC research-only academics, including salaries, promotion, funding for research activities and intellectual property
  • Member of the Clinical Research Group, Westmead Hospital (since 2004): support network which meets regularly to discuss issues facing researchers involved in clinical research including ethics approval processes
  • Member, Westmead Millennium Institute & Research Centres Science Council (since 2003): discusses issues affecting researchers at the Westmead Hospital campus and organises an annual retreat to encourage networking and the cross-pollination of ideas

2005 – Present: Peer review experience

  • Archives of General Psychiatry (IF: 13.936)
  • NeuroImage (IF: 5.559)
  • Human Brain Mapping (IF: 4.888)
  • Biological Psychiatry (IF: 7.154)
  • The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (IF: 5.184)
  • Psychiatry Research – Neuroimaging (IF: 2.310)
  • Biological Psychology (IF: 2.698)
  • Perceptual and Motor Skills (IF: 0.3)
  • Reviewer of abstracts submitted for Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research conference (2006)
  • Referee for the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Human Research Ethics Committee at Westmead Hospital (since 2004)

1997 – Present: Professional memberships

  • Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), (since 1997), involves regular engagement with clinical psychologists through research activities.
  • Member of the Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum (CINP) (since 2004)
  • Member of the Australasian Society for Psychophysiology (ASP) (since 2003)
  • Member of the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping (HBM) (since 2003)

 

 

Collaborations

International

Dr Pim Drinkenburg ( Johnson & Johnson, Belgium): Pim is a key collaborator on a recently completed project which I helped to coordinate. Preliminary outcomes are now published (R33) and we still meet on a monthly basis to discuss how to integrate neurogenetics information with neurophysiological and cognitive data.

Prof Pradeep Nathan ( University of Cambridge, UK): We have co-authored a total of 10 publications together relating to outcomes from my PhD (R2-R11, as well as two articles published in 2002) and have continued to collaborate (he is associate investigator my recent NHMRC project grant). Pradeep provides advice and direction on neuropsychopharmacology.

Ass Prof Stewart Shankman ( University of Illinois, USA): Stewart is a contributor to BRAINnet (http://www.brainnet.org.au/index.html), a multidisciplinary network of researchers studying the brain and mental health, using the Brain Resource International Database (BRID). We co-authored a paper on EEG asymmetry in post-traumatic stress disorder (R32) following much discussion and interpretation of data by email.

Dr Alexander Sumich (Kings College London, UK): Alex is another regular contributor to BRAINnet. We have co-authored a number of papers together relating to our joint interests in the markers of depressed mood and clinical depression (R14; R22).

National

Prof Peter Schofield (UNSW): Peter is another of my mentors and an associate investigator on my NHMRC project grant. He will provide advice and direction relating to the integration of neuroimaging and neurogenetics information.

Prof Richard Bryant (UNSW): Richard is head of the PTSD neuroimaging research group, of which I am part. We have co-authored a total of 18 articles together relating to the research activities of this group (R12; R14-R15; R17- R19; R22-R26; R28; R30-R32; R35-R37).

Prof C. Richard Clark ( Flinders University, Adelaide): We have co-authored a number of papers relating to the identification of markers of depressed mood and clinical depression (R30; R38; R43; R47; R48). We will continue to collaborate on the proposed project.

Prof Ashley Craig (UTS, Sydney): Ashley is another contributor to BRAINnet. Ashley invited me to co-author a paper on the biological basis of emotional intelligence (Craig, Kemp et al., under review) after reading a related article of mine (R31).

Local

Prof Lea Williams ( University of Sydney): Lea is director of BDC and mentor of my current NHMRC fellowship. We have co-authored a total of 26 articles together relating to research on emotion processing and its disorders (R28-R53), including two in the Journal of Neuroscience (R36-R37).

Prof Phillip Boyce ( University of Sydney): Philip is associate investigator on my NHMRC project grant and provides advice relating to MDD. His collaboration was recognised in a recent publication (R48).

Prof Timothy Usherwood ( University of Sydney): Tim provides ongoing advice relating to clinician recruitment strategies (see R48).

 

Employment (Research Only)

2005 – 2009: NHMRC Australian Biomedical (Peter Doherty) Fellow, The Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Hospital & School of Psychology, The University of Sydney

University of Sydney promotion to Senior Research Fellow (Level C), July 2007

Research focus:

  • examination of clinical, psychometric, neurogenetic and neuroimaging markers of depression and predictors of antidepressant response

 

July 2003 – March 2005: Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Brain Dynamics Centre, Sydney, Australia

Research focus:

  • examination of the neural correlates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) employing functional MRI
  • investigation of individual differences in emotion, social cognition, personality and emotional intelligence

 

1999 – Present: Research collaborator on various projects at Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne Australia

Research focus:

  • involvement in the development of the electroencephalogram for commercial application
  • examination of electroencephalographic similarities between a commonly prescribed antidepressant (cipramil) and a herbal agent ( St. John’s Wort)
  • clinical assessment of depressed individuals at the Albert Road Clinic (ARC), Melbourne Australia
  • examination of monamine depletion on mood, emotional regulation and cognitive function in healthy subjects
  • investigation of the neurophysiological and psychopharmacological characteristics of anticipatory anxiety
  • investigation of the effects of chronic administration of SSRIs on emotional processing in healthy female participants