NOVEL FORMS OF BRAIN STIMULATION & PSYCHEDELIC ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
With
Professor Paul Fitzgerald,
Director, School of Medicine and Psychology,
Australian National University, Canberra, Australia &
Principal Investigator, Paratus Clinical, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Canberra, Australia | November 2025
Professor Paul Fitzgerald is the Head of the School of Medicine and Psychology at the Australian National University. He is an academic psychiatrist with a MBBS degree, Masters of Psychological Medicine and research PhD.
He has conducted an extensive range of experimental studies and clinical trials, focused on the development of novel treatment options for patients with mental health conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, autism and Alzheimer’s disease.
Professor Fitzgerald has a special interest in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and other novel treatments using forms of non-invasive brain stimulation. He has had continual NHMRC grant support for 20 years and over $10 million in research support in the last 5 years. He has published several books, over 550 journal articles and been cited over 30,000 times.
He has established multiple clinical rTMS services, founded several device and clinical service companies and led a national application to MSAC in the Federal Department of Health which resulted, in 2021, in Medicare funding ($280 million in year 1) for rTMS therapy for patients with depression.
Professor Fitzgerald currently leads an innovative school at the ANU which combines both the ANU Medical Program and former Research School of Psychology focussed on education and research approaches integrating perspectives across mind, body and culture.
Source: Supplied
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4217-8096
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Relationship between language-literacy skills and mental health
In an innovative move towards enhancing mental health services, Associate Professor Amanda Neil and team, supported by the RHH Research Foundation, are undertaking a crucial study on language-literacy skills of patients within mental health care settings. This year-long project, which commenced in April 2024, seeks to unravel to what extent, where and for whom language-literacy skills are being considered in Tasmanian mental health service provision.
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Paediatric haemorrhage and airway procedures
Dr Shane George is a paediatric critical care physician working in paediatric emergency medicine and paediatric intensive care at Gold Coast University Hospital. He is the clinical lead for children’s critical care research for Gold Coast Health, and is a Senior Lecturer at The University of Queensland and Griffith University.
Associate Professor George is also an active clinician researcher on topics that span both emergency medicine and PICU practice including safety in emergency intubation, sepsis, haemostatic resuscitation in children and respiratory support therapies.
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Investigating invasive lobular carcinoma and metaplastic breast cancer sub-types
Assoc Prof McCart Reed is the scientific lead on an MRFF-funded (Medical Research Future Fund) genomics program investigating the potential for the application of Whole Genome Sequencing in the breast cancer care pathway in Australia, ‘Q-IMPROvE’. She applies genomics and spatial transcriptomics methodologies to archival clinical samples to understand the differences between tumour types and their potential for treatment. Amy is passionate about clinical research, biobanking and precision oncology. In addition to her breast cancer research portfolio, she is on the steering committee for the Brisbane Breast Bank and the Scientific Advisory Board for Breast Cancer Trials.
