The CIPPRes Clinic

An NHS-Imperial collaborative research initiative set up to conduct pioneering psychopharmacology & psychedelic research at St Charles' Hospital
Purpose
The CNWL-Imperial Psychopharmacology & Psychedelic Research (CIPPRes) Clinic, launched in early 2021 at St Charles' Hospital, is a collaborative, multidisciplinary research initiative between Imperial College London and CNWL (Central & North West London Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust). The CIPPRes Clinic is set up to deliver exciting new experimental psychopharmacology research that could have a major positive impact in mental health and neuroscience. Clinic activities will focus on investigations of the brain’s mono-amine transmission and of brain/psychological actions of classic psychedelics and ketamine, in healthy populations and in addictions, OCD, eating disorders, and affective disorders. Multi-modal imaging study designs will be employed to assess neurotransmission and possible mechanisms, including brain plasticity and psychological flexibility, behind the therapeutic potential of the compounds in question. Imaging methods will include positron emission tomography (PET), functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electro-encephalography (EEG). PET/MRI will be undertaken at Hammersmith Hospital.
Who are involved?
The NHS-based CIPPRes Clinic will be run in close association with Imperial’s Centre for Psychedelic Research and Division of Psychiatry where most of the research staff will be anchored. The CIPPRes-based research will build on more than a decade of cutting-edge research by the Imperial College team. Researchers, data analysts, therapists and support staff from Imperial and clinical CNWL staff/trainees will work side by side on the outlined projects, while also collaborating with academics from around the world to deliver pioneering work. Strengths of the research team include seminal discoveries on mono-amine transmitter systems in addiction and depression, brain and therapeutic effects of psychedelics and associated compounds, as well as substantial experience running observational and citizen science (survey-based) studies, lab-based open-label studies, mixed model (survey-lab) studies, as well as randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials. Importantly, CIPPRes’ collaborative activities will allow both for unique research training opportunities for trainees and other staff in CNWL (and potentially also neighbouring Trusts) and for an important exchange of knowledge between academics and clinicians. The CIPPRes Clinic is headed by Dr David Erritzoe, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiatrist in general adult psychiatry (Imperial and CNWL), who is also the principal or chief investigator on the studies listed below.
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Ongoing and planned studies (sponsored by Imperial College London)
- Functional MRI study using reward circuit paradigms in problem gamblers and age-gender matched controls (Funded by Academy for Medical Sciences)
- Ketamine plasticity multi-imaging PET-MRI-EEG study in healthy volunteers (Funded by GE Healthcare). To view webpage and see how to volunteer click here.
- OCD study with medium dose psilocybin, with EEG neuroplasticity and cognitive flexibility testing. (Funded charity donation to Profs Nutt & Fineberg). To view webpage and see how to volunteer click here.
Associated studies not undertaken in CIPPRes
- Phase 1 & 2 trial with DMT infusions in healthy and patients suffering major depression. (Funder & Sponsor: SmallPharma Ltd)
- Global 5-MeO-DMT Survey Study (Sponsor: Imperial College)
CNWL Steering Group for CIPPRes
- Dr David Erritzoe, Director of CIPPRes Clinic
- Dr Gareth Jarvis, Medical Director, Jameson Division
- Dr Jasna Munjiza, Clinical Director, R&D Lead CNWL
- Joseph Peill, Operations Manager, CIPPRes Clinic
- Ann Sheridan, Managing Director, Jameson Division CNWL
- Dr Graham Behr, Westminster Clinical Director
- Kam Rai, Clinical Estates Director, CNWL
- Lynis Lewis, Service Director, R&D, Noclor
Additionally, senior CNWL and Imperial staff (e.g. from finance and pharmacy) will be invited for meetings with the steering group as required.
Team members
Sophia Armand
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Sophia Armand
Clinical psychologist; PhD candidate
Dr Alan Cross
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Dr Alan Cross
Consultant psychiatrist
Dr David Erritzoe
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Dr David Erritzoe
Director of CIPPRes Clinic, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiatrist
Nancy Katati
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Nancy Katati
Honorary Clinical Research Fellow; Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry
Luca Pellegrini
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Luca Pellegrini
Clinical Research Fellow; Specialist Trainee in Psychiatry
Dr Mamas Pipis
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Dr Mamas Pipis
Honorary Clinical Research Fellow; Specialist Registrar in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Dr Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
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Dr Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
Clinical psychologist; Associate Professor
Rayyan Zafar
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Rayyan Zafar
MRC DTP PhD Fellow
Key collaborators
Michelle Baker Jones
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Michelle Baker Jones
Lead Therapist (DMT therapy for depression) - Hammersmith Medicines Research
Dr Graham Campbell
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Dr Graham Campbell
Lead Psychiatrist (DMT therapy for depression) - Hammersmith Medicines Research
Professor Robin Carhart-Harris
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Professor Robin Carhart-Harris
Visiting Professor
Hannah Douglass
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Hannah Douglass
PhD student, Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London
Dr Elinor Farrell
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Dr Elinor Farrell
Honorary Clinical Research Fellow; Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry
Bruna Giribaldi
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Bruna Giribaldi
Pharmacologist; Clinical Trial Manager
Laura Kaertner
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Laura Kaertner
Honorary Research Associate, Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London
Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes
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Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes
Head of Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London
Professor David Nutt
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Professor David Nutt
Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research
Dr Arabo Shahenian
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Dr Arabo Shahenian
Consultant Psychiatrist, CNWL NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Meg Spriggs
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Dr Meg Spriggs
Post-doc, Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London
Atilla Szabo
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Atilla Szabo
Research Fellow at the K.G. Jebsen Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Karolina Wilgus
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Karolina Wilgus
Imperial College Medical Student