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.