The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) is a national network of centres of excellence in mental health translational and clinical research that facilitates collaboration with charities and industry partners. The NIHR Mental Health TRC is co-led by Chair Professor John Geddes from the NIHR Oxford Health BRC and Chair Emeritus Professor Matthew Hotopf from the NIHR Maudsley BRC. The collaboration involves over 50 academics from key mental health research centres and hospitals across the UK.

QUB School of Psychology, has recently joined this collaboration. This effort is led by Professor Cherie Armour who has established a local group including several academics from QUB, in partnership with the IMPACT research centre and Professor Ciaran Shannon from NHSCT psychological services.

Northern Ireland will be represented on a number of the MH-TRC sub-committees, including: 

• Mood disorders, particularly treatment-resistant depression
• Early psychosis
• Medical informatics
• Children and young people’s mental health.

Professor Cherie Armour said:

“This is such an exciting opportunity for many colleagues working in mental health research in Northern Ireland. Membership of the MH-TRC will facilitate a wide range of opportunities for colleagues from Northern Ireland to become involved in funded programmes of research that are being conducted on a national level in each of the four nations of the UK. Opportunities will be discussed in each of the working groups and then again at a local level allowing the team to identify potential NI based partners. In a similar vein, when NI leads on a programme of research we will have a streamlined mechanism by which we can identify partners in other UK nations. By working collaboratively, we can accelerate research that will help those living with mental illness here in Northern Ireland and beyond.  I am also delighted that this initiative also further strengthens our relationship with the NHSCTs new IMPACT research centre (https://www.impactresearchcentre.co.uk/) based in Psychological services”.

Professor Ciaran Shannon said:

“This is good news for mental health services in Northern Ireland.  We have strengthened our relationship with Queens University Belfast and researchers throughout the UK.  Multiple opportunities will present themselves to improve treatment approaches to mental health in Northern Ireland and improve the outcomes of those who attend services.  We have great challenges in terms of mental health here and it is only through collaboration and through high quality research that we can begin to meet some of these challenges”.