Dr David Coghill Phone:+44 (0)13 823 83096 Fax:- Email

 

Institute presentation

The University of Dundee is a leading UK institute for medical research. The Dundee Developmental Research Group (DDRG, headed up by Dr David Coghill) specializes in high quality clinical care and research into various child and adolescent neuropsychiatric disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Conduct Disorder, and Depression.
This group sits within the Division of Neuroscience which includes all of the Universities’ mental health and basic neuroscience research. The Division of Neuroscience itself is based within the Medical Research Institute and the School of Medicine. The DDRG conducts a wide range of research ranging from laboratory based molecular genetics and pharmacogenomics, through neuroimaging, neuropsychology and neuropsychopharmacology to studies into quality of life.
The team has particular experience in research involving ADHD and conduct disorder and are experienced in imaging children and adolescents with these disorders. The group’s clinical research is conducted alongside the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services with whom we share staff and have strong links. This service receives around 1000 new referrals each year.
Clinical studies are conducted within a dedicated children’s clinical trial facility that is supported by the Scottish Medicines for Children Research Network. As such, research into the efficacy and safety of medication treatment for psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents is on the priority list of research activities. The University of Dundee has a strong commitment to psychiatric imaging. A specific aim of this work, led by Prof Douglas Steele, is to identify diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for mood disorders, drug addiction, schizophrenia, OCD and ADHD. Key research approaches include human behavioural studies, structural and functional MRI, development of novel image processing methods and application of quantitative models of brain function.