Ian Hickie

Biography

Professor Ian Hickie, AM is a psychiatrist and prominent mental health campaigner. He is a former NHMRC Australia Fellow heading the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre as a Co-Director for Health and Policy, and is one of Australia's first National Mental Health Commissioners. The Commission oversees enhanced accountability for mental health reform in Australia. Professor Hickie is an internationally renowned researcher in clinical psychiatry and a leading voice on mental health issues, with a special interest in youth mental health, and the prevention of and early intervention in emerging mood disorders. He has been instrumental in using clinical, health services and population health data to drive innovations in health services, particularly in primary care. In partnership with Professor Patrick McGorry, he has been at the forefront of developing the youth mental health service headspace: the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. Professor Hickie passionately advocates for enhanced health and social services for those with persistent mental illness and for increased accountability in the delivery of those services. As inaugural CEO of beyondblue: a national depression initiative, he established important depression awareness, prevention and early intervention programs. As Board Member for Research at the Mental Health Council of Australia (2003-2006), he was at the forefront of assessing consumers’ and carers’ experiences of mental health services. The findings underpinned the COAG agreement of 2006-2011 providing AUD 5.5 billion in additional expenditure for mental health and the introduction of access to psychological services within the Medicare scheme.

Research Interest

Professor Hickie’s clinical psychiatry research focuses on using new technologies (e.g. structural and functional neuroimaging; immune markers; circadian measurements) to delineate novel causes of depressive disorders, including the role of genetic (stress-sensitivity; disturbed circadian systems) and environmental factors (e.g. alcohol/substance misuse; dysfunctional relationships; infective illness; disturbed sleep patterns). He is internationally recognised for novel work in post-infective neuropsychiatric disorders (persistent fatigue states), for characterising the relevance of sub-cortical vascular disease to depression in the elderly, for leading population-based approaches to changing attitudes to mental health, and his role in increasing investments in new services (particularly youth services and e-mental health structures). In partnership with Professor McGorry, he has developed a clinical staging framework for emerging and severe mental disorders in young people. He is a key member of international studies (family and longitudinal studies) examining the onset of emerging mood disorders in the wider population.