Bernadka Dubicka

Biography

I trained as a child psychiatrist at St George's Hospital, London and in Manchester. Whilst in Manchester I became interested in affective disorder through working with the late Professor Richard Harrington, as a clinical research fellow on the ADAPT study of adolescent depression. My MD thesis was on the implications of behaviour disorder in this sample for which I was awarded a gold medal in 2009. During this time I collaborated with Professor Gabrielle Carlson of Stony Brook University, New York, on a study examining the diagnosis of mania in children, which has been replicated in a number of countries, including the US, Australia, Japan and the Czech Republic. I have published on the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder and have conducted meta-analyses on suicidality and antidepressants and on the combined treatment of depression. Currently I am a principle investigator in a large psychological treatment study of adolescent depression (IMPACT, chief PI Professor Ian Goodyer, University of Cambridge, funding body HTA, due for publication 2016), which is one of the largest studies of its kind internationally, and aims to examine longer-term outcomes of depression.

Research Interest

My principle research interest is affective disorder, in particular, the treatment of adolescent depression, suicidality and the recognition and treatment of early onset mania. I was a research fellow on the ADAPT trial of adolescent depression, which to date is the only such UK trial, and one of the most impaired depressed samples yet studied internationally. In 2009, I was awarded a rare gold medal for my MD thesis on the implications of behaviour disorder in depressed adolescents. I am currently a principle investigator on the Impact trial of adolescent depression, which is a large multi-centre study, led by Professor Ian Goodyer, University of Cambridge. I have conducted a cross-national study on the diagnosis of mania in children which is being replicated by a number of research groups internationally, and have published several meta-analyses on the treatment of depression. Current research plans include collaboration with other UK research groups to study cost-effective interventions for mood diorders.