I am a postdoctoral researcher within the Psychopharmacology and Emotion Research Lab (PERL). My main project is an MRC-funded grant investigating the effect of a 5-HT4 partial agonist on emotional and non-emotional cognitive processing in a) unmedicated patients with depression and b) patients with depression resistant to SSRIs.

I recruited 60+ patients and collected blood samples and clinical data at baseline (before commencing clozapine), as well as at three further time points. This provided a unique data set to further our understanding of the mechanism of clozapine, explore associations between DNA methylation and symptom changes over time, and identify potential biomarkers of response. Research Skills:• Recruiting, assessing capacity, consenting and conducting assessments with psychiatric patients… Show more I recruited 60+ patients and collected blood samples and clinical data at baseline (before commencing clozapine), as well as at three further time points. This provided a unique data set to further our understanding of the mechanism of clozapine, explore associations between DNA methylation and symptom changes over time, and identify potential biomarkers of response. Research Skills:• Recruiting, assessing capacity, consenting and conducting assessments with psychiatric patients o Semi-structured interviews (including PANSS and OPCRIT)o Liaising with clinical staff from multi-disciplinary teams • R Programming, including use of Bioconductor packages• Understanding of procedures for bisulfite sequencing of DNA, with Illumina 450k arrays • Coordinating with numerous research sites e.g. transferring human tissue samples between sites• Utilising databases of clinical records• Applying for ethical approval for NHS sites via IRAS and HTAPUBLICATIONSGillespie A, Ruta Samanaite, Mill J, Egerton A, MacCabe J. (2017) Is Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia Categorically Distinct from Treatment-Responsive Schizophrenia? A Systematic Review. BMC Psychiatry, 17;12, s12888-016-1177-y.(in review) Kravariti E*, Gillespie A*, Smart S*, Mayberry C, Meehan A, Bream D, Musiar P, Vitoratou S, Stahl D, Dyer K, Sukhwinder S, Coate K, Yiend J (2016). Applying the Higher Education Academy Framework for Partnership in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education to Online Partnership Learning Communities: A Case Study and an Extended Model. Manuscript submitted for publication.*joint first authorPOSTERSGillespie A, Hannon E, Dempster E, McQueen G, Avila A, Lally J, Collier D, Egerton A, Mill J, MacCabe J. M152. Longitudinal epigenetic analysis of clozapine use in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: data from the Crestar Consortium. Poster session presented at 5th Biennial Schizophrenia International Research Society Conference. 2-6 April, 2016; Florence, Italy. Show less

Audience: BSc Psychology first and second year studentsContent: (modules) Research Methods, Psychology and the Individual, Distorted ThinkingContribution: Seminars, practicals, marking formative and summative essays, exam invigilation

KCLSU Laurel for outstanding and significant contributions to the King’s College London Community

Employed part-time for a HEA funded project developing and evaluating a model of online learning partnerships communities with a disciplinary focus. This included running focus groups, developing an E-Helpdesk, writing guidance for the sector and co-authoring an educational publication.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention for PTSD in ex-service personnel.

Widening participation work including classroom visits, mentoring schemes and summer schools

Social psychology research exploring the relationship between prejudice, discrimination and attachment.