Lead Investigator
Professor Emily Simonoff—Lead Investigator is a clinical psychiatrist, and Head of the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King’s College London (KCL). A leader in ASD research, she will manage all aspects of the project.Principal Investigators
Professor Gillian Baird is a consultant in children’s neurodisability at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. She is also the Vice President of the National Autism Society. Baird is an expert in autism diagnosis and care. Gillian works on the Biographies work package.
Professor Bryony Beresford is the Director of Research for the Children & Families Team research programme at the University of York. She will provide expertise in qualitative research for the programme. Her research interests focus on children’s experience of illness & disability. Bryony works on the Biographies work package.
Professor Tony Charman is a clinical psychologist at KCL and is an expert on early interventions for ASD with a particular focus on early childhood. Tony is a lead investigator on both the Predictors and Treatment work packages.
Martin Knapp is Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Personal Social Services Research Unit at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He has been Director of the School for Social Care Research since it was established by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) in 2008. Among a number of other roles he is a member of the World Dementia Council, Vice-President of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences.
Professor Declan Murphy is clinical psychiatrist at the IoP at KCL and an international expert in autism in adults and its neurobiology.
Professor Andrew Pickles is professor of biostatistics at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London (KCL), and has extensive experience of measurement in ASD.
Dr Paramala Santosh is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at KCL. Santosh has previously developed instruments for use in specialized populations with mental health needs. Dr Santosh leads on the ACB work package.
Stephen Scott is Professor of Child Health and Behaviour at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, and Director of the National Academy for Parenting Research. He is a Consultant Child Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital, where he heads the National Conduct Problems Team and the National Adoption and Fostering Team. His research interests include understanding biological and social determinants of disruptive behaviour and its economic impact and the role of attachment security in child and adolescent development.
Dr Vicky Slonims is a consultant speech and language therapist at St Thomas’ Hospital, and an honourary senior lecturer at KCL. She will chair the project’s Public Participation Panel, ensuring their engagement in all aspects of the programme.Research Team
Ellie Bennett recently joined us having graduated with a First Class degree in Psychology at University College London. Ellie is a researcher on the ACB work package.
Virginia Carter Leno recently completed a MSc in Developmental Neuroscience and is interested in understanding the mechanisms that drive externalizing behaviour and aggression in people with ASD. Virginia is a PhD student and researcher on the Predictors work package.
Edmund is the researcher on the biographies work package. He has a background in sociology and social policy research and is interested in the experiences and identities of young people with autism or other disabilities.
Dr Susie Chandler is a post-doctoral researcher on the IAMHealth project. She is interested in the developmental trajectories of children with autism, as well as the presentation and impact of psychiatric comorbidities in this group. Susie works on the Predictors work package.
Tom Madders is the NAS Head of Policy and Campaigns. NAS will disseminate the research findings at the end of the project.
Dr. Melanie Palmer is a post-doctoral researcher on the IAMHealth project. She recently completed a Universitas 21 Joint PhD from the universities of Auckland and Glasgow and is interested in parenting interventions for children with autism. Melanie works on the Treatment work package.
Carol Povey is the Director of the National Autism Society (NAS). She has been instrumental in identifying patients, parents/ carers and siblings for focus groups and the programme steering committee.
Dr Renee Romeo is a medical health statistician at the IoP at KCL. Her research interests include investigating the economic impact of community-based mental health services and treatment.
Dr Marina Romero Gonzalez is a medical doctor, specialising in psychiatry. She completed her PhD with a distinction at the University of Malaga (Spain) and is interested in expressed emotion in people with ASD. She works on the Predictors work package.
Dr Joanne Tarver has just completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham and is working on developing the Assessment of Concerning Behaviour Scale (ACB). Joanne is a researcher on the ACB work package.
Dr Silia Vitoratou is a research fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London (KCL) with expertise in Psychometrics.
Pippa White recently graduated with a distinction in her MSc and is interested in positive behaviour support for individuals with learning disability. Pippa is a researcher on the Predictors work package.
Isabel Yorke has just completed her MSc at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre and is now a PhD student interested in the environmental factors that contribute to additional mental health problems in people with ASD. Isabel works on the Predictors work package.
Thomas Cawthorne graduated with a distinction in his MSc in Developmental Psychopathology from Durham university with his dissertation focussing on the emotional and behavioural problems in Autism and William’s Syndrome. Tom now works on the Treatment work package aiming to reduce concerning behaviours in 4-8 year olds with Autism.
Dr Juan Paris is a psychiatrist working as a Clinical & Research Fellow supported by a grant that focuses on advancement in child & adolescent mental health from the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation. Apart from his specialist training, he has done an MsC on Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Psychology with the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, and is interested in research in Autism and clinical work in different areas of CAMHS. Juan works on the Treatment work package
Nathalie is a researcher on the ACB work package.
Mathilde is a researcher on the ACB work package.