Research

We understand that mental health disorders are some of the most challenging health issues in our society. That's why Ramsay Mental Health is leading the way in this research.

The Ramsay Clinic Albert Road Research Unit (RCARRU) is dedicated to finding new treatments for conditions like anxiety, depression, addiction and more. Led by Professor Malcolm Hopwood, our team conducts groundbreaking research that help improve mental health outcomes.

Want to be part of the solution?

  • Join a research study: Help us test new treatments and make a difference.
  • Become a healthy volunteer: Contribute to research without being directly affected.

Participation in any research project or Clinical Trial is voluntary. Our dedicated team will ensure that you are treated with the utmost care and follow strict protocols, regulatory and ethical guidelines to ensure your privacy and confidentiality is always maintained.

All research run at RCARRU has been reviewed and approved by a NH&MRC registered Human Research Ethics Committee.

Our Current Research Trials

Please browse below our current research trials. Should you wish to enquire about a specific trial, take note of the trial's unique protocol number and contact us using the contact form under the list of trials. To explore Ramsay Health Care's broader research efforts please visit Ramsay Research.

Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety

A Phase 2 Double-Blind Study of XW10508 Modified Release Tablets Assessing Safety and Efficacy in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder
Protocol No XW10508-104
Description Evaluating the safety and efficacy of an investigational drug, XW10508 MR, in participants with depression.
Sponsor/Funding XW Laboratories (Australia) Pty Ltd
  Click here for more information
The Candesartan Adjunctive Bipolar Depression Trial - CADET: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Protocol No CADET BD
Description This study will test if a well-known blood pressure medication Candesartan may help recovery for people with Bipolar Depression.
Sponsor/Funding Deakin University / Medical Research Future Fund
  Click here for more information
Pharmacogenetics for Severe Mood Disorders: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Protocol No PMD01
Description The aim of this study to evaluate how useful the Amplis – EVO™ Mental Health genetic test is in assisting doctors prescribing decisions in the treatment of severe mood disorders.
Sponsor/Funding University of Melbourne / Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation
  Click here for more information
Efficacy and Safety of HB-1 for Panic Disorder: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Protocol No HB-PD-002
Description Efficacy and Safety of HB-1 for Panic Disorder: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Sponsor/Funding Accelagen Pty Ltd
  Click here for more information

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

The Randomised Controlled Trial of Frontoparietal and Temporoparietal Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for Severe Depression: The RAFT ECT Study
Protocol No X22-0018
Description This study aims to compare the effects of two forms of ECT on mood and thinking as a treatment for severe depression.
Sponsor/Funding The George Institute for Global Health / National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia
  Click here for more information

Healthy Volunteers

Would you like to be a part of ground breaking medical research? Some of the Research conducted at the Ramsay Clinic Albert Road involves Healthy Volunteers as part of the control group or placebo group. This may involve participation in questionnaires, medical assessments or using diagnostic equipment. Travel costs, meals or time may be reimbursed depending on the Research, the participation required and time involved.

Health Volunteers play a very important role in improving healthcare options for the community, please consider volunteering today via the Contact Us form below.

Research and the Community

Ramsay Health Care has partnered with the charity Someone Who Cares to establish an efficient and effective program of distributing medical equipment and goods to disadvantaged communities in Australia and overseas.

RCARRU proudly donates unused research laboratory supplies to communities in need while also reducing unnecessary landfill.

Clin Trial Refer

Ramsay Health Care has partnered with Clin Trial Refer, a mobile app and website platform which allows doctors and patients to independently search for actively recruiting clinical trials and to access trial site locations and contact details in real time.  

Contact Us

To stay informed about future research opportunities please reach out to us via, email, phone or the contact us form below.

Email: researchrecruitment.arc@ramsayhealth.com.au
Phone: 03 9279 3569

For more information about Research throughout the Ramsay network, please visit Ramsay Research.

Research Contact Us


Recent Publications

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Older Adults: A Global Collaboration on Setting the Future Research Agenda

Sjacko Sobczak, Vasiliki Orgeta, Margreet Beenakker, Marco Boks, Margherita Boltri, Monica Cations, Estelle Coeur, Joan M Cook, Xavier Corveleyn, Ashley-Nicole Dorame, Gea C van Dijk, Barbara Forresi, Stéfanie Fréel, Denise Gómez-Bautista, Mia Maria Günak, Demi CD Havermans, Malcolm Hopwood et al

The Lancet Healthy Longevity

2025

Plasma Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Neurofilament Light Are Elevated in Bipolar Depression: Evidence for Neuroprogression and Astrogliosis

Matthew JY Kang, Dhamidhu Eratne, Olivia Dean, Michael Berk, Adam J Walker, Cassandra Wannan, Charles B Malpas, Claudia Cicognola, Shorena Janelidze, Oskar Hansson, Jasleen Grewal, Philip B Mitchell, Malcolm Hopwood, Christos Pantelis, Alexander F Santillo, Dennis Velakoulis

Bipolar Disorder

2025

REPURPOSING CANDESARTAN, THE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUG, FOR TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

Johnny Park, Melanie Ashton, Judy Hope, Chee Ng, Malcolm Hopwood, Jon-Paul Khoo, Gin Malhi, Brisa Fernandes, Stella May Gwini, John Amerena, Trisha Suppes, Mary Lou Chatterton, Lana Williams, Adam Walker, Alyna Turner, Andre Carvalho, Andrew Nierenberg, Emily Moriaty, Lars Kessing, Mohammedreza Mohebbi, Seetal Dodd, Steven Moylan, Jose Segal, John Tiller, Joel King, Jeremy Couper, Jee Hyun Kim, Olivia Dean, Michael Berk

International Journal of Peuopsychopharmacology

2025

Describing the burden of disease amongst inpatients with treatment resistant major depressive disorder in Australia

Melanie Hurley, Angela Komiti, Malcolm Hopwood

Australasian Psychiatry

2025

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Ultrabrief Right Unilateral ECT With Frontoparietal Versus Temporoparietal Electrode Placement for Severe Depression—The RAFT ECT Trial

Colleen Loo, Ana Rita Barreiros, Donel Martin, Vanessa Dong, Mark S George, William V McCall, Shanthi Sarma, Malcolm Hopwood, Alan Weiss, Michael Bull, Clara M Tuneu, Angelo Alonzo, Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic, Anthony Rodgers, Gregory L Sahlem, Anna J Harvey, Kate Haldane, Louise Brettell, Paul B Fitzgerald, Socrates Dokos, Harold Sackeim

The Journal of ECT

2024

Apathy and Affective Symptoms Associated with Elevated Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers

Matthew JY Kang, Dhamidhu Eratne, Samantha M Loi, Christa Dang, Alexander F Santillo, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Philip B Mitchell, Malcolm Hopwood, Charles B Malpas, Dennis Velakoulis, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

medRxiv

2024

Neurofilament light and glial fibrillary acidic protein in mood and anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Matthew JY Kang, Jasleen Grewal, Dhamidhu Eratne, Charles Malpas, Wei-Hsuan Chiu, Kasper Katisko, Eino Solje, Alexander F Santillo, Philip B Mitchell, Malcolm Hopwood, Dennis Velakoulis

Brain, Behaviour and Immunity

2024

Facilitating routine data collection to improve clinical quality and research in Interventional Psychiatry: The CARE Network

Vanessa Dong, Louise Brettell, Clara Massaneda-Tuneu, Ana Rita Barreiros, Thanh Vinh Cao, Catherine Kelly, Yucheng Zeng, Nobuatsu Aoki, Phern-Chern Tor, Adam Bayes, Grace Branjerdporn, Shanthi Sarma, Elaine Kwan, Sue Waite, Titus Mohan, Salam Hussain, Verónica Gálvez, Alan Weiss, Michael Bull, Mary Lou Chatterton, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Nick Glozier, Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic, Malcolm Hopwood, Philip Mitchell, Brian Power, Grant Sara, Karen Wells, Colleen Loo, Donel Martin

Australia & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

2024

A real-world study examining the impact of esketamine nasal spray in people living with major depressive disorder in Australia and New Zealand

Malcolm Hopwood, Elizabeth M Scott, David Codyre, David Barton, Andrea Puig, Jarrad King, Gero Joks, Ian B Hickie

Psychiatry Research Communications

2024

SUBGROUP ANALYSIS OF AN AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY AMONG IN PATIENTS WITH ANXIETY AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

M Hopwood, A Puig, G Joks, D Codyre

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

2024

WHEN, HOW AND IF TO USE PHARMACOGENETICS (PGx) IN YOUR CLINICAL PRACTICE

A Singh, M Hopwood

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

2024

INNOVATIONS IN PSYCHIATRY: SEPARATING WHEAT FROM CHAFF-AN EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSION

D Castle, M Cross, C Davey, P Fitzgerald, M Galbally, J Hope, M Hopwood, S Loi, C Loo, A Singh, S Sundram

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

2024

Ensuring the affordable becomes accessible–lessons from ketamine, a new treatment for severe depression

Anthony Rodgers, Dilara Bahceci, Christopher G Davey, Mary Lou Chatterton, Nick Glozier, Malcolm Hopwood, Colleen Loo

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

2024