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, Schizophrenia

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
A study to test the effect of different doses of BI 1358894 and quetiapine in people with depression
Protocol No 1402-0011
Description The purpose of this trial is to Investigate whether the investigational drug, called BI 1358894, may help patients with Major Depressive Disorder, who do not sufficiently respond to their current antidepressant medication, to improve. The study will also compare the safety and effectiveness of different doses of the investigational drug called BI 1358894 with a placebo and the TGA approved drug Quetiapine in participants with Major Depressive Disorder.
Sponsor/Funding Boehringer Ingelheim
  Click here for more information
MiND: Markers in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Protocol No MiND
Description A common clinical question faced by psychiatrists is whether a person’s symptoms are due to their mental illness, medications, or the first sign of neurological conditions. This study investigate whether a blood protein called neurofilament light (NfL), found in brain cells and released into the blood stream when brain cells are injured or dying (e.g. dementia), can help psychiatrists to answer this question.
Sponsor/Funding Melbourne Health
  Click here for more information

Substance misuse & addictions

A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Personalised Approach Bias Modification for Patients Undergoing Residential Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Disorder
Protocol No MAAT
Description The aims of this study are to determine whether the brain-training reduces people’s approach bias towards methamphetamine-related images, whether the brain-training reduces methamphetamine craving and other methamphetamine dependence symptoms and whether the brain-training helps prevent relapse to methamphetamine use after leaving rehab.
Sponsor/Funding National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs
  Click here for more information
AAT-App Rehabilitation Trial: The effect of smartphone-delivered cognitive training on relapse and treatment re-admission among patients leaving residential alcohol treatment
Protocol No ATT-App
  "Approach bias modification" (ApBM) is a computerised "brain-training" intervention that has previously been shown to help prevent relapse in people who have been treated for alcohol use disorder. ApBM is designed to reduce impulses to use alcohol. This study willdeliver ApBM using a smartphone app called "AAT-App" (Alcohol Avoidance Training App). This trial will test whether providing AAT-App to patients when they complete residential rehabilitation treatment for alcohol use disorder helps prevent relapse.
Sponsor/Funding Monash University
  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

Mothers and Babies

Building Early Attachment & Resilience (BEAR)- An evaluation of a relational parent-infant group program for use in a mental health facility
Protocol No BEAR
Description This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a relational-based, parental-infant outpatients’ program – the “Building Early Attachment and Resilience” (BEAR) program, designed for providing early intervention and parenting support for families needing extra support and who have been referred to a private mental health facility.
Sponsor/Funding The University of Melbourne
  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 Rotary 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.

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

Positioning of psychodynamic psychotherapy in the treatment of depression: A comparison of the RANZCP 2020 and NICE 2022 guidelines

GS Malhi, E Bell, D Bassett, P Boyce, P Hazell, M Hopwood, B Lyndon, ...

Australasian Psychiatry, 10398562231159329

2023

Key features of adolescent inpatient units and development of a checklist to improve consistency in reporting of settings

C Hayes, M Simmons, V Palmer, B Hamilton, C Simons, M Hopwood

Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 30 (1), 74-100

2023

Use of olanzapine to treat agitation in traumatic brain injury: a series of n-of-one trials

RK Phyland, A McKay, J Olver, M Walterfang, M Hopwood, M Ponsford, ...

Journal of Neurotrauma 40 (1-2), 33-51

2023

A qualitative study of the expectations, experiences, and perceptions that underpin decisions regarding PTSD treatment in help-seeking veterans

M Hinton, O Metcalf, T Varker, G Roebuck, V McGaw, L Watson, ...

Military medicine

2022

Shared guidelines and protocols to achieve better health outcomes for people living with serious mental illness

M Morgan, MJ Hopwood, JA Dunbar

The Medical Journal of Australia 217 (Suppl 7), S34

2022

The Potential Impact of a Public Health Approach to Improving the Physical Health of People Living with Mental Illness

R Roberts, C Johnson, M Hopwood, J Firth, K Jackson, G Sara, J Allan, ...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 (18), 11746

2022

The management of depression: the evidence speaks for itself

GS Malhi, E Bell, D Bassett, P Boyce, R Bryant, M Hopwood, B Lyndon, ...

The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1-3

2022

Using an ecological momentary assessment protocol to understand problem anger in veterans

T Varker, HA Arjmand, O Metcalf, S Cowlishaw, M O'Donnell, D Forbes, ...

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 76, 101746

2022

What works for whom when treating major depression with psychotherapy?

G Murray, E Bell, D Bassett, P Boyce, R Bryant, P Hazell, M Hopwood, ...

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 56 (9), 1200-1202

2022

NICE guideline for depression ranks short‐term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STTP)

GS Malhi, E Bell, P Boyce, R Mulder, D Bassett, A Hamilton, G Morris, ...

Bipolar Disorders 24 (5), 467-471

2022

Changes in private psychiatric practice in Australia: An analysis of trends in claims for outpatient Medicare item numbers over 14 years

M Forbes, H Sizer, R Khanna, M Hopwood, J Green, B Pring

Australasian Psychiatry 30 (4), 526-529

2022

An evidence-based perspective on the 2020 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines

GS Malhi, E Bell, D Bassett, P Boyce, R Bryant, P Hazell, M Hopwood, ...

Australasian Psychiatry 30 (4), 447-451

2022

Open innovation: the key to advancing brain health

HA Eyre, J Searfoss, M Hopwood, M Berk, S Chen, J Cummings, F Veron, ...

CNS spectrums, 1-3

2022

Effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for depression after adult traumatic brain injury: An umbrella review

AJ Hicks, FJ Clay, AC James, M Hopwood, JL Ponsford

Neuropsychology review, 1-39

2022

Evidence is king: A defence of evidence‐based recommendations

GS Malhi, E Bell, D Bassett, P Boyce, R Bryant, P Hazell, M Hopwood, ...

Bipolar Disorders 24 (4), 351-353

2022

EFFICACY OF SWITCHING TO LURASIDONE AND ARIPIPRAZOLE ON MANAGING METABOLIC DISTURBANCE IN AUSTRALIAN PATIENTS TAKING ANTIPSYCHOTICS

M Hopwood, D George

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 56 (1_ SUPPL), 205-206

2022

DIAGNOSIS AND DECISION-MAKING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MAJOR DEPRESSION: ILLUSTRATED CASE STUDIES

GS Malhi, E Bell, D Bassett, P Boyce, M Hopwood, R Mulder, R Porter

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 56 (1_ SUPPL), 164-164

2022

The IDeAS in MIDAS:'Keeping it real!'

GS Malhi, E Bell, P Boyce, M Hopwood, D Bassett, R Mulder, RJ Porter

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry 56 (5), 569-570

2022

rTMS and treatment-resistant depression: The need to consider class action!

GS Malhi, E Bell, Z Mannie, P Boyce, M Hopwood, D Bassett, R Mulder, ...

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 56 (4), 323-327

2022

Tau, β-amyloid, and glucose metabolism following service-related Traumatic Brain Injury in Vietnam war veterans: The AIBL-VETS study

V Doré, TL Cummins, A Feizpour, N Krishnadas, P Bourgeat, A Elias, ...

medRxiv, 2022.03. 10.22272230

2022

Positive behaviour support for adults with acquired brain injury and challenging behaviour: A randomised controlled trial

JL Ponsford, AJ Hicks, KR Gould, MG Downing, M Hopwood, TJ Feeney

Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine 65 (2), 101604

2022

Cross-lagged analyses of anger and PTSD symptoms among veterans in treatment.

S Cowlishaw, O Metcalf, J Little, M Hinton, D Forbes, T Varker, J Agathos, ...

Psychological trauma: theory, research, practice, and policy 14 (2), 336

2022

Reducing metabolic syndrome in Australian patients: Metabolic Management During Antipsychotic Prescribing (MMAP) programme

DJ Castle, M Hopwood, S Rege, DB George

Australasian Psychiatry 30 (1), 84-89

2022