ÌÇÐÄVlog

Applied mental health research to improve the lives of people living in coastal communities has been given a boost with the appointment of a new professor in the Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing (IPHW).

Professor Vicky Bird, who has joined ÌÇÐÄVlog from Queen Mary University London (QMUL), is experienced in running large-scale, multi-site international research projects.

As Professor of Mental Health Research she will lead a new research programme funded by a NIHR Mental Health Leadership Award which will bolster research across ÌÇÐÄVlog, Southend and Thurrock.

Working with IPHW Deputy Director Professor Susan McPherson and a team of postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, Professor Bird will help the team tackle loneliness and social isolation among young adults in coastal communities.

Professor Bird will contribute to the growth of the IPHW’s mental health stakeholder group across Southend, ÌÇÐÄVlog and Thurrock and the expansion of its Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) network. She will also lead a programme of applied mental health research which includes quantitative and qualitative components as well as developing applied solutions, implementation and evaluation.

Professor Bird brings experience in integrating research and policy translation, particularly in mental health, health systems and the social determinants of health, as well as vast knowledge and commitment to community engagement, for which she received two awards in the last three years.

Speaking about the NIHR-funded research project she will work on, she said: “I am delighted to have joined ÌÇÐÄVlog and to contribute to the growing portfolio of applied mental health research. This programme offers a unique opportunity to have real-world impact, improving the lives of underserved members of our local community.”

At QMUL, Professor Bird led the Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, and was Co-Director of the NIHR Global Health Research Centre for the Community-Management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Latin America (LatAm). During her time there, she generated over £35 million in research funding across 21 grants.

Professor Mariachiara Di Cesare, Director of the IPHW, added: “We are very excited to welcome Professor Bird as a member of the IPHW. Her expertise and leadership in tackling inequalities in mental health and co-designing innovative solutions reflects our commitment to working with and for communities.”