Our final cohort of University College London (UCL) Mental Health Science PhD students would love you to get involved with their research

About the Programme

Our collaboration with UCL Mental Health Science PhD students began in October 2020. Since then, each years six students have joined the course, which is generously funded by the Wellcome Trust. It offers an exciting opportunity for students to develop expertise in cutting-edge methods and techniques in mental health research, and involving people with lived experience in students’ research is one of the key priorities of the programme.

Since the start, Co-Production Collective has partnered with every cohort, delivering sessions that highlight the value of involving people with lived and living experience in research. These sessions also provide practical guidance on applying co-production principles in real-world projects.

Topics explored include

• The core values underpinning co-production
• The importance of sharing power and responsibility
• Accessibility consideration
• Strategies for embedding meaningful co-production principles in research projects
• Ensuring safety and understanding safeguarding in co-production spaces
• How to put co-production principles into practice

This year, we’re working with our fifth cohort and inviting you to support their PhD projects.

How you can get involved

Students are seeking individuals with lived or living experience of mental health challenges to join their thesis committees. These committees made up of researchers, mental health professionals, and people with lived experience (including family members or carers) - provide guidance and feedback throughout the three-year research journey.

Committee members help by:

• Reviewing written reports
• Advising on presentations
• Offering constructive feedback and support

Committees meet 5–10 times over the project timeline, and contributions are recorded in the student’s online Research Log. As a lived experience advisor, you won’t be asked to share personal stories during meetings.

Payment: £25 per hour (including up to one hour of preparation time per meeting). Claiming payment is optional.

The deadline for expressing interest in any of these roles is 17:00 (UK Time) on Monday 5 January 2026.

Keep reading to meet the fifth cohort of Mental Health Science PhD students and learn more about their projects—and how you can get involved!

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the students over the past four years, and thanks in advance for your continued support this year.

Projects Mental Health PhD students would love your support with

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Addressing Self Criticism with Nitrous Oxide 

Alex is a PhD student researching whether a brief, supervised dose of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) combined with a guided exercise can help reduce self-criticism and promote more supportive self-talk in people who binge eat.

Alex is looking to recruit one person aged 18–50 with lived experience of an eating disorder such as binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa.

Read more about this opportunity.‍

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The impact of social safety nets on outcomes and inequalities in mental health

Anabelle is a PhD student researching how social safety nets (such as government benefits) influence mental health outcomes and inequalities. Her work aims to understand whether such programmes can improve mental health and reduce disparities across social groups.

Anabelle is looking to recruit two people aged 18+ who have both lived experience of mental health difficulties and received UK government benefits, to join her thesis committee as a lived experience advisor.

Read more about this opportunity.

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Investigating the brain mechanisms underlying hallucinations 

Luna is a PhD student studying the brain mechanisms behind impaired insight in individuals who experience hallucinations, which are subjective experiences that do not correspond to the external world.

Luna is looking to recruit two lived experience advisors aged 18+ who have experienced auditory and/or visual hallucinations (this can be people who know they are hallucinating or not) to join her thesis committee, which will meet online about every six months over three years.

Read more about this opportunity.

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‍‍‍The effects of the menstrual cycle on psychedelics

Ros is a PhD student researching how phases of the menstrual cycle might interact with psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin (also known as “magic mushrooms”), to help inform how these treatments could be offered to help women with mental health problems like depression, anxiety and depression. Her work explores whether hormonal fluctuations, such as changes in oestrogen and progesterone, affect the subjective and therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs, which could help tailor psychedelic therapies for women.

Ros is looking to recruit two lived experience advisors aged 18+ who either have experience with psychedelic drugs in a therapeutic setting (e.g., retreats) and/or experience severe pre-menstrual symptoms to join her thesis committee. Members will meet online 6–10 times over three years to provide input on study design, recruitment, interpretation of results, and dissemination.

Read more about this opportunity.

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Identifying Treatment for Anhedonia 

Shalini is a PhD student at UCL researching treatments for anhedonia, which is the reduced ability to feel pleasure or interest in activities people usually enjoy. Her work uses large-scale genetic data to identify the role of genes that increase the risk of Anhedonia, explore drug repurposing, and develop personalised medicine approaches to improve treatment outcomes for people with depression and related conditions.

Shalini is looking to recruit up to two lived experience advisors aged 18+ who have personal experience of depression and symptoms of anhedonia to join her thesis committee. Members will help shape the research, review accessible materials, and provide input on interpreting results and dissemination.

‍Read more about this opportunity.

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‍Exploring the Mechanisms and Pathways Contributing to Dementia in Parkinson’s Disease

Steve is a PhD student researching dementia in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on why some people with Parkinson’s develop dementia while others do not. His project combines analysis of large datasets (including brain imaging and biological data) with laboratory studies using stem cells and animal models, in order to understand the brain circuits involved, and inform better treatments for cognitive symptoms such as difficulties with memory and concentration.

 Steve is looking to recruit a lived experience advisor aged 50+ with a Parkinson’s diagnosis to join his thesis committee. The role involves attending around five online meetings over three years, reviewing project updates, and sharing insights to guide the research.

Read more about this opportunity.

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Image credit - Canva.