Dr Scott’s primary research interest is on understanding the kinase signaling pathways that regulate mood and behavior in response to hormones and metabolites that signal changes in energy availability. His research is specifically focused on the control of the CaMKK2 pathway, which is a regulator of brain function and whole-body energy metabolism. Loss-of-function mutations in CaMKK2 are linked with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in humans. A major goal of Dr Scott’s research is to validate CaMKK2 as a rational treatment target for mood and related psychiatric disorders, and he has established international collaborations with academic and industrial partners to develop new drugs that target CaMKK2.

Dr Scott graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from the University of Glasgow and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Dundee funded by a prestigious Wellcome Trust Prize scholarship, after which he moved to Melbourne to undertake postdoctoral studies with Prof Bruce Kemp AO at St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVIMR). Dr Scott is currently a Senior Research Fellow and Group Leader at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. He also holds a Senior Research Associate appointment at SVIMR. His research team uses a wide range of techniques including biochemistry, cell biology, protein crystallography, mass spectrometry, and genetically modified mouse models to decipher the role of the CaMKK2 pathway in the regulation of brain function and whole-body metabolism in health and disease.