20172025

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Paul is Head of the Clinical Psychedelic Lab, and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Monash University. He has played a central role in establishing the field of clinical psychedelic research in Australia, and is the principal investigator on a program of psychedelic trials. He leads the country’s largest and most experienced group of psychedelic researchers and clinicians, is involved in numerous psychedelic studies across the country, and collaborates with many international experts and organisations in the field. He has led several world-first studies, including the first trial to use psilocybin in the treatment of a primary anxiety condition, the first study testing the utility of psilocybin as a therapist training tool, and the first trial testing a psychedelic-augmented virtual-reality treatment. In Australia, he established the first psychedelic lab, coordinated the first applied psychedelic therapist training program, and obtained the first industry funding for psychedelic research. Together with clinical and industry colleagues, he co-founded Australia’s first purpose-built psychedelic-assisted therapy clinic. He is regularly invited to speak on psychedelic science for academia, medical peak bodies, industry, and government. His work is focused on investigating novel applications for psychedelic therapies, translating evidence into best clinical practice, exploring under-examined risks, delivering next-generation therapist training, and improving access and affordability.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Education/Academic qualification

Neuroscience, BSc (Hons), In pursuit of the engram: methodology optimization and brain analysis using fear conditioning in FTL mice, University of Melbourne

Psychological Sciences, PhD, The Hyper-ordinary Depression Hypothesis and mechanisms of cognitive rigidity in depression, University of Melbourne

Neuroscience, BSc, Majors in Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Western Australia

External positions

Honorary Research Fellow, Swinburne University of Technology

Honorary Research Fellow, University of Melbourne

Research area keywords

  • Psychedelic medicine
  • Mood Disorders
  • Addiction
  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Depressive cognition
  • Transdiagnostic mechanisms of psychopathology
  • psychedelics
  • psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
  • psilocybin
  • mdma
  • dmt
  • 5meo-dmt
  • therapist training
  • hallucinogens

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or