The HMRI Brain and Mental Health Program brings together 135 researchers and 18 research students from the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and Calvary Mater Newcastle, who are affiliated with the University’s Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research.

The Brain and Mental Health Program is led by Associate Professor Chris Levi from Hunter New England Health, and incorporates the NSW Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health at Orange.

Researchers in the Brain and Mental Health Program aim to better understand neurological and mental health disorders, and improve the diagnosis and treatment of people who are affected. They are also designing interventions to inform health policy and improve the delivery of health care.

Ultimately, members of the Brain and Mental Health Program aim to improve the lives of people with neurological disorders.

The program targets a range of mental health, neurological and nervous system disorders, organised around the following research themes:

• Schizophrenia
• Stroke
• Affective and Addictive Disorders
• Pain and Sensory Dysfunction
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Cognition, Development and Ageing
• Implementation and Models of Care Research

The Brain and Mental Health Program includes the HMRI Stroke Research Group, which is regarded as one of the leading clinical and academic stroke research centres in Australia.