Mental Health is a critical societal challenge, with 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health problem each year.

Research into neuroscience and mental health is an area of complementary strength between GW4 universities, with researchers covering a broad range of specialities from genomics and epigenetics; developmental epidemiology to drug discovery; psychological treatment development and evaluation; and from research into children and young people, all the way through to later life.

Improving mental health outcomes forms a core component of GW4’s strategic focus on advancing health and wellbeing research and innovation for all, as set out in the Alliance’s recently launched Strategic Vision 2023 -2028.

To harness the GW4’s collective mental health and neuroscience expertise, the GW4 Alliance has launched a new cross-institutional Mental Health Research Network, designed to:

• Connect investigators,
• Foster new conversations
• Share knowledge
• Spark new research collaborations across the universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.

Over the coming months, the group will begin to meet to highlight access to resources, discussing shared research interests, and potential areas for future collaborations.

If you’re a staff member researching mental health or helping to develop mental health research activities at a GW4 Alliance university, and you are interested in signing up to the Mental Health Research Network, please register to join via our online form.