Professor Lea Williams, director of the Brain Dynamics Centre at WMI, University of Sydney, has been invited back for a second year as a visiting professorial scholar at Stanford University.
The position is exceptionally prestigious, as Stanford is one of the top three universities in the world. Few are accepted for even one year, and even fewer are asked to return for a second year.
Prof Williams is focusing on the iSPOT-D study looking at how to improve treatment for depression. Brain Dynamics Centre and Stanford are collaborating sites in the iSPOT-D study.
Currently, there are no accurate predictors of response to antidepressants, and successful treatment relies greatly on 'trial and error'.
The aim of the iSPOT-D study is to identify genes and changes in the emotional brain that predict who will respond well to antidepressants, and which commonly used antidepressant (sertraline, escitalopram, or venlafaxine-XR) might work best for each person experiencing depression.
Prof Williams will be returning regularly to the Brain Dynamics Centre, and stays in close touch with her staff and colleagues using Skype, as well as phone and email.
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