The impact of the menstrual cycle on harmful gambling behaviour in females

Career overview

Dr Renate Reniers is a Lecturer in Psychiatry at Birmingham Medical School, University of Birmingham, affiliated with the Institute for Mental Health and the Centre for Human Brain Health. She completed her PhD in Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the University of Manchester in 2010, following her MSc and BSc in Psychology (Neuropsychology and Biological Psychology, respectively) from Maastricht University in the Netherlands in 2005. Dr Reniers also holds a Propedeuse in Public Health from Maastricht University, obtained in 2003. Prior to her current role, she was a Research Fellow at the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Nottingham. Dr Reniers'' research focuses on the neurobiological, clinical, and behavioural mechanisms underlying adolescent development and youth mental health, particularly the transition from health to disease and the at-risk mental state for psychosis. Her work encompasses empathy, risk-taking behaviour, and the impact of stress on brain and behaviour, utilising neuroimaging, biomarkers, and behavioural science. Recently, she has integrated AI and technology into healthcare and medical education, aiming to enhance empathy, clinical training, and patient support. Dr Reniers is the lead author of the widely used Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE).

Research interests

Dr Reniers'' research focuses on the neurobiological, clinical, and behavioural mechanisms underlying adolescent development and youth mental health, particularly the transition from health to disease and the at-risk mental state for psychosis. Her work investigates empathy, risk-taking behaviour, and the impact of stress on brain and behaviour, utilising neuroimaging, biomarkers, and behavioural science. Recent research includes the integration of AI and technology in healthcare and medical education, specifically the application of natural language processing and extended reality tools in mental health care. The central aim of her research is to use technology to foster empathy, improve clinical training and practice, and support patients and carers. Dr Reniers is also the lead author of the widely used, translated, and validated Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE).

Dr Paul Smith's profile is coming soon

Career overview

Dr Rima K. Dhillon-Smith received her undergraduate medical training from the University of Birmingham in 2009. She completed her core training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as well as subspecialist training in reproductive medicine and surgery, in December 2023. Dr Dhillon-Smith was awarded her PhD, titled “Risk stratification for women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation,” in 2015, which led to multiple high-impact publications. She was the lead investigator and first author on the TABLET (Thyroid Antibodies and LEvoThyroxine) trial, a £1.7 million NIHR EME funded project published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr Dhillon-Smith is internationally recognised for her contributions to thyroid disease, fertility, and pregnancy, and has co-authored several international guidelines for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the American Thyroid Association (ATA). She is involved in a collaboration with the Consortium of Thyroid and Pregnancy and has submitted national grant applications for related projects. Additionally, she serves as a senior investigator for the LOCI trial, a multi-centre £2.1 million NIHR HTA funded study investigating the use of Letrozole versus Clomifene for ovulation induction in women with PCOS. Dr Dhillon-Smith has received grants from the Academy of Medical Sciences and NIHR for her research on thyroid disease.

Research interests

Dr Rima K. Dhillon-Smith''s research interests focus on reproductive endocrinology, particularly thyroid disease and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), subfertility, paediatric and adolescent gynaecology, and early pregnancy. She is a senior investigator for the LOCI trial, which investigates the use of Letrozole versus Clomifene (with or without metformin) for ovulation induction in women with PCOS. Dr Dhillon-Smith was the lead researcher and first author for the TABLET trial, which examined thyroid antibodies and levothyroxine in women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation. She has received personal grant awards from the NIHR and the Academy of Medical Sciences for her work in thyroid disease. Additionally, she is involved in the UNITY trial, focusing on unexplained infertility treatment, and supervises PhD students at the Tommy''s National Centre for miscarriage research, where she investigates risk factors and interventions related to pregnancy loss. Her academic contributions include co-authoring international guidelines on thyroid disease and fertility and pregnancy.

Career overview

Professor Stephane De Brito holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Geneva (1999-2003), an M.Phil. in Criminology from the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge (2003-2004), and a Ph.D. in Forensic Mental Health Science from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London (2005-2009). He is a Professor of Developmental Psychopathology and Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham and serves as the director of the Social, Cognitive, Affective, and Neuroscience (SCAN) lab. Professor De Brito''s research primarily focuses on the mechanistic interplay between social, cognitive, affective, and neurocognitive factors involved in the development and persistence of antisocial and aggressive behaviour. He also investigates the effects of early adversity on youth, exploring resilience and vulnerability patterns among affected individuals. His research employs behavioural, neurocognitive, and structural/functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques to understand severe antisocial behaviour and psychopathic traits in children and adults. Professor De Brito aims to clarify the emotional processing differences in individuals who have experienced early adversity and identify neural markers of resilience. He considers PhD applications on a rolling basis from students with a strong academic background interested in his research areas.

Research interests

Professor De Brito''s research focuses on the mechanistic interplay between social, cognitive, affective, and neurocognitive factors implicated in the development and persistence of antisocial and aggressive behaviour. He employs behavioural, neurocognitive, and structural/functional magnetic resonance brain imaging techniques to understand the characteristics of different subgroups of children and adults displaying severe antisocial behaviour and psychopathic traits. A significant aspect of his research examines resilience and vulnerability patterns in individuals who have experienced early adversity, aiming to clarify why some individuals show resilience while others do not, how they process emotions differently, and whether structural and functional neural markers of resilience can be identified.