SPEAKERS

Prof. David Nutt is a psychopharmacologist who has held major leadership roles in UK and European scientific bodies, including presidencies of the British and European neuroscience and psychopharmacology associations, and chairing the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. A Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists and the Academy of Medical Sciences, he has published over 600 research papers, numerous books, and served as editor of the Journal of Psychopharmacology for 25 years. Recognised with honors such as the John Maddox Prize and a Doctor of Laws from the University of Bath, he was ranked the world’s leading psychopharmacologist by Scholar GPS in 2024.

Prof. Sunjeev Kamboj is Professor of Translational Clinical Psychology and Co-director of the Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit at University College London, and an Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist with the North London NHS Foundation Trust. After completing his neuropharmacology studies and a DClinPsy at UCL, he held prestigious fellowships, including a Wellcome Trust International Travelling Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University and a Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCL, before joining the UCL faculty. His research focuses on human psychopharmacology, experimental psychopathology, addiction, traumatic stress, and anxiety disorders.

Dr. David Erritzoe is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Imperial College London’s Centres for Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychedelic Research, and Consultant Psychiatrist at St Charles Hospital, where he leads the NHS-based CIPPRes Clinic. Trained in brain imaging at Columbia University and Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, his research uses PET and MRI to study the neurobiology of addiction, depression, and psychedelic therapies. As Clinical Director and Deputy Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research, he leads studies on serotonin, dopamine, and opioid systems, exploring the therapeutic potential of MDMA, ketamine, and classic psychedelics.

Professor Celia Morgan is Chair of Psychopharmacology at the University of Exeter and Honorary Reader at UCL. After completing her PhD at UCL, she held research fellowships at Yale and the University of Melbourne before returning to the UK. Her research explores the effects of drugs and alcohol on brain and behaviour, with a focus on both risks and therapeutic applications. She has led clinical trials investigating ketamine, MDMA, and classic psychedelics in the treatment of addiction and other mental health disorders, combining pharmacology with psychological therapies.

Dr Louise Paterson is Assistant Professor in Psychopharmacology and Psychiatry at Imperial College London, where her research focuses on the neurobiology of addiction and the development of novel, neuroscience-informed treatments. She leads clinical studies on opioid dependence, including investigations into NK1 receptor antagonism and baclofen for methadone detoxification. She also co-leads the NIHR-funded PsilOpioid trial at Imperial’s Centre for Psychedelic Research, exploring psilocybin therapy as a treatment for opioid use disorder.

Dr. Anne Katrin Schlag is a Chartered Psychologist and Head of Research at Drug Science, where she leads work on medical cannabis, as well as the Medical Psychedelics Working Group, aiming to advance evidence-based policy and practice. With a PhD in Psychology from the London School of Economics and previous lectureship at King’s College London, her expertise spans science-policy, risk communication, and stakeholder engagement. She holds honorary fellowships at Imperial and King’s College London, and is passionate about fostering inclusive dialogue across scientists, clinicians, policymakers, patients, and traditional knowledge holders in the psychedelic field.

Dr Grace Blest-Hopley is the founder of Hystelica, a research initiative addressing the lack of female-specific medical research by investigating women’s psychedelic use across clinical, recreational, and naturalistic settings. She earned her PhD on the neurochemical and neurofunctional effects of cannabinoids, following a Master’s in Neuroscience at King’s College London, and has since continued to study cannabinoids and mental health as a research associate, with a focus on neuroimaging. She also serves as Director of Research at Heroic Hearts Project.

Keith Abraham is a former Parachute Regiment soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan before working in investment banking. Following years of living with anxiety and depression and limited benefit from conventional treatments, he turned to psychedelic therapies. His transformative experiences with ayahuasca and psilocybin shaped his advocacy for the role of plant medicines in treating PTSD, brain injuries, and mental ill-health.

Nige Netzband is a BPS-accredited psychologist with expertise in psychopharmacology and experimental design, whose work bridges Western science with traditional Amazonian medicine. Since 2016, he has focused on translating Shipibo traditions into scientific understanding, particularly around ayahuasca, drawing on both research and personal experience. Trained in integrative counselling, he aims to support clients with approaches from multiple modalities, while also volunteering with harm reduction charities such as PsyCare UK and the Zendo Project.

Matt Wall is a psychologist, neuroscientist, and specialist in neuroimaging, particularly functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the human brain. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, post-doctoral positions at Royal Holloway and University College London, and is currently Director of Translational MRI at Perceptive London, plus an honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London. He has authored more than 90 scientific publications, and his research currently focuses on psychedelics, cannabis, sex hormones, and methods-development for (f)MRI.

Dr Hannah Thurgur is a Clinical Trial Manager at Imperial College London, overseeing PsilOpioid, a trial investigating psilocybin therapy for opioid use disorder. Her research experience spans neuroinflammation, medical psychedelics, medical cannabis, addiction and Long COVID. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Manchester. Following her PhD, she was as an Executive Officer at the British Neuroscience Association before joining Drug Science, where she spent four years as a researcher focusing on medical cannabis and psychedelics. She continues to co-host the Drug Science podcast alongside Prof David Nutt and Prof Jo Neill.

Dr. Rayyan Zafar is a neuropsychopharmacologist and Wellcome postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research, where he leads the first clinical and brain imaging study of psilocybin therapy for gambling addiction. He is also a senior researcher at Drug Science, a scientific officer, and a research venture partner at ITER Investments, advising across psychedelic, cannabis, and wellness therapeutics. Recognized as a top emerging leader in psychedelic science, Zafar frequently engages the public through media and talks, sharing insights on drugs, mental health, and psychedelics.

Tommaso Barba is a PhD candidate at Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research, supervised by Dr. David Erritzoe, Prof. David Nutt, Dr. Chris Timmermann, and Dr. Kate Godfrey. With a background in neuroscience and psychoanalysis, he researches the brain effects of short-acting psychedelics such as DMT and 5-MeO-DMT, leading the first neuroimaging trials of these compounds. His work has been published in journals including The Lancet EClinical Medicine and Nature Scientific Reports and featured in outlets such as Forbes, The Times, and CNN. Awarded prizes from Imperial, ECNP, and the British Journal of Psychiatry, Tommaso also explores the role of psychedelics and MDMA in enhancing couples’ intimacy and collaborates internationally with universities and startups.

Sara Oke is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Lead Psychedelic Research Therapist at Imperial College London, where she develops and delivers therapy models for psychedelic clinical trials and oversees the recruitment and training of study guides. With research experience in both the US and UK, she teaches internationally on culturally responsible psychedelic therapy, advocating for safe and inclusive approaches for vulnerable populations. Her work integrates clinical expertise with insights from diverse healing traditions, lived experiences, and the medicines themselves.

Katie Forcer is a Clinical Research Fellow in Psychopharmacology at Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research, where she works as a medic and guide on studies including PsiloGambling. Trained as an NHS psychiatrist across diverse clinical settings, she has also undertaken Depth Relational Process training with the Institute of Psychedelic Therapy and contributed to the CIM-KeT ketamine therapy pilot at St Charles Hospital. Bridging conventional psychiatry and psychedelic-assisted therapy, her work focuses on broadening safe, ethical, and accessible delivery of psychedelic treatments.

Dr. Elisa Liberati is a research fellow at UCL’s Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit and a senior qualitative researcher specialising in ethnography and mental healthcare. She holds a PhD in Psychology and an MA in Work and Organisational Psychology from the Catholic University of Milan, and is a Chartered Psychologist as well as a qualified integrative therapist trained at The Minster Centre. Before joining UCL in 2024, Elisa spent eight years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, funded by the Wellcome Trust and Health Foundation, where she led studies on maternity care, secondary mental health services during COVID-19, and physical health diagnosis in people with mental illness.

Patrick Cox is a former celebrity shoe designer and current psychedelic facilitator and creative in Ibiza. After losing his company, battling depression, and experiencing a breakdown, he underwent a transformative journey through psychedelic therapy involving 5-MeO-DMT. That experience profoundly reshaped his life, inspiring him to hold space for others, guiding psychedelic sessions, and eventually launching the entheogenic apparel label Doors of Perception.

Joanna Vamvakopoulou is a PhD student in the Division of Psychiatry at Imperial College London, supervised by Dr Martina Di Simplicio and Prof David Nutt. Her research investigates psycholytic psilocybin combined with mental imagery interventions for young people who self-harm, alongside work on addiction and self-harm clinical research. She holds a BSc in Neuroscience from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Translational Neuroscience from Imperial. An advocate for mental health and drug harm reduction, she has been active with Drug Science since 2019 and is a founding member and scientific advisor to the Greek Psychedelic Society.

Francisca, a neuroscientist by training, is Project Officer at PAREA (Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance), where she advances psychedelic research and access across Europe. Previously, she worked on psychedelics-related initiatives at the European Medicines Agency, including the landmark 2024 Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on Psychedelics, related outputs, and the review of psychedelic trials in depression from a regulatory perspective. She holds a dual MSc in Brain and Mind Sciences (UCL & Sorbonne Université) and a BSc from Maastricht Science Programme, with expertise in molecular biology, neuropsychopharmacology, clinical neurology, and neuropsychiatry. Passionate about effective science communication, she focuses on bridging research and patient care.