Meet the Team
The Assured study is led by researchers at City, University of London and in collaboration with experts across the UK.
Professor Rose McCabe, Chief Investigator
Rose is a psychologist specialising in professional-patient communication in mental health care. She records professional-patient encounters and micro-analyses verbal and nonverbal communication.
Alexandra Bakou, Trial Manager
Alexandra has a background in psychology and neurosciences. She works as a Trial Manager for the Assured Study. Her PhD focused on investigating the relationship between negative affect and hazardous drinking, identifying mechanisms and developing brief, evidence-based interventions. She has a particular interest in addiction and substance use.
Mimi Suzuki, Research Assistant
Mimi is a psychology graduate with an MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences. She works at the Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry as a Research Assistant for the Assured study. She is interested in how health systems have an impact on mental health.
Tanja Christensen, Research Assistant
Tanja is a Psychology Graduate and Research Practitioner with three years experience working in research delivery. She has worked on a variety of studies, namely within dementia, perinatal mental health and chronic low mood research. She is interested in providing as many people as possible the opportunity to take part in research.
tanja.christensen@nhs.net
Aneta Zarska, Research Assistant
Aneta is a final year PhD student at City St George’s, University of London, researching the link between suicide and psychological trauma, with a specific focus on trauma-informed care in the emergency department for people who self-harm. Aneta is interested in suicide prevention, PTSD/C-PTSD and other trauma-related mental health issues, and exploring people’s lived experiences through qualitative research. She previously obtained an undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Glasgow and a MSc degree in War & Psychiatry at King’s College London, and she also has clinical experience working in psychiatric settings.
Aamena Akubat, Clinical Research Nurse
Aamena is a Senior Psychiatric Nurse within a Liaison Psychiatry team based in an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department. She is supporting the research study as a Clinical Research Nurse and will be conducting follow-up sessions. Aamena is keen to better the care and support for people who present to A&E during mental health crisis and shape the aftercare following their visit, to aid effective support.
Ella Rowbotham, Research Assistant
Ella is a BSc Psychology graduate from the University of Exeter, where she remained for training in low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and qualified as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, gaining clinical experience in the local NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression service. Prior to this, she worked as a support worker with adults transitioning from secure services to the community. She is interested in applying her clinical learning in a research capacity, and understanding how to improve access to services for underrepresented populations.
Louise Coombes, Research Assistant
Louise is a recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh where she completed her MSc in Global Mental Health and Society. In her dissertation, Louise explored how assessment tools for PTSD and trauma-related distress are being culturally adapted and validated for use in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Prior to completing her MSc, Louise worked as an Occupational Therapist in acute mental health services in Central London. Louise is passionate about using research to make health systems and services work better for the people who use them.
Katie Webb, Research Assistant
Katie has a BSc in Psychology from Bournemouth University and an MSc in Psychology, Culture and Evolution from Brunel University London. Before joining the Assured team, she worked as a Research Assistant at the University of York, investigating a brief gender-sensitive psychological intervention for male NHS workers, she has also previously worked in various roles in the health and social care sector. Katie is passionate about improving access and outcomes in mental health services.
Emerie Sheridan, Research Assistant
Emerie has a BSc in Medical Science (Neuroscience) from the University of Exeter and an MSc in Translational Neuroscience from Imperial College London. Prior to joining the Assured team, she worked as a research assistant at Imperial College researching eating disorders in adolescents. She is interested in the link between emotional dysregulation and mental health, and improving mental health care in emergency and acute settings.
Giovanni Amati, Research Assistant
Giovanni is an aspiring clinical psychologist with international education and experience. He earned a BSc in Psychology at Leiden University and an MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry at King’s College London. Giovanni has worked as an Assistant Psychologist in inpatient psychiatry in Italy and was a Research Assistant on the Cannabidiol for Parkinson’s Diseases Psychosis trial before joining the ASSURED and SASH projects. He hopes to explore psychedelic-assisted therapy in chronic illness or advance exposure therapy virtual reality techniques in his future doctoral training.
Rimsha Parvaiz, Research Assistant
Rimsha holds a BSc in Psychology from The University of Huddersfield and an MSc in Early Interventions in Psychosis from King’s College London, where her research focused on the effects of cannabis use on the psychosis spectrum. During her master’s, she completed a placement as an Assistant Psychologist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust supporting young people experiencing symptoms of psychosis. Prior to joining the Assured Study, Rimsha worked as a research assistant on the Bipolar At Risk Trial (BART II), which investigates the efficacy of CBT for individuals meeting bipolar-at risk criteria. Her work specifically focusing on recruiting participants from underrepresented groups in research. She is passionate about early intervention and addressing the needs of marginalised individuals in society.
Maria Sanchez Elena, Research Assistant
Maria is a Clinical Research Practitioner in the Research & Development team at Devon Partnership Trust. She has held various clinical roles, including as a support worker in the Perinatal Mental Health Unit and Psychological Tele-coach Practitioner in the First Response Service. Maria’s PhD explored the relationships between life satisfaction, personality styles, and adaptive coping in individuals with chronic physical conditions. Maria is currently coordinating the moreRESPECT study on sexual health in people with severe mental illness and served as an interventionist for the ASSURED study.
Brad Begley, Research Assistant
Brad is a social worker and therapist. He has worked in children’s social care and community CAMHS for five years and has a particular interest in mental health research. He is completing an internship on the Assured Study.
Roya Abasaova, Intern
Roya is a MSc Health Psychology student at City St George’s University and an intern in the ASSURED Study. She has a background in Psychology and Child Development. For her bachelor’s degree research, she investigated attachment styles and stress levels in adults. Following this, she began exploring health psychology and the impact of trauma on mental health. She is interested in clinical psychology and therapy and is passionate about contributing to research that enhances mental health care.
Co-contributors
Sally O’Keeffe
Katherine Tallent
Oliver Mathias
Kirsten Brown
Lucy Goldsmith
Samuel Hayward
Tanja Christensen
Zuhra Ghulami
Megan Consterdine
Maria Jose Sanchez Elena
Carly Duric
Co-Investigators:
Dr Peter Aitken, Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Professor Vera Araujo Soares, University of Twente
Professor Richard Byng, Plymouth University
Professor Chris Dickens, University of Exeter
Professor Richard Hooper, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Domenico Giacco, University of Warwick
Professor Navneet Kapur, University of Manchester
Dr Will Lee, University of Exeter
Professor Borislava Mihaylova, Queen Mary University of London
Paul Norris, Binary Vision
Professor Stefan Priebe, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Peter Riou, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Mary Ryan, PPI representative
Professor Alan Simpson, Kings College London
Dr Helen Smith, Devon Partnership NHS Trust
