Research Collaborations

Research is a major focus of the collaboration between the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP) Japan and the University of Melbourne.

Research topics

The expansion of the collaborative research program between NCNP and University of Melbourne has been in the areas of neuroscience and biological research, global mental health trends, as well as in psychosocial and disaster mental health.

Research activities

  • Research exchange visits
  • Joint Mental Health Research Symposium’s
  • Leadership development in community mental health and the promotion of mental health research exchange
  • Psychological and mental health response integrated into emergency and recovery work after disasters

Exchange program

An exchange program (funded by the Australia-Japan Foundation) sent four senior Japanese researchers to Melbourne in April and May 2013. The researchers – Dr. Kenji Kawano, Dr. Hisateru Tachimori, Dr. Kotaro Hattori and Dr. Dai Nishi were matched appropriately with researchers from The University of Melbourne’s Department of Psychiatry.

The Japanese visitor’s research and interest areas include:

•             Suicide prevention and post-intervention

•             Lifestyle based approaches against common mental health issues

•             Understanding the strategies and components of mental health promotion in Australia

•             Learning how to enhance mental health literacy of the Japanese public

•             Evaluation studies

 

The Japanese researchers worked closely with a range of research, policy and community leaders including those from the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Psychosocial Research Centre, North West Area Mental Health Service and VicHealth. The study placements not only facilitated research collaboration between the AAMH and NCNP, but also allowed researchers to strengthen one-on-one collaboration between Japanese and Australian researchers.

To complete the exchange, a joint symposium in Tokyo was convened by the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne and the NCNP, Japan. The joint symposium participants and facilitators included the four Japanese, their University of Melbourne partners, Professor Chee Ng and Professor Ian Everall, and Dr. Tadashi Takeshima (Director of NCNP).

A research seminar is planned for November 2014 in Melbourne, co-hosted by the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry and the Department of Psychiatry Melbourne