Guy Goodwin is a distinguished emeritus professor renowned for his pioneering contributions to biological psychiatry and neuroscientific approaches to mental health. He formerly held the prestigious W.A. Handley Professorship of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford while serving as head of the Department of Psychiatry from 1996 until 2011. Completing both his medical degree and DPhil in physiology at Oxford, Goodwin established his scientific foundation before embarking on a decade-long tenure as Clinical Scientist and Consultant Psychiatrist at the MRC Brain Metabolism Unit in Edinburgh. His academic journey culminated in his return to Oxford where he shaped psychiatric research and education for over fifteen years, building one of the world's leading departments in psychiatric neuroscience.
Professor Goodwin's groundbreaking research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of the neurobiology of mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, through innovative applications of brain imaging and clinical neuroscience. His work has focused on developing novel treatments while meticulously examining their physiological and psychological impacts, establishing critical connections between depression and memory impairment. As a principal investigator in numerous landmark clinical trials including the BALANCE and CEQUEL studies, he has directly influenced treatment protocols for bipolar disorder worldwide. With over 78,000 citations, his research has earned him recognition as a Thomson Reuters highly cited researcher, placing him among the top 1% of scientists in his field globally.
Beyond his research contributions, Goodwin has provided significant leadership as past president of both the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology and the British Association for Psychopharmacology, shaping research agendas across continents. His current explorations into psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions, including his role in developing Compass Pathways' phase IIb clinical trial for psilocybin treatment of depression, demonstrate his continued commitment to innovative therapeutic approaches. As an Emeritus Senior Investigator with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, he remains actively engaged in advancing psychiatric science while mentoring the next generation of researchers. His ongoing work continues to bridge neuroscience and clinical practice, promising further transformative contributions to the understanding and treatment of mood disorders for years to come.
