SEEKING NEW POWER

As a young student, I learned that psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression are chronic, severely debilitating illnesses. This inspired me to learn more, and 15 years later, I am still passionate about understanding these complex mental disorders. I want to identify their underlying molecular mechanisms in the hope that one day my research will lead to targeted treatments and ultimately, a cure. I want to understand the role of sex hormones, particularly oestrogen, as sex differences are significant in psychiatric disorders. If oestrogen protects against the development and severity of schizophrenia it has therapeutic potential, an exciting prospect given the urgent need to develop more effective treatments.

Dr Andrea Gogos

NHMRC R.D. Wright Fellow Head, Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory