Priyanka Panchal

I am a DPhil student in the PERL (Psychopharmacology and Emotion Reserch Laboratory) and Brain & Cognition labs, supervised by Professor Catherine Harmer and Professor Kia Nobre, and I am funded by CONBRIO.

My research focuses on understanding the relationship between mood instability and cognition, in particular cognitive affective processing and reward processing. As part of the Collaborative Oxford Network for Bipolar Research to Improve Outcomes (CONBRIO), my research focuses on the cognitive neuroscience of bipolar disorder and other mood disorders through the COMET (Cognition and Mood Evolution across Time) study. In my research I look at mood fluctuations at different time scales, by using technological solutions and MRI imaging techniques.

I aim to investigate whether mood instability develops in response to disruption in regulatory neural mechanisms that sustain and balance emotional and cognitive functions. Identification of this relationship will aid the development of effective experimental medicine interventions that will transform the current understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder.

I received a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from UCL, and completed an MSc in Clinical Neuroscience from UCL’s Institute of Neurology. Prior to starting my DPhil, I worked as a Research Assistant, supervised by Professor Kia Nobre and Professor Catherine Harmer, on both the COMET and AMoSS (Automated Monitoring of Symptom Severity; investigating self-reported mood and other physiological markers in bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and healthy controls) studies.

Besides my research, I am also interested in public engagement and outreach. I have been involved in Brain Awareness Week presentations and NHS open days, as well as promoting psychology research at secondary schools and sixth forms. I am also the Equality and Diversity Officer for New College’s MCR, as well as peer supporter.