Prof Alexander Baldacchino

Prof Alexander Baldacchino

Professor

Researcher profile

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 1894
Email
amb30@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Research areas

My main research interest lies in improving the lives of individuals with a history of substance misuse problems. My research portofolios have a common thread of understanding the comorbid conditions (physical and psychological) arising as a result of chronic abuse of pharmacological agents with dependence potential especially opioids and alcohol. I am interested in utilising informatic systems, clinical outcome data, neuropsychological and neuroimaging processes amongst many other possibilities in order to identify and minimise risks present in this patient population

I graduated as a doctor in Malta in 1987 gaining my MD in the process. I eventually decided to study psychiatry as my clinical specialisation following a period of internal medicine jobs. I therefore joined the basic and higher psychiatric schemes in the UK (Cambridge, Edinburgh, Fife and London) in order to fulfil my requirements as a general psychiatrist and as a specialist in addiction medicine. I was awarded my MRCPsych in 1994, FRCPsych in 2007 and FRCPE in 2016. Always interested in research and teaching I pursued a clinical academic career along side my basic medical and higher psychiatric training. I joined as a lecturer and senior lecturer with St George's Hospital Medical School in London and then with Ninewells Hospital Medical School in Dundee. I was awarded my MPhil in Psychiatry from the University of Edinburgh in 1996 and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Dundee in 2012.

Currently I am chair for the World Psychiatrc Association (WPA) Addiction Psychiatry Section and Past Immediate President and Distinguished Fellow of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) I am also founding member for the European Network for Training, Education and Research (ENTER)-Mental Health. Other previous positions include Associate Director for the Social Dimensions of Health Institute (SDHI), NHS Fife Research and Development (R&D) Director, Clinical Director in Addiction Medicine with NHS Fife and President for ISAMDundee2015 World Congress.

Last but certainly not least I am honoured to have spent 40 years of my professional time with patients who needed the best of clinical care and compassion which, I hope I made a difference in their and their families' quality of life.

My hobbies include hill walking, swimming and gardening

PhD supervision

  • Sophie Given
  • Nina MacKenzie
  • Joe Schofield

Selected publications

 

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