The CHiMES Collaborative

CHiMES promotes and protects mental health through investigations of: 

• Cultural, Social & Geopolitical Influences on Mental Health  
• Health Inequalities, Multimorbidity & Ethnicity 
• Health Services & Cultural Competency 
• Public Mental Health & Population Sciences 
• Advancing Research Methods for Inclusive co-designed Policy & Practice  

You can find out more about each of these projects by clicking on the heading

Co-PACT: funded by the NIHR to develop photovoice as a policy research tool and co-design systems to improves the experiences of those detained under the MHA and reduce ethnic inequalities of MHA use.  (Led by Kam and Roisin) 

ATTUNE: a national consortium of youth groups, academic, public sector, VCS and charity partners developing interdisciplinary research to co-design creative arts and digital mental health interventions for adverse childhood experiences; we use participatory arts, epidemiological, experience-near, and peer research methods. (Led by Kam and Eunice) 

ORIGIN: builds on preliminary research conducted during the O-ACE study, in which an online cultural experience called Ways of Being was co-designed and tested for mental health in young people. Despite limited time and resources in developing Ways of Being, it was enthusiastically received by young people and reduced negative feelings when compared with a traditional museum website. (Led by Rebecca and Kam) 

Co-PICS: funded by the NIHR, this research is an experience-based co-design study exploring care of people from diverse ethnic groups living with psychosis and multimorbidity. Ethnic inequalities in mental illness have been present for some time and we have become more aware of multimorbidity as an additional dimension. This study privileges lived experience perspectives in the context of trying to tackle health inequalities. We draw on methodologies that support this process. These are: photo-voice, biographical narrative interviewing and experience-based co-design. (Led by Kam and Roisin)

Synergi Collaborative Centre, funded by the Lankelly Chase Foundation, a five year initiative to establish an independent centre of excellence on ethnic inequalities, severe mental illness and multiple disadvantage. The programme undertakes place based systems interventions and evaluations, peer research and participatory action research; through these we improve knowledge, motivate and up-skill key cross-sectoral  actors, and mobilise change through creative communications and service user narratives. (Led by Kam and Roisin)

INTREPID, funded by Barts and the London Charity, an exploration of the recognition and treatment of depression in ethically diverse renal dialysis patients, taking account of inflammation as a complicating feature (Led by Kam). 

FRAMERS: A global challenges research fund project in partnership with the Global Policy Institute at QMUL and Somerville College at Oxford. This study develops and tests family resiliency interventions based on integrating life-skills education, problem solving, and family focused therapies, with young people in India and Kenya. The collaborations includes local universities, schools, NGOs, and community organisations (Led by Kam). 

CREATE: Creating research ecologies to advance transdisciplinery learning on arts based programmes through the study of adolescent loneliness, UKRI/MRC funded (Led by Prof. Paul Cooke, Leeds; Kam is a co-investigator).

COMPUTE: Complex Multiple long-term conditions (MLTC) Phenotypes, Trends, and Endpoints (CoMPuTE), funded as a programme grant from NIHR (Led by Prof. Rafael Perera, Oxford, Kam is a co-investigator).

GEMMS: Global Health Research Group on Disrupting the cycle of gendered violence & poor mental health among migrants in precarious situations in India, Myanmar, South Africa, Zimbabwe, NIHR funded (Led by Professor Anuj Kapilashrami, Essex; Kam is a co-investigator).

Genes & Health: Longitudinal Population Study: An interdisciplinary study using data from Genes & Health in East London, investigation mental health and ethnicity, MRC Funded (Led by Sarah Finer, QMUL, Kam is a co-investigator). 

BIOAIRNET: UKRI/NERC Network award on Bioaerosols and Health (Led by Prof. Fred Coulon, Cranfield, Kam is a co-investigator).

SURECAN:  Survivors' rehabilitation evaluation after cancer. A multi-centre, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial of comparing enhanced Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Plus (+) added to usual aftercare, versus usual aftercare only, a NIHR programme grant (Led by Stephanie Taylor at QMUL, Trudie Chalder at KCL, Kam is a co-investigator).  

PhD/DPhil Students: Shuranjeet Thakar (OX), Oliver Beuthin (OX), Zelna Lauwrens (OX), Simone Jayakumar (QMUL), Erin Grace Lawrence, (QMUL), Anna Jieman (QMUL), Samantha Davis (KCL).