NOVEL FORMS OF BRAIN STIMULATION & PSYCHEDELIC ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY

With
Professor Paul Fitzgerald,
Director, School of Medicine and Psychology,
Australian National University, Canberra, Australia &
Principal Investigator, Paratus Clinical, Australia

RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Canberra, Australia | November 2025

Professor Paul Fitzgerald is the Head of the School of Medicine and Psychology at the Australian National University. He is an academic psychiatrist with a MBBS degree, Masters of Psychological Medicine and research PhD.

He has conducted an extensive range of experimental studies and clinical trials, focused on the development of novel treatment options for patients with mental health conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, autism and Alzheimer’s disease.

Professor Fitzgerald has a special interest in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and other novel treatments using forms of non-invasive brain stimulation. He has had continual NHMRC grant support for 20 years and over $10 million in research support in the last 5 years. He has published several books, over 550 journal articles and been cited over 30,000 times.

He has established multiple clinical rTMS services, founded several device and clinical service companies and led a national application to MSAC in the Federal Department of Health which resulted, in 2021, in Medicare funding ($280 million in year 1) for rTMS therapy for patients with depression.

Professor Fitzgerald currently leads an innovative school at the ANU which combines both the ANU Medical Program and former Research School of Psychology focussed on education and research approaches integrating perspectives across mind, body and culture.

Source: Supplied