Our Story
IMPACT TRIALS is made up of a team of passionate researchers, students, research assistants and volunteers. The unit also has a history of strong national and international collaborations. The continuous development of new partnerships and programs keeps our team on the frontline of discovering and evaluating new treatments and responses for a range of mental and physical conditions. Our current programs include;
- clinical trials to investigate novel adjuctive pharmacological treatments for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use, led by Associate Professor Olivia Dean
- analysis of biological factors from blood samples and response to treatment, led by Dr Adam Walker
- development of psychological and service-based interventions for stroke survivors returning to work, led by Dr Alyna Turner
- the Online and Digital Interventions team, headed by Dr Lesley Berk, which enhances the wellbeing of people with bipolar disorder and creates online programs for family and friends who provide support for people with mental health conditions
IMPACT TRIALS embraces inclusive designs to ensure all activities are relevant and beneficial to the people we are aiming to support. Our team is continuously responsive to community needs through data sharing, membership of professional boards and guideline development. Our research has led to changes in service provision and inclusion on the 2019 and 2020 Highly Cited Researcher lists.
Our group have a continued focus on local community engagement and works directly with people who benefit from the research. The Community and Research Network (CARN) serves as the Institute’s consumer liaison group, providing direct links between research and community.
Our partnerships with grassroots organisations including the Geelong Music Community Collective has raised over $10,000 in travel awards for students. Furthermore, philanthropic investments, such as the Trisno Family Fellowship, support new research into affective disorders, allowing the team to bring together community and academia to advance research.’

The IMPACT TRIALS team comes from a wide range of clinical and research disciplines. This allows us to be truly ‘bench to bedside’ in our approach, as well as giving us the capacity to investigate a wide range of treatment approaches for mental health and co-occurring conditions.
Dr Alyna Turner
Senior Lecturer and Director of IMPACT TRIALS
Our Team
