Professor Ulrich Schall

Project Grant
2017 Project Grant
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2014 Project Grant
Project Grant
2013 Project Grant
Project Grant
2011 Project Grant
Fellowship
2008 Fellowship
Fellowship
2007 Fellowship
Project Grant
2003 Project Grant
Equipment Grant
2003 Equipment Grant
Project Grant
2002 Project Grant
Project Grant
2002 Project Grant

What are your research interests?

Cognitive neuroscience aims to understand normal and impaired brain function as it occurs in mental illness. This understanding is fundamental when aiming to improve the treatment of mental illness. My research interests include exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms causing mental illness and how they impact on brain functions, which give rise to the symptoms commonly seen in mental illness.

Why did you get into reseach?

The frustration of how little we know about mental illness compared to the broader medical field has frustrated me as a doctor and continues to motivate me in my work as scientist.

What would be the ultimate goal for your research?

Finding a cure for conditions like autism, schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder would be the ultimate goal.

Brief Profile

Professor Schall's career began in Germany as a Psychologist with a strong interest in neuroscience. The realisation that neuroscience can help to better understand mental illness motivated him to become a Psychiatrist. He earned his academic credentials in Germany by completing a PhD in Neuroscience (University of Constance), a MD in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (University of Duisburg-Essen), and DSc (Habilitation) in Biological Psychology & Neuropsychology (Ruhr-University of Bochum).

He joined the Discipline of Psychiatry at the University of Newcastle in 1999 as Senior Lecturer after leaving his post as Senior Consultant Psychiatrist at the University Teaching Hospital in Essen. In Newcastle, he developed a successful research program investigating conditions like schizophrenia (supported by the former Schizophrenia Research Institute), autism, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

He served as Director of Hunter Neuroscience (2001-2006) and was appointed Professor and Chair of Schizophrenia Research at the University of Newcastle in 2012.

Professor Schall sees children and young people at the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service of Hunter New England Health and EDUCARE. 

Throughout his career Professor Schall has attracted $10 million of competitive research funding from the NHMRC, ARC, HMRI, German Research Foundation, German Academic Exchange Service, etc. He has published in Science, Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Communications, JAMA Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, Schizophrenia Bulletin, American Journal of Human Genetics, NeuroImage, PLoS One, etc. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=schall+u). In 2018, Researchgate recorded 8,000 citations and 20,000 reads (RGscore: 44.8; h-factor 36) (http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ulrich_Schall). 

Future Focus

Improving treatment of mental illness is a gradual process and can be painstakingly slow. However, every new discovery can potentially lead to better treatment with less adverse side effects for those in need in our community. Hence, the future focus lies in discovering what drives mental illness and how to prevent or even cure it.

Specialised/Technical Skills

  • Clinical and neuropsychological assessment
  • Psychophysiological (EEG-based) brain function
  • Structural and functional brain imaging

Affiliations

2017

Do sensory symptoms impact outcomes of the Alert Program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Project Grant
Researchers:
Description:

"Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects learning, social participation and daily function across the lifespan. Approximately 35,000 school-aged Australian children live with ASD; 95% of these experience educational restrictions. ASD has no known cure, and its causes are poorly understood due to the variability in how the disorder emerges and presents. Further, available treatments are only moderately successful and are not effective for all children with ASD. Knowledge about what (intervention) is likely to work for whom is missing from the field.

more

2014

Stimulating Kids with ADHD
Project Grant
Description:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorder in Australia affecting up to 11% of children and adolescents according to the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being.

more

2013

Establishing a primary care-integrated service model for young people with an emerging mental illness - A proof-of-concept study
Project Grant

2011

Testing for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antibodies in a large Australian cohort of schizophrenia patients
Project Grant
Researchers:

Dr Paul Tooney, Ute Vollmer-Conna, Paul Rasser, Pat Michie, Ulrich Schall, Carmel Loughland

2008

Post Doctoral Fellowship in Youth Mental Health Research
Fellowship

2007

Research Fellowship - Ms Linda Campbell
Fellowship

2003

Mental Health Research
Equipment Grant
Investigation of Executive Function in Cannabis Using Non Psychotic and First episode psychosis patients 0 a comparative structural and functional brain imaging (fMRI) study - Cost Centre 6731552
Project Grant
Researchers:

Dr Patrick Johnston, Martin Cohen, Ulrich Schall

2002

Using brain imaging techniques to determines how people with schizophrenia process sound
Project Grant
Researchers:

Dr Timothy Budd, Professor Pat Michie, Dr Juanita & Dr Ulrich Schall

Investigating brain function and cannabis use in patients with first episode schizophrenia
Project Grant
Researchers:

Mr Patrick Johnston, Dr Martin Cohen and Dr Ulrich Schall