David Cotter

Prof. Cotter's research interest is the neuropsychiatry of psychiatric disorders. His first expertise and training were in the cytoarchitectural investigation of the brain and the neuronal and glial cell populations within it, in schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorder. He was awarded two MRC clinical training fellowships in the UK to undertake this work. His major early contribution in this field was the observation that there is a cortical glial cell deficit in the brains of subjects with major depression and schizophrenia. He was also among the first to describe cortical neuronal size reductions in major depression and bipolar disorder. Subsequently, supported by funding from the Welcome Trust through a University Award (2002-2006) and the HRB, SFI and NARSAD, David pursued a Neuroproteomics Research Programme involving subjects with major psychiatric disorders.

In collaboration with internationally recognised experts in proteomic research (Professor Mike Dunn and Dr Gerard Cagney), David has employed a variety of protein separation methods and used gel-based and non-gel based proteomic methods and published studies showing synaptic and mitochondrial changes in the brains of subjects with major psychiatric disorders.

David is currently funded as an HRB Clinician Scientist and as part of this work his group aims to identify predictive plasma protein biomarkers of schizophrenia. Subsequent HRB funding has allowed them to address this same question using metabolomic and lipidomic approaches. They have now identified biomarkers at age 11 for psychotic disorders at age 18. His current focus is now extending beyond schizophrenia to the study of young people at risk of all mental disorders. The aim is that by identifying those at risk of mental disorders before they become unwell that future psychiatric illness can be prevented.