Professor Samuele Cortese receives the Senior Clinical Award from the British Association for Psychopharmacology

Professor Samuele Cortese, NIHR Research Professor in the School of Psychology, has been awarded the prestigious Senior Clinical Award by the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP).

The award was presented on 21 July 2026 during the BAP Summer Meeting. It recognises excellence in patient-focused clinical research and highlights Professor Cortese’s outstanding contributions to child and adolescent psychopharmacology, particularly in relation to the pharmacological treatment of ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

The BAP is a scientific society dedicated to advancing research, education, and clinical practice in psychopharmacology - the study of how medications affect the brain and behaviour.

While based in the United Kingdom, the organisation has a strong international membership and influence, with contributors from across Europe, North America, and other regions.

Professor Cortese , who is also an Honorary Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (HIOWH), said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award from the BAP.

“My research aims to generate the best available evidence on the psychopharmacological treatment of neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders in children, adolescents, and adults, and to implement this evidence to empower patients by supporting shared decision-making and personalisation of treatments.

“Psychopharmacology, particularly in children and young people, still faces stigma and prejudice. I hope this recognition from the BAP will contribute to reducing this stigma, in the interest of patients and families who face not only the burden of their conditions, but also societal misunderstanding.”

He added: “I am extremely fortunate to work with a team of enthusiastic and brilliant colleagues in the Developmental EPI (Evidence Synthesis, Prevention and Implementation) lab , which I established via support from NIHR funding, and to be constantly supported by the School of Psychology, FELS, the Department of Psychiatry, and the ARC Wessex.

“I am also privileged to work clinically as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, supporting patients and families and learning from them. This work would not be possible without the continuous, generous support of HIOWH and my clinical colleagues. I am particularly grateful to the Research and Improvement team, who have consistently supported my efforts to bridge research and clinical practice.

“I am very grateful to all my colleagues at the University of Southampton and across my wider international network. This recognition would not have been possible without the support and inspiration of each of these colleagues.”