Ted Dinan, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and a Principal Investigator in APC Microbiome Ireland at University College Cork, has joined as Medical Director of Atlantia Food Clinical Trials Ltd. This decision shows the company’s appetite to engage with emergent markets segments such as live therapeutics.
Professor Timothy Dinan’s group have promoted the concept of Psychobiotics, probiotics that have a mental health benefit. The Brain-Gut-Microbe Axis research addresses the communication between the brain and gut and how it can be influenced by the gastrointestinal microbiota. This term links diet, microbes and cognition. An extract from his bio mentioned that a better understanding of the role of this axis in the stress response, and its links with other debilitating psychiatric conditions, will help provide new treatment and management strategies – these will represent opportunities for both the food ingredients business and the pharmaceutical industry.
His academic background has been outstanding. He was previously Chair of Clinical Neurosciences and Professor of Psychological Medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. Prior to that, he was a Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. He has worked in research laboratories on both sides of the Atlantic and has a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of London. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He has made significant contributions to the literature on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in situations of stress. In 1995 was awarded the Melvin Ramsey Prize for this research into the biology of stress. He has published over 400 papers and numerous books on the pharmacology and neurobiology of affective disorders. Last year, he was named in the list of Highly Cited Researchers, by Clarivate Analytics. This year he has named as the top 1 expert in microbiota worldwide by Expertscape. Prof. Dinan also runs a clinic for treatment refractory depression at Cork University Hospital. The research focus at this clinic is on biomarkers of response and the development of new therapies.
Ted Dinan has been involved with the Atlantia’s senior management team on the design of different studies as well as Principal Investigator for those health areas alike to his research background. He has been part of the Atlantia Board of Directors since its foundation, providing strategical advice to Atlantia’s development. The new role within Atlantia aims to reinforce the company’s expertise in emerging research areas such as microbiome-therapeutics.
“Professor Dinan will add a depth of medical knowledge which will appeal to many of our current and future clients alike. His vast experience in this field of research allows Atlantia to speak with authority to many of the industries issues and queries and will offer assurance to engaged companies that Atlantia is a leader in the delivery of world class clinical trials.
He has and will continue to travel on behalf of the company to speak on a broad range of topics within this fascinating field.” said Andrea Doolan, Atlantia’s CEO. Professor Ted Dinan attended The Microbiome Movement Nutrition Conference in Boston last November, where he spoke about his research on Mood and Microbes. He will be attending different conferences with Atlantia.