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Dr James Rucker is an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist and NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellow, specialising in mood disorders and psychopharmacology, at the Centre for Affective Disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London (UK). Dr Rucker completed his medical degree at University College London (UK) in 2003 before training in psychiatry at the Maudsley, Bethlem and Springfield Hospitals in South London. He completed his PhD in the molecular biology of mood disorders at King’s College London in 2012.

Dr Rucker specialises in novel treatments in mood, anxiety and trauma response disorders and is particularly interested in the therapeutic interface of psychotherapy, psychopharmacology and society. He leads The Psychedelic Trials Group at King’s College London, which undertake gold standard clinical trials of psilocybin and MDMA assisted therapy for treatment resistant mood, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders. He is also one of the few psychiatrists in the UK trained to prescribe medical cannabis in the treatment of psychiatric conditions.

Education and Training

• 2020Certificate in Clinical Trials. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• 2018Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). General Adult & Old Psychiatry.
• 2012Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Kings College London, London, UK.
• 2007Approval under Section 12(2) of the 1983 Mental Health Act
• 2007MRCPsych, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK
• 2003MBBS(Lond), University College London, London, UK
• 2000BSc with 1st class honours in Medical Sciences and Human Physiology