Our experts

Areas of expertise

The main focus of Professor Cleare’s research is to continue work that improves the understanding of aetiology, neurobiology and long-term outcome of treatment-resistant depression. Professor Cleare’s research group is also interested in developing biomarkers for depression.
He is the research group leader for the Affective Disorders Research Group, which works to understand more about the neurobiological causes of mood disorders and mental illnesses where the normal functioning of mood is disrupted, such as clinical depression and bipolar disorder.
Other research interests include clinical psychopharmacology, chronic fatigue syndrome, aggression and neuroimaging of serotonin receptor function.
Professor Cleare has over 400 peer reviewed and other publications, and has often contributed to books and national guidelines, including leading the British Association for Psychopharmacology Evidence-Based Guidelines for treating depressive disorders

Background

Prof Cleare trained in psychiatry at the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals in London, also spending time as a liaison psychiatrist at King’s College Hospital. At the end of his training, he was awarded the Laughlin Prize of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for the highest examination performance nationally. In 1998, he obtained his PhD looking at neuroendocrine aspects of affective disorders and has since continued an active research programme into all aspects of affective disorders.

Prof Cleare is consultant psychiatrist in The National Affective Disorders Service at the Maudsley Hospital, offering a tertiary care service specialising in the multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of patients with treatment resistant depression and bipolar disorder. He is also specialist advisor in aviation psychiatry to the Civil Aviation Authority. He has previously worked as a psychiatrist in several medical clinics including a pain clinic, a chronic fatigue syndrome clinic and a general medical outpatient clinic.

Prof Cleare has over 380 peer reviewed and other publications and has contributed to many books and national guidelines, most recently the British Association for Psychopharmacology Evidence-Based Guidelines for Treating Depressive Disorders.

Prof Cleare is Treasurer of the International Society for Affective Disorders and a member of many scientific societies including the British Association for Psychopharmacology.

Education

• 1986-1987 University College London: BSc (Hons) in Psychology 
• 1984-1986 Guys Hospital Medical School, University of London
• 1987-1990 Qualified in Medicine - MBBS

Qualifications

• 1994 Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych). 
• 1995 Approved under section 12(2) of the 1983 Mental Health Act as having special expertise in Mental Illness.
• 1998 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychiatry, University of London
• 1998 Award of Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training in General Adult Psychiatry
• 2012 Elected to Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Selected publications

For a full updated list please see the Kings College London website.