BMRI Professor Ian Hickie
 
  Ian Hickie Date of Birth: 4th August, 1959
Place of Birth: Sydney, Australia

Current Positions

Professor of Psychiatry
Executive Director, Brain & Mind Research Institute (BMRI)
The University of Sydney

Board Member - Mental Health Council of Australia

Contact Details

Postal, courier & street address:
Brain & Mind Research Institute
100 Mallett St
Camperdown, 2050, NSW
Sydeny, Australia

Telephone: +61 2 9351 0799
Fax: +61 2 9351 0652
Email: ianh@med.usyd.edu.au
BMRI Wesite: http://www.bmri.org.au

Career Overview

Throughout the 1990s Professor Hickie worked extensively with Dr Margaret Tobin and other colleagues in South-Eastern Sydney to develop sophisticated academic-service partnerships that were designed to increase access to better quality mental health care. From 1997 to 2003, Professor Hickie was Professor of Community Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales. Throughout this period, he actively promoted community understanding of depression and related mental health issues, developing innovation in primary-care based education, training, evaluation and service partnerships, and supporting mental health research and service development that was responsive to community needs.

Professor Hickie and colleagues established 'SPHERE: A National Depression Project'. Since 1997, over 8,000 general practitioners throughout Australia have participated in this major educational, training and service evaluation program (with over 40% of participants working outside the capital cities). In 1999, the SPHERE Project was awarded a Gold THEMHS Award for education and training in mental health in Australasia. This work now continues through an academic-commercial partnership (between the BMRI and Educational Health Solutions) based at the BMRI in Sydney. Currently, education and training modules in general practice education, related to psychological skills, bipolar disorder, early psychosis and development of collaborative care models, are in operation throughout Australia.

From 2000 to 2003, Professor Hickie was the inaugural CEO of beyondblue: the national depression initiative, and from 2003 to 2006, he was the clinical advisor to this national organisation. In his role at beyondblue, he established the major awareness, prevention and early intervention programs, infrastructure, consumer and carer participation organisations, national community and primary care partnerships, large and small grants mechanisms and evaluative processes, which have underpinned the internationally-recognised work of the organisation. Each of these has led to a major and sustained national development as evidenced by: 'blueVoices', the new national consumer and carer organisation; a national secondary schools-based depression prevention and early intervention program of research for young persons; a national peri-natal depression early identification and early intervention program; partnerships with the insurance industry to reduce discrimination in life insurance and disability insurance; a major website associated with very high levels of utilisation; and, a major and ongoing program of community awareness and destigmatisation through a combination of mass media, expert commentary and local community education and training.

The impact of beyondblue on community attitudes has been assessed systematically by both internal and external agencies. It demonstrates that a well-coordinated, community-led and clinically-informed health agency can have a major positive impact within short time-frames. The considerable contribution and ongoing role of beyondblue in the Australian mental health field was acknowledged by the Australian government most obviously in terms of the refunding of beyondblue for a further five years and an increase in the allocated budget from $17.5 to $30 million. Following his role in the establishment of the large population-based depression awareness and illness prevention program, beyondblue, Professor Hickie was invited by Dr Norman Sartorius to become the Chief Operating Officer of a new international consortium (SEBoD), to lead a similar style of work in the Asia-Pacific region.

Professor Ian Hickie was appointed in 2003 as the inaugural Executive Director of the Brain & Mind Research Institute (BMRI) at The University of Sydney. The BMRI has recently received extensive support from the Australian government (now over $15 million) and the NSW Government ($16 million) to develop research, training and clinical services infrastructure devoted to the reduction of the national health burden due to psychiatric and neurological disorders, particularly amongst young persons. This forms part of the $50 million redevelopment program being funded by The University of Sydney and governmental and private partners. It brings together the expertise of 62 NHMRC and ARC funded clinical and basic neuroscience research programs.

Professor Hickie is a member of the current NHMRC Program grant ($7.4m, 2005-09) and the NHMRC Clinical Centre of Research Excellence ($2m, 2005-09); both led by Professor McGorry and which focus on the evaluation of clinical interventions in order to reduce the health burden among young persons with severe mental illness. The BMRI serves as the Sydney base for these major national research, education and training programs. Additionally, these groups have been selected to lead the new National Youth Mental Health Foundation, a $54 million Australian Government Health Services Initiative. Professor Hickie's roles focus particularly on his clinical expertise with severe mood disorders and his extensive background in the development of primary-care based early intervention and other mental health service initiatives.

As a Board Member of the Mental Health Council of Australia, Professor Hickie has been at the forefront of national movements to assess consumers' and carers' experiences of mental health services. These activities have resulted in key publications such as the 2002 report "Out of Hospital, Out of Mind!", the 2004 pre-election policy document "Investing in Australia's Future" and the 2005 report in partnership with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission "Not for Service". These reports have assisted to focus national attention on the need to reshape mental health services to focus on the needs of youth and commit to key social, educational and economic outcomes. In 2007, Professor Hickie was appointed to the Australian National Council on Drugs, the peak national body reporting to the Prime Minister on the National Alcohol and Illicit Drugs Campaign.

In 2005, Professor Hickie was awarded the Margaret Tobin Award of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, which recognises the Fellow of the College who has made the most significant contribution to Administrative Psychiatry in Australia or New Zealand during the last five years. In 2006, Professor Hickie received the Australian Honours Award of Member (AM) in the General Division for services to medicine in the development of key national mental health initiatives and general practice services in both the public and non-government sectors.

Academic and Professional Qualifications:

1982:Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of New South Wales. Honours Degree, Second Class, First Division.

1989:Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

1990:Doctorate of Medicine (MD), University of New South Wales. “Interpersonal relationships and depressive disorders".


Career Details:

1997 - 2003: Professor of Community Psychiatry, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales.

2000 - 2003: Chief Executive Officer, beyondblue: the national depression initiative, Hawthorn, Victoria.

2003 - 2006: Clinical Advisor, beyondblue: the national depression initiative Hawthorn, Victoria.

2003 - 2006 Chief Operating Officer: Reducing the Socio-Economic Burden of Depression in Asia (SEBoD) Initiative


2003 - 2006 Co-opted Board Member for Research, Mental Health Council of Australia

2003 - Executive Director, Brain & Mind Research Institute (BMRI), The University of Sydney

2003 - Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Sydney

2003 - Visiting Fellow, Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University

2007 - Member of Australian National Council on Drugs

2007 - Chair, Research Committee, Mental Health Council of Australia

Prizes, Fellowships and Awards:

1987: Research Fellowship, New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry.

1989: Maddison Medal for achievement in examinations for admission to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

1990: Australian Society for Psychiatric Research: Organon Research Prize. ASPR Conference, 1990

1992: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists: Organon Junior Research Award.

1993: Harkness Fellow of the Commonwealth Fund of New York.

1997: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists: Organon Senior Research Award.

1998: Australian Society for Psychiatric Research: Novartis Oration. ASPR Conference

1999: THEMHS: Gold Award Winner – Individual or team award for an outstanding contribution to theory, education or practice. THEMHS Conference, Melbourne

2005: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists: Margaret Tobin Award for the Fellow who has made the most significant contribution to administrative psychiatry in Australia and New Zealand in the last five years

2006: Australian Honours Award of Member (AM) in the General Division; for services to medicine in the development of key national mental health initiatives and general practice services in both the public and non-government sectors.


2007: NHMRC 2008 Australian Fellowship; for the expansion of population-based mental health research and further development of international mental health strategies.


2007: Fellow, Australian Academy of Social Sciences.


Publications with more than 50 citations:

  • Fukuda K, Straus SE, Hickie I, Sharpe MC, Dobbins JG, Komaroff A. (1994) The chronic fatigue syndrome: a comprehensive approach to its definition and study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 121: 953-959. (1207 citations)
  • Lloyd AR, Hickie I, Boughton CR, Spencer O, Wakefield D. (1990) Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in an Australian population. Medical Journal of Australia, 153: 522-528. (197 citations)
  • Hickie I, Lloyd A, Wakefield D, Parker G. (1990) The psychiatric status of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 156: 534-540. (187 citations)
  • Wilson A, Hickie I, Lloyd A, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Boughton C, Dwyer J, Wakefield D. (1994) Longitudinal study of outcome of chronic fatigue syndrome. British Medical Journal, 308: 756-759. (162 citations)
  • Lloyd AR, Hickie I, Brockman A, Hickie C, Wilson A, Dwyer J, Wakefield D. (1993) Immunologic and psychologic therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. American Journal of Medicine, 94: 197-204. (118 citations)
  • Lloyd A, Hickie I, Wakefield D, Boughton C, Dwyer J. (1990) A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. American Journal of Medicine, 89: 561-568. (112 citations)
  • Hickie I, Lloyd A, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Parker G, Bird K, Wakefield D. (1995) Can the chronic fatigue syndrome be defined by distinct clinical features? Psychological Medicine, 25: 925-935. (71 citations)
  • Lloyd A, Hickie I, Hickie C, Dwyer J, Wakefield D. (1992) Cell-mediated immunity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, healthy control subjects and patients with major depression. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 87: 76-79. (61 citations)
  • Wilson A, Hickie I, Lloyd A, Wakefield D. (1994) The treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: science and speculation. American Journal of Medicine, 96: 544-550. (58 citations)
  • Hickie I, Scott E, Mitchell P, Wilhelm K, Austin M-P, Bennett B. (1995) Subcortical hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging: clinical correlates and prognostic significance in patients with severe depression. Biological Psychiatry, 37: 151-160. (194 citations)
  • Parker G, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Wilhelm K, Hickie I, Brodaty H, Boyce P, Mitchell P, Eyers K. (1994) Defining melancholia: properties of a refined sign-based measure. British Journal of Psychiatry, 164: 316-326. (104 citations)
  • Hickie I, Scott E, Wilhelm K, Brodaty H. (1997) Subcortical hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with severe depression - a longitudinal evaluation. Biological Psychiatry, 42: 367-374. (91 citations)
  • Brodaty H, Harris L, Peters K, Wilhelm K, Hickie I, Boyce P, Mitchell P, Parker G, Eyers K. (1993) Prognosis of depression in the elderly: a comparison with younger patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 163: 589-596. (81 citations)
  • Parker GB, Barrett EA, Hickie IB. (1992) From Nurture to Network: Examining Links Between Perceptions of Parenting Received in Childhood and Social Bonds in Adulthood. American Journal of Psychiatry, 149: 877-885. (82 citations)
  • Parker G, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Boyce P, Wilhelm K, Brodaty H, Mitchell P, Hickie I, Eyers K. (1990) Classifying depression by mental state signs. British Journal of Psychiatry, 157: 55-65. (77 citations)
  • Brodaty H, Peters K, Boyce P, Hickie I, Parker G, Mitchell P, Wilhelm K. (1991) Age and depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 23: 137-149. (70 citations)
  • Boyce P, Hickie I, Parker G. (1991) Parents, partners or personality? Risk factors for postnatal depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 21: 245-255. (62 citations)
  • Hall WD, Mant A, Mitchell PB, Rendle VA, Hickie IB, McManus P. (2003) Association between antidepressant prescribing and suicide in Australia, 1991-2000: trend analysis. British Medical Journal, 326: 1008-1012. (91 citations)
  • Hickie IB, Hooker AW, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Bennett BK, Wilson AJ, Lloyd AR. (1996) Fatigue in selected primary care settings: sociodemographic and psychiatric correlates. Medical Journal of Australia, 164: 585-588. (60 citations)
  • Austin M-P, Mitchell P, Wilhelm K, Parker G, Hickie I, Brodaty H, Chan J, Eyers K, Milic M, Hadzi-Pavlovic D. (1999) Cognitive function in depression: a distinct pattern of frontal impairment in melancholia? Psychological Medicine, 29: 73-85. (77 citations)
  • Bunker SJ, Colquhoun DM, Esler MD, Hickie IB, Hunt D, Jelinek VM, Oldenburg BF, Peach HG, Ruth D, Tennant CC, Tonkin AM. (2003) "Stress" and coronary heart disease: psychosocial risk factors National Heart Foundation of Australia position statement update. Medical Journal of Australia, 178: 272. (62 citations)

    Grants Received

    National Health & Medical Research Council
    A. Australian Fellowship
    1. Hickie I. (2008-2013). $4 million over five years.

    B. Program Grants
    1. Parker G, Austin M-PA, Hickie I, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Mitchell P, Wilhelm K.
    (1995-1999) Aetiology of Melancholia and related depressive disorders. $446,000 per year.
    2. McGorry P, Pantelis C, Hickie I, Jackson H, Yung A. (2005-2009) Emerging severe mental illness in young people: clinical staging, neurobiology, prediction and intervention from vulnerability to recovery. $7,397,980 over 5 years. (Program Grant number 350241)

    C. Centre for Clinical Research Excellence
    1. McGorry P, Hickie I, Jackson H, Yung A, Allen N, Edwards J, Chanen A, Lubman D, Berger G, Gleeson J, Berk M, Brewer W. (2005-2009) Preventive and early intervention strategies in emerging mental disorders in young people. $2 million over 5 years. (Program Grant number 264611)

    D. Project Grants
    1. Hickie I, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Lloyd AR, Wilson A. (1995-1997)
    Genetic epidemiology of chronic fatigue and related depressive disorders. $87,431 per year.
    2. Hickie I, Ward P, Turner K, Naismith S, Scott E, Shnier R. (2000-2002) Delineating the anatomical correlates of neurocognitive and psychomotor dysfunction in depression by fMRI. $120,000 per year.
    3. Hickie I, Lloyd A, Davenport T, Wakefield D. (2001-2005) A prospective study of the psychiatric and medical characteristics of post-infective fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome. $100,000 per year.
    4. Butow P, Hickie I, Tennant C, Tucker K, Berry G, Phillips K. (2001-2003) Psychosocial predictors of developing breast cancer in women from high risk breast cancer families. $106,632 per year.
    5. Butow P, Tennant C, Tucker K, Meiser B, Hickie I, Phillips K, Lo S. (2004-2006) Psychosocial predictors of developing breast cancer in women from high risk breast cancer families. $194,244 per year.

    Australian Research Council
    A. Linkage Grant
    1. Hickie I, Burns J, Ellis L. (2008- 2010) Understanding and preventing mental health difficulties in young Australian males using the Internet. $357, 860 over three years (Project ID: LP0883035).

    International
    1. Lloyd A, Hickie I, Wakefield D, Vollmer-Conna U, Davenport T, Marmion B, Harris R, Khanna, R, Rawlinson B, Geczy A, Dunckley H. (2001-2004) Post-infective fatigue: a model for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Centers for Disease Control (USA). US$500,000 per year.

    Major National Health Services
    1. ORYGEN Youth Health [McGorry P, et al.]; Brain & Mind Research Institute [Hickie I, et al.]; Australian Psychological Society; Australian Divisions of General Practice. (2005-2009) Establishment of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. $54 million.
      • Hickie I. (2007 - 2009) $3.9 million - included in the $54 million above. headspace: National Youth Mental Health Foundation (National Community Awareness Program) Brain & Mind Research Institute.
      • Hickie I. (2007-2009) $1.5 million - included in the $54 million above. headspace: National Youth Mental Health Foundation (headspace: McCarthur, Campbelltown and Southern Highlands.
    Most Recent Publications

    1. Bennett B, Goldstein D, Friedlander M, Hickie I & Lloyd A. (2007) The experience of cancer related fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: A qualitative and comparative study. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 34: 126-135.
    2. Hickie IB, Naismith SL, Ward PB, Scott EM, Mitchell PB, Schofield PR, Scimone A, Wilhelm K, Parker G. (2007) Serotonin transporter gene status predicts caudate nucleus but not amygdala or hippocampal volumes in older persons with major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 98: 137-142.
    3. Hickie IB, Naismith SL, Ward PB, Little CL, Pearson M, Scott EM, Mitchell P, Wilhelm K, Parker G. (2007) Psychomotor slowing in older persons with major depression: relationships with blood flow in the caudate nucleus and white matter lesions. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 155: 211-220.
    4. Cameron B, Galbraith S, Zhang Y, Davenport T, Vollmer-Conna U, Wakefield D, Hickie I, Dunsmuir W, Whistler T, Vernon S, Reeves WC, Lloyd AR, for the Dubbo Infection Outcomes Study (DIOS).(2007) Gene expression correlates of post infective fatigue syndrome after infectious mononucleosis. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 196: 56-66.
    5. Wijeratne C, Hickie I, Brodaty H. (2007) The characteristics of fatigue in an older primary care sample. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 62: 153-158.
    6. Burke D, Hickie I, Breakspear M, Goetz J. (2007) Is there good news about dementia? Possibilities for the prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment and dementia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 190: 371-372.
    7. Stockler MR, O'Connell R, Nowak AK, Goldstein D, Turner J, Wilcken NR, Wyld D, Abdi EA, Glasgow A, Beale PJ, Jefford M, Dhillon H, Heritier S, Carter C, Hickie IB, Simes RJ: Zoloft's Effects on Symptoms and survival Time Trial Group. (2007) Effect of sertraline on symptoms and survival in patients with advanced cancer, but without major depression: a placebo controlled double-blind randomised trial. The Lancet Oncology, 8: 603-612.
    8. Dunbar J, Hickie IB, Wakerman J, Reddy P. (2007) New money for mental health: will it make things better for rural and remote Australia. MJA, 186: 587-589.
    9. Hickie IB, McGorry P. (2007) Increased access to evidence-based primary mental health care: will the implementation match the rhetoric? MJA, 187: 100-103.
    10. Hickie I. (2007) Is depression overdiagnosed? No. BMJ (British Medical Journal), 335: 328-9.
    11. Naismith SL, Longley WA, Scott EM and Hickie IB. Disability in major depression related to self-rated and objectively-measured cognitive deficits: A preliminary study. BMC Psychiatry, 7: 32.
    12. Hickie IB, Davenport TA, Luscombe GM, Rong Y, Hickie ML, Bell MI. (2007) The assessment of depression awareness and help-seeking behaviour: experiences with the International Depression Literacy Survey. BMC Psychiatry, 7: 48.
    13. McGorry PD, Purcell R, Hickie IB, Jorm AF. (2007) Investing in youth mental health is a best buy. MJA, 187: S5-S7.
    14. Allen NB, Hetrick SE, Simmons JG, Hickie IB. (2007) Early intervention for depressive disorders in young people: the opportunity and the (lack of) evidence. MJA, 187: S15-S17.
    15. McGorry PD, Purcell R, Hickie IB, Yung AR, Pantelis C, Jackson HJ. (2007) Clinical staging: a heuristic model for psychiatry and youth mental health. MJA¸ 187: S40-S42.
    16. Hickie IB, Fogarty AS, Davenport TA, Luscombe GM, Burns J. (2007) Responding to experiences of young people with common mental health problems attending Australian general practice. MJA, 187: S47-52.
    17. McGorry PD, Tanti C, Stokes R, Hickie IB, Carnell K, Littlefield LK, Moran J. (2007) headspace: Australia's National Youth Mental Health Foundation- where young minds come first. MJA, 187: S68-S70.
    18. Barton DA, Dawood T, Lambert EA, Esler MD, Haikerwal D, Brenchley C, Socratous F, Kaye DM, Schlaich MP, Hickie I, Lambert GW. (2007) Sympathetic activity in major depressive disorder: Identifying those at increased cardiac risk? Journal of Hypertension, 25: 2117-2124.
    19. Vollmer-Conna U, Cameron B, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Singletary K, Davenport T, Vernon S, Reeves WC, Hickie I, Wakefield D and Lloyd AR. (2007) Postinfective fatigue syndrome is not associated with altered cytokine production. Clin Infect Dis, 45: 732-5.
    20. Everett B, Cameron B, Li H, Vollmer-Conna U, Davenport T, Hickie I, Wakefield D, Vernon S, Reeves WC and Lloyd AR. (2007) Polymorphisms in Toll-like receptors-2 and -4 are not associated with disease manifestations in acute Q fever. Genes Immun, 8: 699-702.
    21. Hickie IB, Luscombe GM, Davenport TA, Burns JM. (2007) Perspectives of young people on depression: experiences, attitudes and treatment preferences. Early Intervention in Psychiatry (accepted September 2007).
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