Professor Michael Berk holds the foundation Chair in Psychiatry at Deakin University. He leads the Barwon Psychiatric Research Unit as well as the Professorial Unit at The Geelong Clinic. He is also a Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and the Mental Health Research Institute, and leads the first episode bipolar program at Orygen Youth Health.
Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate medical student training, research higher degree students as well as coordination of the registrar teaching program.
Professor Berk’s research interests are predominantly in the area of mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder. The unit has a number of streams. An active program of research focuses on biomarkers of risk for psychiatric disorders, particularly oxidative and inflammatory and the modulation of these in the development of novel therapies. Within the epidemiology arm, the focus is on lifestyle and medical determinants of outcome in the high prevalence psychiatric disorders. Other projects include internet therapies, drug safety, biomarkers and early intervention.
Awards and prizes
Louis Franklin Freed Medal for Psychological Medicine (1989)
Lundbeck Bursary for Research in Biological Psychiatry (1992)
South African Neuroscience Society Senior Neuroscientist/ Bristol Myers Squibb Travel Award (1997)
Medical Faculty Research Endowment Fund Award (1998)
Phillip V Tobias Distinguished Teaching Award (nominated, 1999)
Phillip V Tobias Distinguished Teaching Award (nominated, 2000)
Barwon Health Mental Health - Contribution to Mental Health Service (2002)
Bendigo Bank Smart Geelong Research and Learning Expo: Biomedical Award (finalist 2006)
Department of Innovation, Industry and regional Development Smart Geelong Research & Learning Expo: Biomedical Highly Commended Award (2007)
World Association of Young People – The Trophy Award for Excellent Research Study (2007)
Pathcare Smart Geelong Research and Learning Expo: Health and Lifestyle award (2008)
G Force Recruitment Smart Geelong Research and Learning Expo: Researcher of the year (2008)
Orygen Oscar Academic Award (2008)
Australasian Society of Psychiatric Research, Eli Lilly Oration (2008)
Ministers award: Outstanding individual achievement in mental healthcare (Finalist 2009)
Memberships
2003- American Psychiatric Association: International Member
2003- International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD): Councillor
2003 WFSBP Education Committee
2003 British Association of Psychopharmacology: Member
2003 European College of Neuropharmacology: Member
2005 ISBD Chapter Development Committee: Member
2005 ISBD Governance Committee: Chairman
2005 ISBD Vice President
2005 World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry - Task Force on Unipolar Depressive Disorders: Member
2005 Society for the Advancement of Bipolar Disorder (Hong Kong) Honorary International advisor
2006 - ISBD Safety & monitoring committee: Co-chairman
2007- Collegium Internationale Neuropsychopharmacologicum (CINP) Membership Committee
2008- International Society for Bipolar Disorders: President
2009 Australasian Society of Bipolar Disorders: President
2009 Deakin University Faculty of Health. School of Medicine Advisory Board Member
2009 ANBD - Asian Network of Bipolar Disorders: International Advisor
2010 NHMRC Grant Review Panel: Review panellist
Associate Editor:
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Early Intervention in Psychiatry
Editorial Board Memberships:
Acta Neuropsychiatrica, Issue Editor
Bipolar Disorders, Editorial review board
Human Psychopharmacology, Clinical and Experimental, Editor
Depression and Anxiety, Editor in Chief
Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, Editorial review board
African Journal of Psychiatry, Associate Editor
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, Member of Advisory Board
Early Intervention in Psychiatry, Associate Editor
Clinical Psychopharmacology & Neuroscience
The Open Psychiatry Journal, Editorial review board
Clinical Practice (formerly known as Therapy), Editorial review board
Future Medicine, guest editor
Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease, Editorial Board member
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (ANZJP), Editorial Board Member
World Journal of Psychiatry, Editorial Board Member
Translational Psychiatry, Editorial Board Member
Journal of Clinical Medicine, Editorial Board Member
Current Psychopharmacology, Editorial Board Member
International Bipolar Foundation, Scientific Advisory Board Member
Service to the University, discipline or community
Professor Berk is current Chair of the Australasian Society of Bipolar Disorders, is immediate past President of the International Society of Bipolar Disorders and serves on the Executive of Biological Psychiatry Australia. He is a frequent speaker at public forums and is actively involved in continuing medical education as a keynote speaker.
Conferences
1. Tokyo, Japan, Japan speaking tour, 2011, Early intervention, neuroprogression and neuroprotection in bipolar disorder Importance of Early Diagnosis and Early Intervention Biological aspect of bipolar disorder.
2. Milan, Italy, INNOPSY 11 (Innovation in Psychiatry), 2011, Novel therapies for bipolar disorder
3. Pittsburgh, USA, 9th International Conference on Bipolar Disorder (9th ICBD), 2011, International Society for Bipolar Disorder (ISBD) Task force reports.
4. Paris, France, 24th ECNP Congress, 2011, Impact of depressive episodes on brain and mind: consequences for treatment. Early intervention in bipolar disorders: opportunities and pitfalls. The impact of new biomarkers on prognosis and treatment outcome in bipolar disorder.
5. Melbourne, Australia, 3rd World Congress of Asian Psychiatry 2011, 2011, Novel therapies for mood disorders
6. Sydney, Australia, Australasian Society for Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Conference, 2011, Oxidative processes in mood disorders – mechanisms and therapeutics. Bipolar I disorder: implementing current evidence to optimise patient outcomes
7. Cape Town, South Africa, Biological Psychiatry Congress 2011, 2011, From neuroprogression to neuroprotection in bipolar disorder. Can we prevent depression?
8. Seoul, Korea. ISBD Korea Annual Meeting, 2011, Neuroprogression and staging in bipolar disorder. Early intervention and neuroprogression in bipolar disorder.
9. Berk M, 2010, invited. Oxidative stress and inflammation in mood disorder – new treatment opportunities. Rating of depressive symptoms in bipolar disorders (x3). Swedish Psychiatric Association speaking tour. Stockholm, Gothenburg & Malmoe, Sweden
10. Berk M, 2010, invited. Symposium: New avenues in bipolar disorder, staging bipolar disorder and treatment perspectives. Masterclass: Research in bipolar affective disorders. Danish Society of Affective Disorders. Copenhagen, Denmark.
