App-based technologies to personalise treatments for addictions and OCD

The growing enthusiasm for scalable e-health tools, together with the accessibility of app-based technologies (e.g., smartphones, tablets), have provided a unique opportunity for the development of a next generation of assessment tools for addiction and mental health conditions. To this end, the currently underway Monash and Cogstate (‘MonCog’) Project aims to develop a one-of-a-kind electronic battery with industry partners that is informed by neuroscience, engaging, and clinically useful for the assessment and monitoring of individuals across the spectrum of compulsive disorders. This PhD will involve a number of exciting studies, including i) the development and optimisation of cognitive-affective app-based tools; ii) the phenotyping of these constructs (e.g., impulsivity, compulsivity, expectancy, reward learning) to statistically model how they causally contribute to compulsive behaviours, and iii) the prototyping of the MonCog app as a predictor of treatment response across our suite of next-generation therapeutics (e.g., exercise, mindfulness meditation) to move towards a more personalised medicine. The successful candidate will be supervised by Prof Murat Yücel and Dr Rico Lee. They will have the opportunity to gain experience in working with industry, to develop advanced statistical know-how (e.g., structural equation modelling), and to be at the forefront of translating basic and clinical research into the clinic. Please include: - a cover letter with a brief outline (1 page) of your interests and suitability for the research; - a curriculum vitae including academic transcript(s) and any published works; and - names and contact details of 2 academic referees. For enquires about this PhD opportunity, please email: rico.lee@monash.edu