Rate My Professor Katherine Beck

Dr Katherine Beck is an NIHR Clinical Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, based in the School of Academic Psychiatry, Department of Psychosis Studies. She serves as Clinical Lecturer in General Adult Psychiatry within Psychosis Studies. She holds a PhD completed using neuroimaging methods to investigate the neurobiology of psychosis, funded by the Rosetrees Trust and Royal College of Psychiatrists. Beck is also an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist in General Adult Psychiatry at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, where she has developed a specialised service for patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Her research focuses on the biological factors underpinning treatment resistance in schizophrenia, employing PET and MRI methods to investigate the glutamate system. She is conducting research on novel drugs targeting this system, aiming to elucidate the biological and cognitive mechanisms underlying schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and related conditions to advance treatment options. As principal investigator, she leads the project Investigating Dimethyl Fumarate in Schizophrenia, funded by the Rosetrees Trust from 2024 to 2027. Previous projects include investigations into the role of glutamate and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in schizophrenia, supported by the Rosetrees Trust and Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Beck has contributed extensively to the literature on psychosis and related disorders. Key publications include 'Time to lithium: an electronic health records study' (2026, Neuroscience Applied), 'Late-life affective disorders and risk of progression to dementia: retrospective cohort study of patients in secondary care' (2025, British Journal of Psychiatry), 'Histamine-3 Receptor Availability and Glutamate Levels in the Brain: A PET-1H-MRS Study of Patients With Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls' (2024, International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology), 'Commentary on the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments 2023 Clinical Guidelines for Management of Major Depressive Disorder in Adults' (2024, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry), and 'Schizophrenia: from neurochemistry to circuits, symptoms and treatment' (2023). Her work has garnered over 3,000 citations. She has received awards from the Royal Society of Medicine, British Association of Psychopharmacology, European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Schizophrenia International Research Society, and Royal College of Psychiatrists. Her research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals including good health and well-being.