Joanna Neill

Jo is Professor of Psychopharmacology at the University of Manchester and Chair of the Medical Psychedelics Working Group at Drug Science. With nearly 30 years of research experience in psychiatric drug development, her work focuses on preclinical models of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, ADHD, and Alzheimer’s disease, with particular expertise in cognitive deficits, negative symptoms, and sex differences in psychopharmacology. She leads collaborative research on cognitive function and remediation in ADHD and first-episode psychosis, and has developed translational tests for evaluating novel therapeutic targets. She is also active in psychedelic science, organising events on psychedelic-assisted therapy for trauma recovery in elite athletes and advocating for evidence-based approaches to psychedelic medicine. Her work highlights the potential of psychedelics to treat cognitive and emotional impacts of brain injury and psychiatric conditions. As Chair of the Medical Psychedelics Working Group, Jo brings together leading academics, clinicians, and industry partners to advance psychedelic research and clinical treatment in the UK. She is also co-founder of the university-based CRO https://b-neuro.com, and a former President of the British Association for Psychopharmacology.