Prof. Ulrich ( Ulli ) Schall

Biography

Current Positions: Professor of Psychiatry and Chair Schizophrenia Research (Cognitive Neuroscience), School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle; Senior Staff Specialist (part-time, ongoing), Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, Hunter New England Health (HNEH); Head, Schizophrenia Research Program, Priority Research Centre – Brain & Mental Health, University of Newcastle) and Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI; http://www.hmri.net.au/); Convenor, Cognition & Connectivity Research Panel, Schizophrenia Research Institute (SRI; http://www.schziophreniaresearch.org.au).

Former Appointments: Director (2001-2006), Hunter Neuroscience (University of Newcastle) and Brain & Mental Health Research Program (Hunter Medical Research Institute; http://www.newcastle.edu.au/centre/hn/); Advanced Trainee (2001-2006), Psychiatry, Hunter New England Area Mental Health Service; Staff Specialist, Senior Physician and Deputy Head, Diagnostic and Research Unit (1998-1999), Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Essen, Germany; Senior Medical Officer and Neurology Registrar (1997-1998), Neurology Clinic, University of Essen, Germany; Medical Officer and Psychiatry Registrar (1991-1997), Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Essen, Germany; Research Officer, part-time (1988-1991) Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Essen, Germany; Research Officer and Lecturer (1987-1988), Faculty of Social Sciences, Discipline of Psychology, University of Constance, Germany; Research Assistant, part-time (1981-1986) Faculty of Philosophy, Education & Psychology, Discipline of Experimental Psychology, University of Bochum, Germany.

Qualifications: Accreditation in General and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry with Hunter New England Health, 2007; Fellow of the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Psychiatrists [FRANZCP], 2006; Doctor of Science [Habilitation, Dr. phil. habil. mit Lehrbefähigung für die Fächer Neuro- und Biopsychologie], 2000, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bochum, Germany (Thesis: Physiology of information processing deficits in schizophrenia. Habilitation Thesis; Psychiatrist [Facharztanerkennung für Psychiatrie], 1998, Ärztekammer Nordrhein, Germany; Doctor of Medicine [Dr. med.] 1993, Faculty of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Essen, Germany; (Thesis: Frühe sensorische Inhibitionsdefizite bei jungen Schizophrenen [Early information processing deficits in young schizophrenia patient]. Dissertation Thesis – magna cum laude [sehr gut]); Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery [Medizinisches Staatsexamen], 1991, Faculty of Medicine, University of Essen, Germany; Doctor of Philosophy [Dr. rer. nat.], 1988, Faculties of Biology & Social Sciences, University of Constance, Germany (Thesis: Sensory control of pecking in the pigeon (Columba livia). Dissertation Thesis – magna cum laude [sehr gut]); Masters in Psychology [Diplom-Psychologe], 1985, Faculty of Philosophy, Education and Psychology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany (Thesis [Psychologische Diplomarbeit]: Auditorische und somatosensorische Empfindlichkeit des Nucleus Basalis der Taube [Auditory and somatosensory sensitivity of the nucleus basalis of the pigeon] – High distinction [sehr gut])

Qualifications

• Habilitation (European Equiv to Doctor of Sc), University of Bochum, 2000
• Degree in Medicine, University of Essen
• Doctor of Medicine, University of Essen, 1993
• Doctor of Natural Sciences (Psychology), University of Konstanz, Germany, 1988
• Diploma in Psychology, University of Bochum, 1985

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Research

Research keywords

• brain imaging research
• cognitive neuroscience
• mental health
• schizophrenia

Research expertise

Ulrich’s contribution has been research into the understanding of the relationship of clinical and cognitive signs and symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders with structural and functional brain imaging measures (i.e., EEG source localisation, fMRI, and PET) by employing a multi-modal integrative approach which combines traditional neuropsychological and electrophysiological methods with novel brain imaging techniques. He has particularly focused on prodromal detection of and early intervention into neuropsychiatric disorders.

Collaboration

Ulrich’s research contributed to the excellent ERA ratings of 5 (“well above world standards”) in the fields of neurosciences and psychology & cognitive sciences at the University of Newcastle. He is based at the Priority Centre for Translational Neuroscience & Mental Health Research and is affiliated with the Schizophrenia Research Institute and the Hunter Medical Research Institute. He extensively collaborates locally, nationally and internationally.

Throughout his career Ulrich has attracted a total of more than $9.5m in competitive research funding from various external and internal sources: $350,000 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for fellowships and project grants whilst in Germany; $6.3m from the Australian Research Council and the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) for four Project Grants as Principle Investigator and six Project Grants as Chief-Investigator. This includes the successful application as Principal Investigator for the largest mental health Project Grant ($1.5m) that was funded by the NHMRC in 2008 to conduct a multi-centre study into prodromal schizophrenia over 5 years; $2.2m from the NHMRC as Chief Investigator for an enabling grant to establish the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank; $1.3m competitive infrastructure support from New South Wales Health for the Brain & Mental Health Research Program in Newcastle; $200,000 from other competitive infrastructure support grant schemes; $600,000 from the University of Newcastle, the Hunter Medical Research Institute, and the Schizophrenia Research Institute for various projects, PhD scholarships, and postdoctoral fellowships; $1.1m per annum of Schizophrenia Research Institute (SRI) support towards the Schizophrenia Research Program at the University of Newcastle. In total, Ulrich has been awarded 52 competitive grants in the past 10 years. His new position as Chair in Schizophrenia Research is supported by NSW Department of Science & Technology, NSW Department of Health, SRI, the Hunter Medical Research Institute, and the University of Newcastle with $3.2m for 2012-2017.

In February 2013, Web of Science recorded a total of 168 career publications for the period of 1986-2013 (74 as first/last author) with a total of 1,227 citations, resulting in an h-index of 19. (Google Scholar, however, calculates Ulrich’s h-index with 26.) When excluding self-citations, 1,135 citations were recorded from publications in the disciplines of Neuroscience (464), Psychiatry (449), Clinical Neurology (160), Pharmacology & Pharmacy (126), Behavioural Science (82), etc, and were published as Original Research Articles (750), Reviews (211), Proceedings (32), Editorials (18), or Letters (15), etc. according to Web of Science data. For the past 10 years, Web of Science recorded 106 publications and 710 citations when excluding self-citations with a significant increase over the past 5 years from 81 per annum in 2007 to 239 citations in 2012.

Languages

• German

Fields of Research

Code	Description	Percentage
110319	Psychiatry (Incl. Psychotherapy)	40
170101	Biological Psychology (Neuropsychology, Psychopharmacology, Physiological Psychology)	30
170000	Psychology And Cognitive Sciences	30

Centres and Groups

Centre

• Hunter Medical Research Institute
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health (CTNMH)

Group

• Hunter Medical Research Institute - Brain and Mental Health

Memberships

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• Executive Committee Representative of New South Wales 1999-2002 - Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research
• Founding member - German Neuroscience Society

Awards

Research Award.

2000	Senior Scientist Award Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia (Switzerland)
1995	Young Investigators Award International Congress On Schizophrenia Research (United States)

Invitations

Annual Conference of the Australasian Society For Psychiatric Research, Canberra Australasian Society For Psychiatric Research, Australia (Conference Presentation - non published.)	2002
World Congress of Biological Psychiatry, Sydney International Society of Biological Psychiatry, Australia (Conference Presentation - non published.)	2005

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Administrative

Administrative expertise

Ulrich was appointed Director of the Brain & Mental Health Research program from 2001-2006 and developed this program into the Priority Centre for Translational Neuroscience & Mental Health Research where he is now leading the Schizophrenia Research Program since 2006. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2004 and Professor in 2011. Ulrich’s new appointment as Chair in Schizophrenia Research (Cognitive Neuroscience) allows him to expand on research and to facilitate multidisciplinary research activities at the University of Newcastle and the Schizophrenia Research Institute where he co-convenes the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Panel.

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Teaching

Teaching keywords

• cognitive neuroscience
• psychiatry
• psychopharmacology

Teaching expertise

Ulrich commenced with his first academic appointment at the University of Newcastle as Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry 1999. The position was full-time and ongoing. Ulrich’s academic appointment involved teaching (30%), administration (30%) and research (40%) from 1999 to 2012 while he lectured psychiatry to 2nd year medical student and coordinated psychiatry, neurology and endocrinology courses.