Dasha Nicholls

Professor Dasha Nicholls is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Imperial College London's Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. She leads the Child and Adolescent Mental Health research team in the Division of Psychiatry, where she also serves as Deputy Head, and is Deputy Lead for Multimorbidity and Mental Health for the North West London Applied Research Collaboration (ARC).

Education:

• MBBS from St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School, London (1983-1988)
• MD(Res) from University College London (1997-2001)

Professor Nicholls' research focuses on improving understanding and interventions for children and young people (CYP) with feeding and eating disorders and those living at higher weight. Her work spans risk factors and early intervention, seeking practical and scale-able solutions from parent training to policy change that directly influence outcomes. She conducts broader population health research on CYP mental health through the ARC applied health and care research program that responds to local population needs.

Her extensive publication record shows consistent focus on eating disorders, mental health services, and clinical practice innovations. Recent work emphasizes integrated care models, digital health interventions, school-based mental health programs, and surveillance systems for child psychiatric conditions. Her research bridges clinical practice with policy development to improve service delivery for vulnerable youth populations.

Professional Recognition:

• National Speciality Advisor on All Age Eating Disorders to NHS England
• Past President of the Academy of Eating Disorders
• Clinical and Strategic Director for National Audits and Research at Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Co-founder of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Surveillance System (CAPSS)
• Lead developer of guidelines on medical emergencies in eating disorders

Professor Nicholls has held significant leadership roles including National Speciality Advisor to NHS England, Clinical and Strategic Director for National Audits at RCPsych, and Past President of the Academy of Eating Disorders. She co-founded CAPSS and instigated the British Eating Disorders Society. Her research is supported by major funding bodies including NIHR through the ARC program, focusing on practical applications that directly impact clinical practice and policy.

She leads multiple collaborative networks including the Child and Adolescent Mental Health research team, CAPSS, and the North West London ARC. Her work connects with the British Eating Disorders Society, CNWL Children and Young People's Eating Disorders Service, and quality improvement initiatives at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.