David Harper

Professor David Harper serves as Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health, and Psychological Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington, where he is also a Professor in the Psychology department. His research spans Behavioral Pharmacology and Comparative Cognition, with a focus on understanding how drugs affect physiological and behavioral mechanisms, particularly related to memory function and neurochemical systems.

His primary research interests include:

• Behavioral Pharmacology and memory deficits in neurodegenerative disorders
• Comparative roles of serotonin and dopamine in memory function
• Animal cognition approaches across species
• Applications to human memory, time perception, impulsivity, and visual attention

Professor Harper's publication record demonstrates a consistent trajectory from theoretical to applied research. His early work (mid-1990s to 2000) focused on modeling memory deficits in Alzheimer's Disease, while his research from 2000-2015 examined serotonin and dopamine systems in memory function with relevance to drugs of abuse. His most recent publications (2023-2025) continue this trajectory with sophisticated investigations of dopamine D1 receptors in decision-making, reward processing, and social behavior, using both animal models and translational approaches.

As an academic leader and researcher, Professor Harper has contributed significantly to understanding the neuropharmacological basis of cognitive processes, with implications for treating cognitive dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders. His methodological approach combines rigorous animal modeling with attention to real-world applications, making his work valuable for both theoretical and clinical advancement in the field.

Professor Harper has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students through their research projects, with current supervision focusing on translational biomarkers for psychiatric illness. His mentorship spans topics related to dopamine receptors, genetic factors in neuropsychiatric disorders, cognitive functions in neurological populations, and the effects of drugs on cognitive processes.