Molly Carlyle

Molly Carlyle is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Psychology, University of Queensland (UQ), focusing on psychopharmacology and addiction. She holds a PhD from the University of Exeter and is affiliated with UQ's Lives Lived Well research group and the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research. Her research examines the neurobiological and psychological impacts of childhood adversity on drug use disorders, pharmacologically-assisted therapies, and trauma-informed care models for youth.

• Education:
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology), University of Exeter
• Research Interests:
  • Substance use disorders in adolescents and young people
  • Childhood trauma's role in addiction vulnerability
  • Pharmacologically-assisted psychotherapies
  • Neurobiological underpinnings of addiction-related behaviors
  • Impact of recreational drugs on cognition
• Publications: Over 36 works (22 journal articles, 12 conference papers, 2 other outputs) spanning 2016–2025, with recent emphasis on trauma-informed care, pandemic impacts on substance use, and drug reward mechanisms.
• Supervision: Associate advisor for two PhD candidates in 2024, focusing on comorbid substance use/PTSD and social identity's role in loneliness.
• Labs & Teams: Collaborated with Lives Lived Well under Professor Leanne Hides, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, and international teams including Professor Celia Morgan (Exeter) and Professor Alex Haslam (UQ).