Paul Fitzgerald

Professor Paul Fitzgerald is the Director of the School of Medicine and Psychology at the Australian National University (ANU), part of the ANU College of Science and Medicine. He is a psychiatrist with degrees in MBBS, Masters of Psychological Medicine, and a PhD from Monash University. His work focuses on novel brain stimulation therapies, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and PTSD. He has conducted over 20 clinical trials and secured over $10M in research funding. Notably, he led efforts to secure Medicare funding ($283M in Year 1) for rTMS in depression treatment.

Research Interests:

• Non-invasive brain stimulation (rTMS, TACS)
• Psychedelic therapies for mental health
• Pharmacotherapies for neuropsychiatric disorders
• Neurological applications of rTMS in Alzheimer’s and autism

Key Projects:

• ALIGNED: Genotype-guided depression therapy
• AIPPAP-RR: Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy registry
• EMPACT: Psilocybin therapy for depression
• TACS-depression: Closed-loop stimulation protocols

Grants and Recognition: Over $10M in NHMRC grants, 550+ journal articles, 30,000+ citations, and leadership in establishing Australia’s first rTMS training program.