Ruihua Hou

Ruihua Hou is a Professor of Biological Psychiatry at the University of Southampton's Faculty of Medicine and serves as Associate Dean International. She qualified as a medical doctor and psychiatrist, holding a PhD in psychopharmacology from the University of Nottingham. She joined Southampton in 2007 and holds visiting professorships in China.

• Education: MD (Shandong University), MSc (Shandong University), PhD (University of Nottingham), SFHEA

Her research focuses on psychoneuroimmunology (neuroimmune interactions in mental health), human psychopharmacology (locus coeruleus-noradrenergic pathway in Alzheimer’s and neuropsychiatric disorders), and neuroinflammatory mechanisms in anxiety, depression, and comorbidities with autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. Funded by MRC and ARUK, her work integrates MRI imaging for locus coeruleus studies and explores pupillometry for cognitive load measurement under stress.

Recent publications highlight trends in neuroinflammation (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), placebo effects in mental health trials, psychopharmacology (antipsychotic regimens), and comorbid mental-physical health (asthma, COPD).

• Scientific Awards: Dean’s Award for Education, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

She supervises PhD, MSc, MMedSci, and BMedSci students and leads the BM(IT) medical curriculum. External roles include membership in the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2023–2026), reviewer for MRC and European/Chinese grant panels, and speaker at international workshops. She also contributes to NHS postgraduate training and Royal College of Psychiatrists' CPD programs.