Simon Gilbody
DSc FMedSci
Professor of Psychological Medicine & Psychiatric Epidemiology
Profile
Biography
Professor Simon Gilbody is an epidemiologist and behavioural scientist. He is among the top 1% of most-highly cited scientists in the world. He is Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, NIHR Senior Investigator and holds a Higher Doctorate [DSc] from the University of York.
Simon remains a practicing NHS clinician. His training is in medicine, psychiatry and cognitive-behavioural therapy [CBT]. This informs the research programme he oversees. He is Professor of Psychologica Medicine, a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and an honorary Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Simon is Director of the Behavioural Therapeutics Lab. At the BTxLab population and behavioural science are harnessed to build scalable and economically viable solutions to enable good mental health. We address problems such as depression, anxiety and loneliness.
In 2024 Simon co-founded the University of York’s first mental health ‘startup’ – Third Age Therapeutics. The spinout emerged from York’s world leading research and the vibrant Yorkshire Health Innovation ecosystem. Simon went back to school to complete an MBA [essentials] with the LSE whilst building the spinout and is a graduate of the Propel Health Tech accelerator programme. ThirdAgeTx generates global impact by promoting healthy longevity for older people. We are an ageing society and older people deserve the best mental health as they grow older. Get in touch if you are interested in working with us to optimise the mental health of older people.
These days Simon is mostly motivated by impact and knowledge exchange. He leads mental health in the Yorkshire and Humber Applied Research Collaboration and is Chief Investigator for the world’s largest global mental health smoking cessation trial – SCIMITAR-South Asia. Simon provides mental health leadership and expertise to the Wellcome-funded Born in Bradford Age of Wonder Cohort [officially the World’s largest multi-ethnic birth cohort].
Simon’s research is freely available via ORCID ID 0000-0002-8236-6983. Follow him on LinkedIn where he provides short videos & posts on topics where he has something interesting to say.
Qualifications
- MBA [Essentials, with Distinction], London School of Economics 2025
- DSc [Clinical Epidemiology], University of York 2022
- hon-FRCGP [Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners], elected 2019
- FRCPsych [Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists], elected 2009
- PGDip [Cognitive Behaviour Therapy], Newcastle CBT Centre/University of Durham, 2005
- Diploma in Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) 2004
- DPhil [Health Science], University of York, 2001
- MRCPsych [Member of the Royal Collect of Psychiatrists], by exam 1995
- MSc [Psychiatric research], University of Leeds, 1995
- MBChB [Medicine and Surgery], University of Leeds, 1991
- BSc (hons, first class) [Psychology], University of Leeds, 1989
Research
Overview
Three examples of Professor Simon Gilbody’s research & impact
[1] An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: Prevention is having its moment, and is one of the NHS’ key priorities for the next decade. Simon’s group has hosted the biennial Global Consortium for the Prevention of Depression. His trials, evidence syntheses and economic studies examine ways in which we can prevent depression. He is especially interested in harnessing behavioural activation [BA] and has shown that it can be delivered over the telephone and offered digitally to prevent depression. BA is the less famous cousin to CBT, but is equally effective and very scalable. Simon regularly speaks and gives public lectures on prevention and mental health. His work features in the Financial Times and he can help organisations think about prevention in the workplace.
[2] Loneliness as a global threat to health & wealth. Loneliness is now recognised to be as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. During the COVID pandemic Simon led the BASIL trials programme. BASIL+ is the largest ever trial of a telephone-first psychological intervention to prevent depression and loneliness. He speaks to global audiences on this topic and is an expert in understanding the relationship between human connection and mental health.
[3] Closing the gap in life expectancy in mental health services: Life expectancy for people with schizophrenia is reduced by around 20-years. This is a profound and [historically] neglected health inequality. Smoking-related illnesses represent the largest cluster of preventable health problems. Simon designed and led the SCIMITAR Trials that have shown that smoking cessation programmes are clinically and cost effective. These form the basis of NHS-wide accredited training and effective treatment programmes. He now works in South Asia [India, Pakistan and Bangladesh] as part of the NIHR’s Global Health Research programme. His 2025 Editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine sets out a manifesto to tackle this global epidemic.
Research group(s)
Contact details
