Dr James Rucker is an NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) Clinician Scientist. He qualified in medicine at University College, London in 2003 before joining The South London & Maudsley rotational training scheme as a junior psychiatric trainee in 2005.
Doctor Rucker attained membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrics in 2007 before completing a PhD in molecular genetics in 2012. He completed his higher psychiatric training in general adult and old age psychiatry at Springfield and St George’s Hospital between 2014 and 2018. He leads the Psychoactive Trials Group at the Centre for Affective Disorders, specialising in mood disorders in adults, novel psychopharmacological approaches for those suffering treatment-resistant depression and related conditions, clinical trials in drug assisted forms of psychotherapy and the use of psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine and cannabinoids to treat mental health conditions.