The protect study

Project Steering Group


Claire Beecher is a postdoctoral researcher at the Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN) and Evidence Synthesis Ireland based in the University of Galway, Ireland .

Pat Bracken is a consultant psychiatrist and recently retired as clinical director of services in West Cork, Ireland. Previously, Pat was Professor of Philosophy, Diversity and Mental Health at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK.

Wendy Burn is a Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist and now works in a memory service in Leeds and as the National Mental Health Clinical Advisor to Health Education England. Previously, Wendy was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK.

Anne Cody is Head of Investigator-Led Grants, Research Careers and Enablers at the Health Research Board based in Dublin, Ireland.

Adele Framer is the founder of SurvivingAntidepressants.org, a peer-support website for psychiatric drug withdrawal. Adele has lived experience of psychiatric drug withdrawal and is based in the US.

Toto Anne Gronlund is the James Lind Alliance Advisor for the PROTECT study. Toto recently retired from the National Health Service (UK) having worked in citizen and clinical involvement, health Informatics, evaluation and health economics.

Mark Horowitz is a training psychiatrist now working in London as a Clinical Research Fellow in the NHS and an Honorary Clinical Research Fellow at UCL.  Mark has lived experience of antidepressant withdrawal.

Christy Huff is a cardiologist and director of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, a non-profit organisation that educates about the potential adverse effects of benzodiazepines. Christy has lived experience of benzodiazepine withdrawal and is based in the US.

Sandra Jayacodi holds a portfolio of profiles as a public contributor, service user advisor/representative, co-applicant, and research assistant for various studies and improvement projects with health care providers and academic institutions in the UK. Sandra has lived experience of coming off antipsychotics and has recently been involved in the RADAR study as a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel member .

Dolores Keating is the Chief Pharmacist at St John of God Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, and an Honorary Associate Professor in the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland. Dolores is former Project Director for Mental Health First Aid in Ireland.

David Kessler is Professor of Primary Care at the Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol. David worked as a GP for 30 years after training as a psychiatrist and is a member of both the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of General Practitioners in the United Kingdom .

Åsa Konradsson Geuken is an Associate Professor in pharmacology at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Sweden. Åsa is a family member of a brother suffering from schizophrenia. Åsa is a board member of EUFAMI and the Swedish Schizophrenia Association .  

Nicole Lamberson is a Physician Assistant and co-founder of The Withdrawal Project who is based in the US. Nicole has lived experience of benzodiazepine withdrawal and volunteers her time helping with ongoing benzodiazepine awareness initiatives including the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition.

Luke Montagu is a co-founder of the Council for Evidence-based Psychiatry and based in the UK. Luke has lived experience of psychiatric drug withdrawal is also a founding member of the Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence.  

Brian Osborne is a General Practitioner based in Galway, Ireland. Brian is also Assistant Medical Director of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and Director of the ICGP Mental Health Programme.


Ruth Smith is a family member (supporter) with lived experience of psychiatric drug withdrawal. Ruth is based in the UK and has recently been involved in the RADAR Study as both a co-applicant and a member of the Public and Patient Involvement group working with the RADAR study.