Jason Michael Thomas

Doctoral Researcher

School of Psychology

Jason Michael Thomas

Contact details

Telephone +44 (0)121 414 2854

Email jmt982@bham.ac.uk

School of Psychology
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

About

Title of PhD: Psychopharmacology of Appetite

Supervisors: Dr Suzanne Higgs (University of Birmingham) & Dr Colin Dourish (P1vital)

I am interested in studying human eating behaviour through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) psychopharmacological manipulations, and novel behavioural appetitive methods.

Qualifications

B.Sc. Hons. Psychology

M.Res. Brain Imaging & Cognitive Neuroscience

Biography

I graduated with a degree in Psychology from Swansea University in 2008, after which I spent time as an Assistant Clinical Psychologist. I returned to research in 2009 to do a Masters at University of Birmingham, and then a PhD in 2010. My PhD work has been conducted both at Birmingham and at University of Oxford in collaboration with my industrial sponsor P1vital.

Research

Research interests

I am interested in the biopsychological aspects of human eating behaviour, and in particular, the role of psychopharmacology in it’s regulation. Presently, my research is based on developing an experimental medicine model to enhance the predictive power of phase 1 clinical trials by improving our ability to identify safe and efficacious novel anti-obesity drugs. I am also interested in the role of impulsivity and memory in eating behaviour, and their manipulation with drugs. My work has been funded by the BBSRC, P1vital, and the University of Birmingham.

Other activities

Conference/Seminar Organisation

  • Principal Organiser of TOC 2012 (Treatment of Obesity Conference)
  • Ingestive Behaviour Group Organiser (IBG) 2011-Present

Undergradute Teaching

  • Research Methods
  • Developmental Psychology

Awards

  • Life & Environmental Sciences, Small Grant Award 2012 (£1000)
  • Guarantors of Brain, Travel Award 2012 (£500)
  • Experimental Psychology Society, Grindley Grant 2012 (£500)
  • Hannah Steinberg Award, British Association for Psychopharmacology 2012 (£420)
  • Nominated for and accepted onto the Excellence in Science Program 2012 (AAAS)
  • Conference Bursary, British Feeding & Drinking Group 2010, 2011 & 2012

Professional Memberships

  • British Association of Psychopharmacology (BAP)
  • Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO)
  • British Feeding and Drinking Group (BFDG)
  • Society for the Study of Ingestive Behaviour (SSIB)
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Publications

Thomas, J.M., Higgs, S., Dourish, C. T., Hansen, P., Harmer, C. J., & McCabe, C. (in preparation). Developing an fMRI Profile of Satiation in Healthy Volunteers.

Thomas, J. M., Tomlinson, J., Hassan-Smith, Z., Dourish, C. T., & Higgs, S. (in preparation). Effects of the 5-HT2C receptor agonist meta-chlorophenylpiperazine on appetite, food intake and emotional processing in healthy volunteers.

Robinson E, Thomas, J. M., Aveyard, P., & Higgs, S. (submitted). What everyone else is eating: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of perceived eating norms.

Robinson, E., Harris, E., Thomas, J. M., Aveyard, P., & Higgs, S. (submitted). Reducing high calorie snack food in young adults: A role for social norms and health based messages.

Higgs, S., Rutters, F., Thomas, J. M., Naish, K., & Humphreys, G. (2012). Motivational modulation of top-down attentional guidance: Enhanced capture of attention by food in working memory. Appetite, 59, 71-75.

External Presentations

Thomas, J. M. , Tomlinson, J., Hassan-Smith, Z., Dourish, C. T., & Higgs, S. (2012). Effect of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) on emotional processing and mood in healthy volunteers. Oral Presentation, British Association for Psychopharmacology – Harrogate.

Thomas, J. M. , Tomlinson, J., Hassan-Smith, Z., Dourish, C. T., & Higgs, S. (2012). The effect of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) on appetite ratings and food intake in healthy volunteers. Oral Presentation, Society for the Study of Ingestive Behaviour – Zurich.

Thomas, J. M., Dourish, C. T., & Higgs, S. (2012). An Experimental Medicine Model to assess the Efficacy and Safety of Novel Anti-Obesity Drugs. Oral Presentation, Treatment of Obesity Conference – Birmingham.

Thomas, J. M., Higgs, S., Hansen, P., Dourish, C. T., Harmer, C., & McCabe, C. (2012). An fMRI study of the Effect of Satiation on Responses to Food Pictures and Taste. Oral Presentation, British Food and Drinking Group Annual Conference – Brighton.

Thomas, J. M., Higgs, S., Dourish, C. T., Harmer, C., & McCabe, C. (2011). Effect of Satiation on Ratings of Rewarding and Aversive Taste Stimuli. Oral Presentation, British Food and Drinking Group Annual Conference – Belfast.

Thomas, J. M., Naish, K., Humphreys, G., & Higgs, S. (2010). The Effect of Working Memory on Attention
to Food. Poster Presentation, British Food and Drinking Group Annual Conference – Maastricht.

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