Dr Renate Reniers BSc MSc PhD

Birmingham Medical School
Lecturer in Psychiatry
In affiliation with the Institute for Mental Health and the Centre for Human Brain Health

Contact details

Telephone: +44 (0)121 301 2361
Email: r.l.e.p.reniers@bham.ac.uk

View my research portal

Address: Birmingham Medical School
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dr Reniers is a research psychologist investigating the neurobiological, clinical, and behavioural mechanisms underlying adolescent development and (youth) mental health, with a particular focus on the transition from health to disease and the at-risk mental state for psychosis. Her work investigates empathy, risk-taking behaviour, and the impact of stress on brain and behaviour, encompassing neuroimaging, biomarkers, and behavioural science. Recent work focuses on the integration of AI and technology in healthcare and medical education, including the application of natural language processing and extended reality tools in mental health care. Central to this research is the aim of using technology to foster empathy, improve clinical training and practice, and support patients and carers. Dr Reniers is the lead author of the widely used, translated, and validated Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE).

Qualifications

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) - University of Birmingham 2019
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) - University of Birmingham 2019
PhD in Neuroscience & Psychiatry – University of Manchester 2010
MSc Psychology (Neuropsychology) – Maastricht University 2005
BSc Psychology (Biological Psychology) – Maastricht University 2005
Propedeuse Public Health – Maastricht University 2003

Teaching

Dr Reniers is the MBChB Theme Lead for Psychology.

She is the Foundations 4 lead of the MBChB programme and leads the Decision-Making (DEM) component.

She is the Psychology component lead for the Doctors, Patients, Society (DPS) component.

She actively supervises research students (PhD) and taught students completing dissertations (Biomedical Sciences).

She is a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) for MBChB students.

Postgraduate supervision

My principal research interests cover the interplay between neurobiological, clinical and behavioural aspects of adolescent development and youth mental health. My research involves the transition from health to disease, with a particular interest in emerging mental health problems (psychosis), neuroimaging (MRI and fMRI), social cognition (empathy, psychosocial functioning), adolescent and young adult risk-taking behaviour, and the impact of stress on brain and behaviour. I accept applications of students with an interest in any of these or related areas.

Research

Other activities

Research Lead Birmingham Medical School
PGR Lead Birmingham Medical School
Library Representative Birmingham Medical School
Member of the Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS), International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA), Association for the Study of Medical Education (ASME), Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG)

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Cheadle, AMG, Bagry, R, Palin, WM, Tomson, PL, Reniers, RLEP & Hadis, MA 2026, 'Perceived effectiveness: simulation teeth in dental education', BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-09672-z

Davlasheridze, A, Rafsten, L, Krabbe, D, Badinlou, F, Reniers, R, Quinn, TJ & Abzhandadze, T 2025, 'Social cognitive function in stroke survivors: a scoping review', Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cccb.2025.100398

Lalousis, PA, Schmaal, L, Wood, S, Reniers, R, Cropley, VL, Watson, A, Pantelis, C, Suckling, J, Barnes, N, Pariante, CM, Jones, P, Joyce, E, Barnes, TRE, Lawrie, SM, Husain, N, Dazzan, P, Deakin, B, Weickert, CS & Upthegrove, R 2023, 'Inflammatory subgroups of schizophrenia and their association with brain structure: A semi-supervised machine learning examination of heterogeneity', Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, vol. 113, pp. 166-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.023

PRONIA Consortium, Lalousis, PA, Schmaal, L, Wood, S, Reniers, R, Barnes, N, Chisholm, K, Griffiths, L, Stainton, A, Wen, J, Hwang, G, Davatzikos, C, Wenzel, J, Kambeitz-Ilankovic, L, Andreou, C, Bonivento, C, Dannlowski, U, Ferro, A, Liechtenstein, T, Riecher-Rössler, A, Romer, G, Rosen, M, Bertolino, A, Borgwardt, S, Brambilla, P, Kambeitz, J, Lencer, R, Pantelis, C, Ruhrmann, S, Salokangas, RKR, Schultze-Lutter, F, Schmidt, A, Meisenzahl, EM, Koutsouleris, N, Dwyer, D & Upthegrove, R 2022, 'Neurobiologically based stratification of recent-onset depression and psychosis: identification of two distinct transdiagnostic phenotypes', Biological Psychiatry, vol. 92, no. 7, pp. 552-562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.03.021

Vilas, SP, Reniers, R & Ludlow, A 2021, 'An investigation of behavioural and self-reported cognitive empathy deficits in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and adolescents with behavioural difficulties', Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 12, 717877. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.717877

Thomas, L, Torregrossa, L, Reniers, R & Humpston, C 2021, 'Exploring multimodal hallucinations and disturbances in the basic and bodily self: a cross-sectional study in a non-clinical sample', Journal of Psychiatric Research, vol. 143, pp. 144-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.09.009

Stainton, A, Chisholm, K, Woodall, T, Hallett, D, Reniers, R, Lin, A & Wood, S 2021, 'Gender differences in the experience of psychotic-like experiences and their associated factors: a study of adolescents from the general population', Schizophrenia Research, vol. 228, pp. 410-416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2021.01.008

Editorial

Reniers, R, Abu-Akel, A & Seara-Cardoso, A 2022, 'Editorial on the research topic Cognitive empathy and perspective taking: understanding the mechanisms of normal and abnormal experiences and abilities', Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 13, 945258. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.945258

Other

Beale, R & Reniers, R 2025, 'Simulating Auditory Verbal Hallucinations', ACT-2, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 19/05/25 - 19/05/25. <https://acreativetransformation.org/act-2/ai-the-brain-and-psychosis/>

Other contribution

Reniers, R, Campbell, N, Mitchell, L, Saunders, C, Singh, H, Tresadern, C, Zaidi, F & Dauvermann, M 2023, Checklist for co-creating safe spaces with young people participating in research. University of Birmingham.

Review article

Clarke, A, Hallett, N, Brown, Y, Cunnington, C, Dauvermann, MR, Jordan, G, Reniers, R & Taylor, J 2026, 'Key protective factors that mitigate the impact of childhood trauma on poor mental health in adulthood: a scoping review protocol', BMJ Open, vol. 16, no. 2, e112097. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-112097

Alexandros Lalousis, P, Wood, S, Reniers, R, Schmaal, L, Azam, H, Mazziota, A, Saeed, H, Wragg, C & Upthegrove, R 2023, 'Transdiagnostic structural neuroimaging features in depression and psychosis: A systematic review', NeuroImage: Clinical, vol. 38, 103388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103388

Burgin, S, Reniers, R & Humpston, C 2022, 'Prevalence and assessment of self-disorders in the Schizophrenia spectrum: a systematic review and meta-analysis', Scientific Reports, vol. 12, no. 1, 1165 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05232-9

Barber, L, Reniers, R & Upthegrove, R 2021, 'A review of functional and structural neuroimaging studies to investigate the inner speech model of auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia', Translational Psychiatry, vol. 11, no. 1, 582. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01670-7

Software

Beale, R & Reniers, R, Psychosis audioliser, 2025, Software.

View all publications in research portal