Prof Alexander Baldacchino
Professor
Research areas
My main research interest lies in improving the lives of individuals with a history of substance misuse problems. My research portofolios have a common thread of understanding the comorbid conditions (physical and psychological) arising as a result of chronic abuse of pharmacological agents with dependence potential especially opioids and alcohol. I am interested in utilising informatic systems, clinical outcome data, neuropsychological and neuroimaging processes amongst many other possibilities in order to identify and minimise risks present in this patient population
I graduated as a doctor in Malta in 1987 gaining my MD in the process. I eventually decided to study psychiatry as my clinical specialisation following a period of internal medicine jobs. I therefore joined the basic and higher psychiatric schemes in the UK (Cambridge, Edinburgh, Fife and London) in order to fulfil my requirements as a general psychiatrist and as a specialist in addiction medicine. I was awarded my MRCPsych in 1994, FRCPsych in 2007 and FRCPE in 2016. Always interested in research and teaching I pursued a clinical academic career along side my basic medical and higher psychiatric training. I joined as a lecturer and senior lecturer with St George's Hospital Medical School in London and then with Ninewells Hospital Medical School in Dundee. I was awarded my MPhil in Psychiatry from the University of Edinburgh in 1996 and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Dundee in 2012.
Currently I am chair for the World Psychiatrc Association (WPA) Addiction Psychiatry Section and Past Immediate President and Distinguished Fellow of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) I am also founding member for the European Network for Training, Education and Research (ENTER)-Mental Health. Other previous positions include Associate Director for the Social Dimensions of Health Institute (SDHI), NHS Fife Research and Development (R&D) Director, Clinical Director in Addiction Medicine with NHS Fife and President for ISAMDundee2015 World Congress.
Last but certainly not least I am honoured to have spent 40 years of my professional time with patients who needed the best of clinical care and compassion which, I hope I made a difference in their and their families' quality of life.
My hobbies include hill walking, swimming and gardening
PhD supervision
- Nina MacKenzie
- Sophie Given
- Joseph Tay Wee Teck
Selected publications
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Association between chronic opioid exposure and cardiovascular disease (CO-CARDIO study): a systematic review and meta-analysis
Schofield, J., Conti, A. A., Tay, J. & Baldacchino, A. M., 1 Aug 2024, 6 p. University of York, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.Research output: Other contribution
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Open access
Blunted midbrain reward activation during smoking withdrawal: a preliminary study
Conti, A. A., Tolomeo, S., Baldacchino, A. M. & Steele, D., 2 Jul 2024, In: Frontiers in Pharmacology. 15, 1426506.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Chronic tobacco smoking and neurocognitive impairments in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Elatfy, A., Vrahimis, S., Conti, A. A. & Baldacchino, A. M., 23 Apr 2024, In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. 15, 14 p., 1384408.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Neuroscience-informed classification of prevention interventions in substance use disorders: an RDoC-based approach
Rezapour, T., Rafei, P., Baldacchino, A., Conrod, P. J., Dom, G., Fishbein, D. H., Kazemi, A., Hendriks, V., Newton, N., Riggs, N. R., Squeglia, L. M., Teesson, M., Vassileva, J., Verdejo-Garcia, A. & Ekhtiari, H., Apr 2024, In: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 159, 14 p., 105578.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Parameter space and potential for biomarker development in 25 years of fMRI drug cue reactivity a systematic review: a systematic review
Addiction Cue-Reactivity Initiative (ACRI) Network, Ray, L. A., Sinha, R., Smolka, M. N., Soleimani, G., Spanagel, R., Steele, V. R., Tapert, S. F., Vollstädt-Klein, S., Wetherill, R. R., Witkiewitz, K., Yuan, K., Zhang, X., Verdejo-Garcia, A., Potenza, M. N., Janes, A. C., Kober, H., Zilverstand, A. & Ekhtiari, H., Apr 2024, In: JAMA Psychiatry. 81, 4, p. 414-425 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Open access
World Addiction Medicine Reports: formation of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) Global Expert Network (ISAM-GEN) and Its global surveys
Ekhtiari, H., Khojasteh Zonoozi, A., Rafei, P., Abolghasemi, F. S., Pemstein, D., Abdelgawad, T., Achab, S., Ghafri, H. A., Al’Absi, M., Bisch, M., Conti, A. A., Ambekar, A., Arunogiri, S., Bhad, R., Bilici, R., Brady, K., Bunt, G., Busse, A., Butner, J. L. & Danesh, A. & 30 others, , 11 Mar 2024, In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. 15, 14 p., 1230318.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
A pan-European review of good practices in early intervention safeguarding practice with children, young people and families: evidence gathering to inform a multi-disciplinary training programme (the ERICA project) in preventing child abuse and neglect in seven European countries
Appleton, J. V., Bekaert, S., Hucker, J., Zlatkute, G., Paavilainen, E., Schecke, H., Specka, M., Scherbaum, N., Jouet, E., Zabłocka-Żytka, L., Woźniak-Prus, M., Czabała, J. C., Kluczyńska, S., Bachi, B., Bartoli, F., Carrà, G., Cioni, R. M., Crocamo, C., Rantanen, H. E. & Kaunonen, M. & 5 others, , 1 Mar 2023, In: International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice. 6, 1, p. 119-130 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
An online global survey and follow-up expert groups on the scope and needs related to training, research, and mentorship among early-career addiction medicine professionals
ISAM NExT Consortium, Bhad, R., Achab, S., Rafei, P., Kathiresan, P., Ardabili, H. M., Butner, J., Orsolini, L., Melby, K., Farokhnia, M., Narasimha, V. L., Ridley, K., Tolomeo, S., Kanabar, M., Matanje, B., Grandinetti, P., Potenza, M., Ekhtiari, H. & Baldacchino, A., 17 Jul 2023, In: Global Mental Health. 10, 13 p., e44.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Blunted expected reward value signals in binge alcohol drinkers
Tolomeo, S., Baldacchino, A. & Steele, J. D., 2 Aug 2023, In: The Journal of Neuroscience. 43, 31, p. 5685-5692 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
International perspectives on opioid use disorder and treatment: results from an online convenience sample
Melby, K., Farokhnia, M., Tolomeo, S., Bhad, R., Bramnes, J. G., Baldacchino, A. M., Rao, R., Kandasami, G., Butner, J. L., Phan, V., Fonseca, F., Rafei, P., Jiang, L., Georgios, T. & Dom, G., 20 Aug 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems. Ahead of Print, 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review