We are delighted to announce the recipient of the 2026 Pat, Toni and Peter Kinsman Research Scholarship 

Associate Professor Leo Chen

Associate Professor Leo Chen is the Academic Psychiatry Lead at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and the Co-Lead, Brain Stimulation Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne. He was awarded the Pat, Toni and Peter Kinsman Research Scholarship for his team research project, “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Treat Postnatal Depression and Support Mother-Baby Bonding 

Postnatal depression affects up to one in five women and can have serious, lasting impacts on both mothers and their babies. Current treatments, including antidepressant medications, are not always effective and may cause side effects such as emotional “numbing” or concerns about medication passing into breast milk. 

This project will evaluate transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a non-pharmacological treatment option for postnatal depression. While TMS is an established treatment for major depressive disorder, its efficacy, safety, and acceptability have not been well studied in new mothers. 

The TMS to Treat Postnatal Depression and Support Mother–Baby Bonding (TRUST) study will evaluate whether TMS can reduce depressive symptoms while supporting mother–baby bonding. By partnering with clinicians and people with lived experience, this research aims to generate evidence to inform the use of TMS as a safe and acceptable treatment option for postnatal depression.