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, may be associated with concerns about the passage of medication to the breastfeeding infant and may cause side effects such as “emotional numbing.”

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. 

Pictured below: The team who will be working on the “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Treat Postnatal Depression and Support Mother-Baby Bonding” (TRUST) Project.

• A/Prof Leo Chen – Academic Psychiatry Lead, Head of Brain Stimulation Lab and Consultant Psychiatrist, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and University of Melbourne
• A/Prof Shanthi Sarma, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of the Specialist Mood and Neurostimulation Service, Gold Coast Health and Associate Professor in Mental Health (Research), Bond University
• Dr Ling Chua - Consultant Psychiatrist, Perinatal Emotional Health Service, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
• Dr Elizabeth Thomas, Research Fellow, Brain Stimulation Lab, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and University of Melbourne
• Ms Kirsty Parsons – Consumer Lived Experience Peer Worker, Perinatal Emotional Health Service, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
• Dr Laura McCosker - Clinical Trial Coordinator, Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Health