The NCMD Research Seminar Series, 25th July 2025, The CALM Study

The NCMD Research Seminar Series, 25th July 2025, The CALM Study

The Calm Study: Self-monitoring of mood is essential in bipolar disorder to understand early warning signs of relapse, engage in coping strategies early, and seek support from services to minimise relapse severity. However, the NHS still largely relies on paper-based mood monitoring, which has extremely low engagement. Mobile mood monitoring apps have shown evidence of better engagement; however, few existing apps are tailored for a population with bipolar disorder. To address this gap, we have co-designed a self-monitoring app with young people with bipolar disorder. This NCMD presentation will describe the process and summarise the findings from the work.

David Anderson will be presenting: David is a Consultant Psychiatrist with an interest in how affective disorders present in those with Neurodevelopmental Disorders including Intellectual Disability, Autism and ADHD. He works clinically in the Newcastle Community Learning Disability Team and in the CNTW Regional Affective Disorders Service, a tertiary referral service for patients with difficult to treat affective presentations. He has a background in software engineering and is actively involved in research into the use of digital technologies and data in clinical settings.

Ananya Ananthakrishnan will be presenting:  Ananya has a multidisciplinary background in psychology, engineering, and digital health. She completed a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering at Pune University, India and simultaneously undertook a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Psychology) at the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Subsequently, she achieved a Master’s degree in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire,
earning a distinction. During her MSc, Ananya worked as a part-time Research Assistant in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and later gained experience working with people struggling with their mental health as a Support Worker at Ivolve Care. Ananya began working as a Research Assistant at the Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute in November 2023 and is currently working on projects involving digital solutions for mental health and neurodegenerative conditions.

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