@justinyang.me
Insatiably curious mental health researcher (@uclpsychiatry.bsky.social) studying severe mental illnesses, substance use disorders, and neurodevelopmental conditions using causal inference, epidemiology, and data science. Funders: ADR UK & UKRI MHP.
I am trapped in what can only be described as a Kafkaesque situation in which one organisation refuses to set up a purchase order until they receive an invoice and another refuses to invoice until a purchase order is set up. All this needs to be resolved by the end of the fiscal year or catastrophe.
Deeply humbled at how old I must seem to students whenever I teach (and I only teach postgraduates!). Doomed to age into a living fossil whilst my students remain perpetually young.
A career in research is already especially precarious and this is exacerbated by having uncertainty around work visas, etc. I feel very privileged to be able to move forward with at least one fewer worry on my mind. :)
Received the very happy news today that my application for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) under the long residence pathway was successful. It’s sometimes strange to think I have lived here now for over 10 years but thankful for the stability to continue in this chapter of my life.
If you missed this seminar, you can:
📹 watch the recording here: youtu.be/n5HHg4RJQns?...
📖 read the (brand new!) paper here: doi.org/10.23889/ijp...
cc @rjsilverwood.bsky.social @clscohorts.bsky.social @sriucl.bsky.social
Our new blog captures highlights from the launch of the Complex Emotions Hub — from research updates to big conversations about how we understand complex emotions.
A great day of collaboration and ideas.
www.complexemotionshub.co.uk/explore/blog...
Really happy to share that I've been presenting some results and everyone is super supportive and helpful? Like...I'm not solving world hunger or curing cancer, but I'm doing good science and adding to the evidence base. And...that's good enough? I need to sit with this over the weekend.
This is often paired with my keen interest in everyone else’s work but my own 😅
Does anyone else suffer from the “water is wet” problem as a researcher? I try to do rigorous and good research but findings ca sometimes be intuitive or commonsensical such that I dismiss them as “water is wet” findings. Am I too close to the data and analysis? How do I regain perspective?
Though I have become so totally immune to rejection that I could consider it a superpower. Didn’t get funding for which I applied? Manuscript not even considered? Onto my 20th peer referee invitation? Like water off a duck’s back, easy peasy
While I feel pretty darn lucky to get to work with some of the smartest, kindest, most passionate people in my line of work, I am working myself at such an unsustainable pace that I fear I am going to burn out and crash out soon…like one bad email away from disaster. :(
Despite increasing use of observational data in public health, researchers are still hesitant to use strong causal language (for fear of overpromising).
New paper and comment in @bmj.com sets out new guidance on appropriate use/misuse of causal language
www.bmj.com/content/392/...
Researchfish is dead! Long live..Research Octopus?
Our regular Ivory Tower comedy column reveals the many-tentacled successor to the often unpopular impact-tracking service.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
👏Mega achievements and well done on the deadlift PB! 💪
We've listened to your feedback - the application period for GROW 2026 has now been extended 11.59pm on 2 March (end of day)! 🙌
Are you an early career #mentalhealth #researcher interested in developing your career and building your network?
APPLY NOW! 🌱
mentalhealthresearch.org.uk/grow/
Absolutely buzzing with ideas following a very successful @complexemotionshub.bsky.social meeting! Thank you for allowing me to join as a @mhplatform.bsky.social fellow. Really excited to build and support connections across hubs during my fellowship. Hope everyone enjoyed the Chelsea buns! 😊
Good luck!
So, it's happened: I was turned down for a funding scheme for being "highly established" and "too senior." When did I enter the early-mid career researcher liminal zone and how do I get out of here. :(
Peer review right now is bonkers. I’m delighted that the manuscript I’m handling got 2 reviewers out of the 12 invitations I’ve sent (this is an excellent rate of return, I know) and I am flabbergasted to have received 6 invitations to review in the last week. What is going on?
Finally an official update from #MRC regarding grant application funding and severe cuts to funded research in rounds currently under review:
www.ukri.org/blog/mrc-fun...
Not that it gives any reassurance or details beyond a comprehensive list of what is suspended.
#UKsciencefunding
I’ve reached a stage where I ask three questions whenever I need to do something:
1) Does it need to be done _now_?
2) Does it need to be done _by me_?
3) Does it need to be done _excellently/perfectly_?
Any other helpful heuristics to get more things done in the day? 😅
Notepad++ updates got hijacked for months and could have spied for China
Absolutely delighted and enormously grateful to share that I have been funded by the @mhplatform.bsky.social to undertake a fellowship to explore the socioemotional drivers of severe and enduring mental illness! Read more here: www.mentalhealthplatform.ac.uk/blog/meet-cr... Feel free to reach out!
Are you interested in taking the next step in your #mentalhealth or #addiction #research career? 👣
The MHR Incubator has a guide to help you progress your career - whether you're starting out or trying to establish independence.
Check it out here:👇
mentalhealthresearch.org.uk/take-the-nex...
I know I'm a real researcher now that I am dealing with ResearchFish, yay
Paper on antidepressant effects of ketamine retracted from BMC Psychiatry citing concerns about discrepancies in reported results vs. attempt at reproduction attempt by the editors #Retraction #Psychiatry
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
On your marks, get set...GROW! 🌱
Applications for our GROW 2026 Researcher Development Programme for #mentalhealth and #addiction early career researchers are now open. 💫
APPLY NOW 👇
mentalhealthresearch.org.uk/grow/
From a conversation with colleagues, I’ve learned that homelab and self-hosting are not typical hobbies and that coding in one’s spare time for fun is considered atypical. 😅 But suddenly, everyone understands my fluency with Bash, Git, databases, and Docker! (I need to accept my own geekiness.)
Excited to announce that I am one of the founding editors of a brand new journal on Global LGBTQ+ Health with SpringerNature. Submit your work here: link.springer.com/journal/4450...
Help improve psychosis services!
We're looking for people with experience of Early Intervention in Psychosis services - or have supported a close friend/family member with them - to join our Service User & Carer Reference Group.
Find out more & apply here by 29 Jan 5pm 👉 tinyurl.com/5h3hcjfx