Irish Doctors for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy and Trinity College Dublin Psychedelic Research Group are proud to host IMBAS, Ireland's premier Psychedelic Research Conference which takes place over 2 days in the Edmund Burke Theatre, Trinity College Dublin, on Friday October 31st - Saturday November 1st 2025.
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12 of the world's leading experts will deliver inspiring talks and answer questions from conference attendees.
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We will have 8 workshops to participate in which will provide a rich and more engaged experience.
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Get to know psychedelic culture as well as science, through art and music.
DR DAVID ERRITZOE
David Erritzoe is Clinical Director of Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research. He is a consultant psychiatrist at St Charles Hospital where he leads a ground-breaking research initiative that aims to unlock new therapies for mental health and neuroscience. His focus is on experimental psychopharmacology, specifically investigating the effects of classic psychedelics and ketamine in healthy and psychiatric populations. By using cutting-edge imaging methods such as PET, MRI, and EEG, David hopes to uncover the compounds' therapeutic potential and mechanisms, including brain plasticity and psychological flexibility.
Dr James Rucker
James Rucker is an honorary consultant psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. He was awarded an NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship in 2017 to investigate the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in a randomised, placebo controlled clinical trial at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London. Here, he leads the Psychoactive Trials Group at the Centre for Affective Disorders. His clinical and academic expertise is in mood disorders across the adult lifespan, novel psychopharmacological approaches in resistant forms of depression and related conditions, clinical trials in drug assisted forms of psychotherapy and the use of MDMA, ketamine and cannabinoids to treat mental health conditions.
DR DAVID LUKE
Dr David Luke is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich. He is currently a module leader of the Psychology of Exceptional Human Experience. Dr Luke is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London. He is a lecturer on the MSc Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology where he leads and teaches a module on Psychedelics and Entheogens. David's particular interest is in transpersonal experiences, anomalous phenomena and altered states of consciousness. He has published over 100 academic papers and 10 books in this field.
DR CLAUDIA GERTRAUD SCHWARZ
Claudia Schwarz is a pioneering sociologist of science and technology, renowned for her critical and feminist analyses of the social, ethical, and cultural dimensions of emerging scientific fields—most notably psychedelics. With an MA in Media Studies and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Vienna, her work interrogates how psychedelic science is shaped by—and shapes—societal imaginaries, power dynamics, and discourses of healing. She is co-editor of Critical Psychedelic Studies (Special Issue, Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 2023), which aims to decolonize and diversify perspectives in psychedelic research.
DR CHRIS TIMMERMAN
Chris Timmermann is a neuroscientist and consciousness researcher at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, where he leads the DMT Research Group. His work explores the effects of DMT on brain activity, cognition, and subjective experience. Using EEG and fMRI alongside in-depth phenomenological interviews, his research seeks to understand the nature of altered states of consciousness and their therapeutic potential. Chris is especially interested in how psychedelics affect our fundamental beliefs about reality, selfhood, and the mind, with his work contributing to broader debates about metaphysics, spirituality, and the science of consciousness.
DR ASHLEIGH MURPHY - BEINER
Ashleigh MurphyBeiner is a trainee clinical psychologist and mindfulness instructor working within a complex trauma service at the UK NHS. She is a member of the Imperial College Centre for Psychedelic Research, where she serves as therapy guide and research lead in the landmark Psilocybin for Depression clinical trial (PsiloDep 2), supporting participants both during and after their psilocybin-assisted therapy journeys. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of trauma recovery, psychedelic therapy, and ethical clinical practice. She has led qualitative research on therapists’ experiences working with individuals with complex trauma, as well as patients’ journeys through psilocybin treatment for both depression and anorexia.
PROF DAVID NUTT
Professor David Nutt is one of the most influential neuropsychopharmacologists in the world. He holds the Edmond J. Safra Chair in Neuropsychopharmacology and leads the prestigious Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London. He is Founding Chair of the charity DrugScience.org.uk, former Chair of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and past President of the European Brain Council, ECNP, BAP, and BNA. With over a thousand peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and popular science publications—including the award-winning Drugs Without the Hot Air—he has profoundly shaped modern brain science.
FRANCISCA SILVA
A neuroscientist by training, Francisca now works as Project Officer for PAREA (Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance). In her interdisciplinary academic path, including a dual MSc in Brain and Mind Sciences from University College London (UCL) and Sorbonne Université and a BSc from the Maastricht Science Programme, she delved into various fields of interest, such as molecular biology, neuropsychopharmacology and clinical neurology and neuropsychiatry, and developed a keen appreciation for effective science communication. Her desire to contribute to the translation of science into better care for those in need initially led to her involvement in psychedelics-related initiatives at the European Medicines Agency (EMA), notably the EMA Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on Psychedelics held in April 2024.
DR SIMON RUFFELL
Dr Simon Ruffell is a psychiatrist, ayahuasca researcher, and student of curanderismo.
Since 2015 Dr Ruffell has been working closely with Indigenous communities in the Amazon basin, exploring the effects of the traditional psychedelic brew ayahuasca and the role of ceremony and spirit in healing.
Dr Ruffell’s work encompasses two paradigms: the spiritual and the scientific. He is committed to working alongside the Shipibo-Konibo people to translate knowledge of Amazonian plant medicines, where possible, into scientific data and terminology whilst ensuring traditions are respected.
DR CELIA MORGAN
Celia Morgan is Chair in Psychopharmacology at University of Exeter. Her prolific research examines both the therapeutic potential and adverse cognitive effects of recreational and clinical drugs. Through behavioral experiments, neuroimaging, and clinical trials, her work has advanced our understanding of substances like ketamine, MDMA, cannabis, and alcohol. She leads major studies such as: KARE: Investigating ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for addiction, BAM: Assessing MDMA’s therapeutic impact, and Exeter Translational Addiction Partnership (ETAP): Bridging neuroscience and clinical applications. With over 400 publications and nearly 9,300 citations to her credit, Professor Morgan is one of the foremost voices in the field.
DAVID SCULLION
“The Hidden Music of Transformation.”
This guided meditation and sound journey will offer attendees a unique opportunity to experience how music, breath, and meditative practices can help integrate expanded states of consciousness.
By blending the insights of ancient Irish and Eastern traditions with contemporary understandings, this session will provide a restorative, integrative space for participants to reconnect with their own inner rhythms.
CIARA SHERLOCK
Ciara Sherlock is a multidisciplinary therapist with a decade of experience specialising in psychedelics and bodywork. With a deep understanding of how emotions are stored in the physical body and the healing potential of trauma-informed touch, her intention is to teach the art of presence and holding in a therapeutic space.
In her experiential workshop, Ciara will teach the key skills needed to create a conducive therapeutic environment that include : communication, nervous system regulation and simple, supportive touch. Participants will practice body-based tools to use for preparation, navigation and integration of a psychedelic experience.
MICK LEDDEN
Mick Ledden is a psychotherapist and a co-founder and the CEO of PsyCare Ireland, the country’s dedicated music festival welfare charity, and a former facilitator with Inwardbound psychedelic retreats. With extensive frontline experience supporting hundreds of people at festivals and in retreat settings, Mick brings a trauma-informed, person-centred approach to psychedelic crisis care.
In his experiential workshop, Mick will explore how to hold space for challenging psychedelic experiences, including resistance to surrender, thought loops, and the resurfacing of trauma. Participants will practice grounding, presence, and containment skills that enable difficult experiences to unfold safely and compassionately, with relevance for clinical, research, and community contexts.
DECLAN HAMMOND
Declan Hammond is a transpersonal therapist, shamanic practitioner and co-founder and former director of The Irish School of Homeopathy. His life and work has been a passionate search for the most effective healing tools for himself and his patients. This journey has taken him all over the globe studying Eastern and Western approaches to healing, tantra yoga and traditional shamanic medicine practices. Declan has developed a unique synthesis of these ancient and modern healing techniques and works with individuals and groups to empower deep personal growth, healing and spiritual development. He is pioneer in the homeopathic use of entheogenic medicines, such as Ayahuasca, Peyote and Tabernanthe iboga.
His passion is working with people challenged by non-ordinary states of consciousness, who are undergoing Spiritual Emergency/Psychosis type experiences. He has a particular interest in drug harm reduction and plant medicine integration work. Declan has been a long-term member of the Kosmicare Medical Team at Boom Festival in Portugal and is a co-founder and chairperson of the Irish festival welfare organisation, Psycare Ireland.