Psychiatric Research Unit (PF) handles the central support function and secretariat for development, coordination and is the driving force behind the regional psychiatric research.

The research unit was established in January 2009. The management is handled by a senior chief physician, who together with the head of nursing at MVU also constitutes the overall support function of psychiatry in relation to the department for Data and Development (DU) in the region.

PF has a clinical professor of psychiatry at SUND, a professor at SDU and 2 associate professors at SDU. In addition, there are 2 adjunct professors at SUND and SDU, respectively.

PF has a research secretary and is in charge of the management of the research library and its librarian. The library is also a specialist library for all psychiatric staff and provides literature search.

PF has a long tradition of research at a high international level within early detection of psychoses, psychiatric classification, personality disorders, psychotherapy and evidence-based psychiatry. The research in psychoses takes place in close collaboration with the Early Detection Center for OPUS and TOP (early detection of psychoses) located in Roskilde. The research in personality disorders is organized in the Center Personality Disorder Research (see organizational profile on this) and research in evidence in the Center for Evidence-Based Psychiatry (see organizational profile on this).

PF has several part-time senior researchers as well as ad hoc appointments in 3-year postdoc courses. PF also employs students in shorter courses and handles supervision assignments for bachelor and master’s students. The research is interdisciplinary and the research group includes doctors, nurses, psychologists, health economist, other health scientists and social scientists. PF arranges seminars and workshops as well as guest lectures by the associated professors.

The main purpose of psychiatric research is to conduct clinical research and thereby create improved diagnostics and develop new treatment methods.

PF has developed a broad knowledge of various methods that complement each other, including randomized clinical trials (RCT), clinical observational studies, epidemiological research, IT technology registry research and qualitative methods. With 70-80 annual articles, we strive high by publishing in magazines with a high impact factor.

PF has its own website, where the ongoing research is described, and an overview of completed PhD theses with the option of downloading dissertations, publication lists and current topics such as PhD defense. PF has research committees with representation from management, employees, patients and relatives. PF is responsible for coordinating the PhD projects in Psychiatry, which are developed in close collaboration with the 5 department managements.

PF collaborates closely and broadly with both national and international networks, which are often involved in the design of PhD courses or major research projects.