Lost in translation: From placebo in theory to placebo in practice

After completing his DPhil in Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex in 2005, Dr Ben Parris went on to do postdoctoral research at the Universities of Exeter and Oxford before joining Bournemouth University in 2008. Dr Parris' research is on the mechanisms of attentional control in neurotypical and in non-neurotypical populations. He has published over 50 journal articles in international, peer reviewed journals and his work has been supported by the British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, the Nuffield Foundation, the French National Research Agency, the National Health Trust, and the Experimental Psychology Society. 

Dr Doug Hardman is a lecturer in psychology at Bournemouth University. He completed his PhD at the University of Southampton, exploring the placebo effect in general practice medicine. His current research is focussed on the psychology and philosophy of medical practice, in particular how clinicians and patients make sense of and enact the clinical encounter. Prior to joining academia, he served as an officer in the Royal Marines and worked as a consultant in government and the private sector.    

Dr Jo Marchant is an award-winning science journalist and author of the New York Times bestseller Cure: A journey into the science of mind over body (2016) [https://jomarchant.com/cure]. She has written extensively on the role of the mind in physical health, investigating techniques from placebos to mindfulness and virtual reality, as well as the surprising power of awe. Her most recent book, The Human Cosmos[http://jomarchant.com/human-cosmos], which explores our changing relationship with the stars, was named the best book of 2020 by outlets including The Economist, Newsweek, Smithsonian, and Wired.

Dr Jo Marchant trained as a scientist: she has a PhD in genetics and medical microbiology from St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College in London, and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College London. She previously worked as a senior editor at New Scientist and at Nature, and her articles have appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Guardian and Smithsonian magazine. 

Her radio and TV appearances include BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week and Today programmes, NPR’s Fresh Air, CNN and National Geographic. She has captivated live audiences around the world, including at the Royal Institution in London, World Science Festival in New York and Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai.

A UKCP-registered psychotherapist, Dr David Kraft runs a successful practice in Harley Street and has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in the literature. His research interests include phobic anxiety, hyperhidrosis, irritable bowel syndrome, eating disorders and the history of hypnosis. David has been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine for over twenty years and is currently President of the Section of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine. In addition, he is an accredited member of BSCAH and has taken on a number of positions over the years including Honorary Treasurer, at national level, and Honorary Secretary of the London Branch. David has been teaching healthcare professionals clinical hypnosis for over 10 years and has given a number of academic presentations on range of topics including the treatment of IBS, dream interpretation and sleep disorders.