Collaboration Between Pranaiya and Arthur Magoffin Foundation and the University of Oxford on Postpartum Depression

Pranaiya and Arthur Magoffin Foundation (PAM Foundation) is proud to announce a collaboration with the University of Oxford focused on postpartum depression (PPD) and other perinatal mental health illnesses.

Stage 1 of this research is a scoping review to identify and map the breadth of evidence available on the topic of PPD using a wide range of sources. The review will clarify key concepts/definitions in the literature and identify gaps in our understanding thereby informing future research. This review is being undertaken by the Centre for Personalised Medicine (CPM), which is a partnership between the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics and St Anne’s College (https://cpm.well.ox.ac.uk). The review will be published and on the centre’s website, and in academic journals, with a plan for engagement with a wide range of audiences.

This study has been made possible by the kind donations made to PAM Foundation over the course of 2022, in particular during PAM Foundation’s founder, Hamish Magoffin’s, run/cycle across Great Britain earlier in the year. Reflecting upon the commencement of the project, Hamish said “I am honoured to be able to kick-start this research initiative, which will be of great benefit to many people, and I look forward to announcing future projects that are in the pipeline as they commence. Pranaiya and I met at Oxford and I think it is nice to be able to continue our relationship with a place that holds a special place in our hearts and very fond memories”.

This initiative contributes towards PAM Foundation’s “Pillar I” of Awareness and Education, as well as to “Pillar III”, Research, and the Foundation is very thankful for St Anne’s and the CPM’s enthusiasm in addressing these pillars. Hamish added “as an alumnus of St Anne’s, it is also nice to be able to continue our relationship”. PAM Foundation would like to thank all those that have supported it since its establishment and hopes that together we can tackle perinatal mental health illnesses and support those families that suffer from them.

About PAM Foundation

The Pranaiya & Arthur Magoffin Foundation (“PAM Foundation”) was established by Hamish Magoffin, husband of Pranaiya and father of Arthur, in their memories to assist families that are affected by perinatal mental health conditions. PAM Foundation seeks to achieve its goal through its three pillars I) Awareness and Education, II) Care, and III) Research.

About the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a world-leading, globally recognised institution offering an unparalleled learning and research environment through the very best teaching and supervision. The University’s colleges are at the heart of Oxford’s reputation as one of the best universities in the world, and make it a very special place to study and live.

About St Anne’s College

St Anne’s is one of Oxford’s largest colleges, with some 446 undergraduates and 300 graduates. The College’s Fellows’ interests range across the Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Physical and Medical Sciences. The College sits at the heart of the University of Oxford and it aspires to understand the world and change it for the better. One of the first colleges in Oxford to admit women, St Anne’s is a forward-thinking, outward-facing community which aims to be the home of choice for all students, regardless of background, and to help create a world which is fit for the long-term. An inclusive and diverse working, learning and social environment, it has long sought to champion research into overlooked areas and challenge the status quo. Partnered with the Centre for Personalised Medicine, St Anne’s is the Oxford home of many researchers at the cutting edge of personalised medicine and wider research.

About the Centre for Personalised Medicine

The Centre for Personalised Medicine is a partnership between the University of Oxford's Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics and St Anne's College, Oxford. It is research, communication and engagement vehicle for students, academics, clinicians, the public and policy makers to explore the benefits and challenges of personalised medicine.

The Centre's principal aim is to explore personalised medicine from a range of perspectives. To this end, it coordinates a wide range of events (both online and inperson) and activities including seminars, conferences, public lectures, blog posts, vlogs and podcasts. Anneke Lucassen, Professor of Genomic Medicine at the University of Oxford, and a consultant physician, became the CPM’s new Director in September 2021. She is focusing CPM activity on some of the implementation aspects of new personalised medicine approaches, such as how we can ensure that exciting scientific discoveries in the genomic era and ‘big data’ explosion are translated into effective improvements in health care for all, and what ethical, legal and societal aspects need to be addressed to do so. She holds two Wellcome Trust research grants that employ 5 research fellows running a variety of research projects in this area. The CPM also hosts 5 junior research fellows with independent research projects.