The GNG Trainee Group is a diverse and collaborative initiative managed by representatives from leading global institutions. Our mission is built around three core aims.
Firstly, we aim to encourage trainee and student engagement in neuropsychiatry, elevating the profile of this often-misunderstood specialty. By improving awareness and fostering a deeper understanding, we strive to highlight the importance, nuances, and value of neuropsychiatry within a broader clinical context.
Secondly, we plan to share novel perspectives on the latest advancements in neuropsychiatry, drawing insights from clinicians and academics alike. This will take the form of regular journal clubs, case presentations, and dedicated training and educational events, to promote a culture of lively discussion and debate regarding novel clinical and scientific developments.
Finally, we endeavour to widen access to opportunities for those aspiring to pursue a career in neuropsychiatry, providing a support network and resources to help future generations succeed in this advancing field.
To join the GNG Trainees group please email us at globalneuropsychiatryg@gmail.com
James Burger
James Burger is a specialist psychiatrist and fellow in neuropsychiatry at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. James is a senior lecturer in neuropsychiatry at the University of Cape Town, where he supervises, teaches, and assesses general psychiatry trainees and has completed a postgraduate diploma in health professional education.
James Burger is a specialist psychiatrist and fellow in neuropsychiatry at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. James is a senior lecturer in neuropsychiatry at the University of Cape Town, where he supervises, teaches, and assesses general psychiatry trainees and has completed a postgraduate diploma in health professional education.
James has additional training and experience in sport and exercise medicine, including a master’s degree in sport and exercise medicine from Stellenbosch University and the IOC Diploma in Mental Health in Elite Athletes. In addition to his clinical work, he chairs the Sport and Exercise Psychiatry Special Interest Group of the South African Society for Psychiatrists and serves as a director on the Executive Board of the International Society for Sports Psychiatry. He is currently pursuing an MPhil in neuropsychiatry on the neuropsychiatric sequalae of traumatic brain injury, as well as having current research in sport and exercise psychiatry and exercise for mental health.
César Koga
César Minoru Toita Koga is a neurology resident at the Complexo Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil.
César Minoru Toita Koga is a neurology resident at the Complexo Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná (CHC-UFPR) in Curitiba, Brazil. He earned his Medical Degree from the Federal University of Paraná in 2020 and began his neurology residency in 2021.
Throughout his training, he has developed a strong interest in the role of psychiatry in the comprehensive assessment and treatment of neurological disorders. His main areas of interest include the neuropsychiatric manifestations of neurological conditions, functional neurological disorders, and degenerative disorders and dementia.
He is highly motivated to advance his knowledge in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, with the goal of strengthening neuropsychiatric care in Brazil and contributing to the international exchange of knowledge in the field.
Ram Nambi
Ram Nambi developed an interest in neuropsychiatry while studying at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Ram Nambi developed an interest in neuropsychiatry during his years at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. This motivated him to pursue a combined neurology and psychiatry residency at the Medical University of South Carolina.
His interests span all areas of clinical neuropsychiatry, with a particular focus on geriatric psychiatry and movement disorders.
Heiko Paland
Heiko Paland is a physician and researcher currently training in psychiatry and psychotherapy at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany.
Heiko Paland is a physician and researcher currently training to become a psychiatrist and psychotherapist at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. He is actively involved in coordinating and delivering courses for medical students.
He studied medicine at the University of Greifswald and holds a doctorate in medicine, a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, and a master’s degree in healthcare management from the same university.
His current research focuses on the neuroimaging and genetics of psychosis and neuropsychiatric disorders. In his clinical practice, he is involved in developing and expanding neuropsychiatric and genetic counselling services within mental healthcare.
His work is strongly influenced by a passion for international collaboration and a commitment to shared learning within the neuropsychiatric community.