Daisy Fancourt

Fancourt earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Oxford{{Cite web|title=Interview: Dr Daisy Fancourt on the intersection of arts and health {{!}} Website archive {{!}} King's College London|url=https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/cultural/newsrecords/170609interview-dr-daisy-fancourt|publisher=King's College London|access-date=2020-05-03}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and her master's at King's College London in 2012.{{Cite web|title=fancourt|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology-health-care/people/fancourt|last=UCL|date=23 January 2019|website=Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}} Fancourt joined the National Health Service, where she worked at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on arts and clinical innovations. She eventually returned to academia, and earned her doctoral degree in 2016 at University College London (UCL) where she worked in psychoneuroimmunology.{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1477493/|title=The psychoneuroimmunology of music : modulation of psychological state, stress levels and immune response through participatory interventions|first= Daisy E.|last=Fancourt|year=2016|id={{EThOS|uk.bl.ethos.746144}}|publisher=University College London|oclc=1064610848}} {{free access}}{{Cite web|title=Spotlight: Daisy Fancourt|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology-health-care/news/2018/mar/spotlight-daisy-fancourt|last=UCL|date=19 March 2018|website=Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}}

After her PhD, Fancourt moved to Imperial College London as a postdoctoral researcher, where she was based in the Centre for Performance Science from 2013 to 2017.{{Cite web|title=HEartS – Centre for Performance Science|url=https://performancescience.ac.uk/hearts/|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-03}} The Centre for Performance Science is a partnership between Imperial College School of Medicine and the Royal College of Music.{{Cite web|title=Daisy Fancourt selected as New Generation Thinker|url=https://www.rcm.ac.uk/about/news/all/2017-03-17daisyfancourtselectedasnewgenerationthinker.aspx|website=rcm.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}} Fancourt studied the biological impact of the arts, with a particular focus on the use of music in clinical settings.{{Cite web|title=Iris View Profile|url=https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=DFANC73|access-date=2021-11-20|publisher=University College London}} Her work led to the publication of a new theoretical model for how music affects immune response.{{Cite journal|last1=Fancourt|first1=Daisy|last2=Ockelford|first2=Adam|last3=Belai|first3=Abi|date=1 February 2014|title=The psychoneuroimmunological effects of music: A systematic review and a new model|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159113005138|journal=Brain, Behavior, and Immunity|language=en|volume=36|pages=15–26|doi=10.1016/j.bbi.2013.10.014|pmid=24157429|s2cid=24422549|issn=0889-1591|url-access=subscription}} She also developed and researched a number of new arts programmes to support clinical outcomes, including a community drumming intervention for people with mental illness,{{Cite web|title=Archive {{!}} Making Music – Centre for Performance Science|url=https://performancescience.ac.uk/makingmusic/|access-date=2021-11-20|language=en-GB}} a singing programme for mothers with postnatal depression,{{Cite web|title=Archive {{!}} Music and Motherhood – Centre for Performance Science|url=https://performancescience.ac.uk/musicandmotherhood/|access-date=2021-11-20|language=en-GB}} and a choir programme for people affected by cancer.{{Cite web|title=Archive {{!}} Sing with Us – Centre for Performance Science|url=https://performancescience.ac.uk/singwithus/|access-date=2021-11-20|language=en-GB}} Some of these programmes have since received clinical commissioning within the National Health Service. At the annual Imperial College London festival, Fancourt analysed the capacity of men and women to play board games while listening to music, and showed that men perform worse when there is rock music in the background.{{Cite web|title=Men should avoid rock music when playing board games, say scientists {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/176470/men-should-avoid-rock-music-when/|website=Imperial News|date=12 December 2016 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}} The study was awarded a prize by the Medical Journal of Australia.{{Cite web|title=Competitions {{!}} The Medical Journal of Australia|url=https://www.mja.com.au/journal/competitions?page=1|access-date=2021-11-20|website=www.mja.com.au}} During her time at Imperial, Fancourt also acted as Director of Research for Breathe Health Research, an organisation that looked to support children with hemiplegia through magic training.

For her contributions to science and the arts, Fancourt was made the British Science Association Jacob Bronowski Award Lecturer in 2016.{{Cite web|title=2016 Award Lecture winners revealed|url=https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/news/2016-award-lecture-winners|website=British Science Association|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-08-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811105613/https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/News/2016-award-lecture-winners|url-status=dead}}

In 2017 joined University College London as a Wellcome Trust research fellow in epidemiology.{{Cite web|last=RSPH|title=Join our Arts, Health and Wellbeing Special Interest Group|url=https://www.rsph.org.uk/membership/special-interest-groups/join-our-arts-and-health-group.html|access-date=2020-05-03|website=rsph.org.uk}} During her Fellowship, Fancourt carried out the first epidemiological analyses of arts engagement and health, showing longitudinal associations with incidence and management of a range of mental health conditions and aspects of age-related decline.{{Citation|title=Arts and Public Health — Daisy Fancourt / Serious Science| date=12 March 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iBaF7y9msQ|language=en|access-date=2021-11-20}} She also published studies showing how loneliness and social isolation affect neuro-immune markers, cardiovascular events, and hospital admissions for respiratory disease.{{Cite journal|last1=Walker|first1=Emma|last2=Ploubidis|first2=George|last3=Fancourt|first3=Daisy|date=November 2019|title=Social engagement and loneliness are differentially associated with neuro-immune markers in older age: Time-varying associations from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing|journal=Brain, Behavior, and Immunity|volume=82|pages=224–229|doi=10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.189|issn=1090-2139|pmc=6997881|pmid=31491488}}{{Cite journal|last1=Bu|first1=Feifei|last2=Zaninotto|first2=Paola|last3=Fancourt|first3=Daisy|date=1 September 2020|title=Longitudinal associations between loneliness, social isolation and cardiovascular events|journal=Heart|language=en|volume=106|issue=18|pages=1394–1399|doi=10.1136/heartjnl-2020-316614|issn=1355-6037|pmid=32461329|pmc=7497558}}{{Cite journal|last1=Bu|first1=Feifei|last2=Philip|first2=Keir|last3=Fancourt|first3=Daisy|date=1 July 2020|title=Social isolation and loneliness as risk factors for hospital admissions for respiratory disease among older adults|url=https://thorax.bmj.com/content/75/7/597|journal=Thorax|language=en|volume=75|issue=7|pages=597–599|doi=10.1136/thoraxjnl-2019-214445|issn=0040-6376|pmid=32317268|pmc=7361022}} The same year, Fancourt was selected as one of the BBC Radio 3 Next Generation Thinkers.{{Cite web|title=Interview: Daisy Fancourt – Arts and Humanities Research Council|url=https://ahrc.ukri.org/research/readwatchlisten/features/interview-daisy-fancourt/|website=ahrc.ukri.org|access-date=2020-05-03}} As part of the award, Fancourt had the opportunity to create content for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4. In 2018, Fancourt began working with the World Health Organization to develop an agenda that connected the arts, health and well-being.{{Cite web|title=An introduction to the new WHO evidence report on arts and health – by Daisy Fancourt {{!}} CHWA|url=https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/news/blog/introduction-new-who-evidence-report-arts-and-health-daisy-fancourt|website=www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk|access-date=2020-05-03}}{{Cite web|title=The role of the arts within health|url=https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2019/11/11/the-role-of-the-arts-within-heath/|date=11 November 2019|website=The BMJ|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-03}} In a landmark report with WHO, Fancourt concluded that arts interventions, including singing in a choir to improve the outcomes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, present low-cost treatment options for healthcare workers.{{Cite web|title=Fact sheet – What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being in the WHO European Region?|url=http://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/fact-sheets/2019/fact-sheet-what-is-the-evidence-on-the-role-of-the-arts-in-improving-health-and-well-being-in-the-who-european-region|date=11 September 2019|publisher=World Health Organization|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}} The report was named the Global Aesthetic Achievement of 2019.{{Cite web|title=WHO project wins the Global Aesthetic Achievement of the Year award|url=https://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/evidence-informed-policy-making/news/news/2020/01/who-project-wins-the-global-aesthetic-achievement-of-the-year-award|access-date=2021-11-20|publisher=World Health Organization|language=en}} To further global research and policy work on arts and health, in 2021, Fancourt was appointed Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Arts & Health.{{Cite web|last=UCL|date=7 October 2021|title=UCL and World Health Organisation to collaborate on arts and health|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2021/oct/ucl-and-world-health-organisation-collaborate-arts-and-health|access-date=2021-11-20|website=UCL News|language=en}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fancourt established the network COVID Minds that looked to better understand the impact of coronavirus disease on mental health. The network collated longitudinal international mental health studies during the pandemic, offering opportunities for researchers to join projects and sharing regular updates with members of the public.{{Cite web|title=Longitudinal studies|url=https://www.covidminds.org/international-network|website=COVID-MIND|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200430200922/https://www.covidminds.org/international-network|url-status=dead}} Fancourt also led the COVID-19 Social Study, an investigation looking at the social experiences of adults in the United Kingdom during the outbreak.{{Cite web|title=COVID-19 Research|url=https://www.marchnetwork.org/research|website=MARCH|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}} The study collected information on the psychological and social challenges that people in the UK faced during the pandemic. In particular, the COVID-19 Social Study looked to better understand how the virus and enforced social isolation impacted mental health and loneliness.{{Cite web|title=Researching the impacts of coronavirus – UK Research and Innovation|url=https://www.ukri.org/research/coronavirus/research-and-innovation-action/researching-the-impacts-of-coronavirus/|access-date=2020-05-03|website=ukri.org}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The outcomes of the survey were regularly reported, allowing policymakers and the media to better understand and report on the impact of lockdown.{{Cite web|title=New study into psychological and social effects of Covid-19|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/mar/new-study-psychological-and-social-effects-covid-19|last=UCL|date=24 March 2020|website=UCL News|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}} At the end of April 2020 the social study had over 75,000 participants and by April 2022 had collected over 1.2 million responses. As part of the social study Fancourt also conducted in-depth surveys of over 350 adults, exploring the impact of social isolation.{{Cite web|title=COVID-19 social study|url=https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/project/covid-19-social-study|website=Nuffield Foundation|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-03}} Her results showed that prior to the lockdown officially beginning there was a decline in happiness.{{Cite news|last=Jarral|first=Farrah|date=29 April 2020|title=The lockdown paradox: why some people's anxiety is improving during the crisis {{!}} Farrah Jarral|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/29/coronavirus-lockdown-anxiety-mental-health|access-date=2020-05-03|issn=0261-3077}} However, over the course of April Fancourt showed that levels of well-being had increased and levels of anxiety had decreased. Fancourt was appointed to the Lancet Covid-19 Commission and the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Mental Health in COVID.{{Cite web|title=Members of the TAG on the mental health impacts of COVID-19 in the WHO European Region|url=https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases/mental-health/policy-frameworks/technical-advisory-group-on-the-mental-health-impacts-of-covid-19-in-the-who-european-region/members-of-the-tag-on-the-mental-health-impacts-of-covid-19-in-the-who-european-region|access-date=2021-11-20|publisher=World Health Organization|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Mental Health & Wellbeing|url=https://covid19commission.org/mental-health-wellbeing|access-date=2021-11-20|website=Lancet Commission on COVID-19|language=en-US}}

• 2016 British Science Association Jacob Bronowski Award Lecture for Science and the Arts
• 2017 British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award{{Cite web|title=BA Rising Star Engagement Awards – Past Awards: 2017|url=https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/ba-rising-star-engagement-awards-past-awards-2017|website=The British Academy|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}}
• 2017 World Economic Forum Global Shaper{{Cite web|title=London Hub|url=https://www.globalshapers.org/hubs/london-hub/|website=Global Shapers|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}}
• 2017 BBC New Generation Thinker
• 2018 Philip Leverhulme Prize{{Cite web|url=https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/philip-leverhulme-prizes-2018|title = Philip Leverhulme Prizes 2018 | the Leverhulme Trust}}
• 2022 ESRC Outstanding Societal Impact through Research Award{{Cite web |date=3 November 2022 |title=ESRC announces winners of its 2022 Celebrating Impact Prize |url=https://www.ukri.org/news/esrc-announces-winners-of-its-2022-celebrating-impact-prize/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=ukri.org |language=en-GB}}

• {{Cite journal|last1=Fancourt|first1=Daisy|last2=Ockelford|first2=Adam|last3=Belai|first3=Abi|year=2014|title=The psychoneuroimmunological effects of music: A systematic review and a new model|journal=Brain, Behavior, and Immunity|volume=36|pages=15–26|doi=10.1016/j.bbi.2013.10.014|pmid=24157429|s2cid=24422549|issn=0889-1591}}
• {{Cite journal|last1=Fancourt|first1=Daisy|last2=Williamon|first2=Aaron|last3=Carvalho|first3=Livia A|last4=Steptoe|first4=Andrew|last5=Dow|first5=Rosie|last6=Lewis|first6=Ian|date=4 April 2016|title=Singing modulates mood, stress, cortisol, cytokine and neuropeptide activity in cancer patients and carers|journal=ecancermedicalscience|volume=10|page=631|doi=10.3332/ecancer.2016.631|pmid=27170831|pmc=4854222|issn=1754-6605}}
• {{Cite journal|last1=Fancourt|first1=Daisy|last2=Perkins|first2=Rosie|last3=Ascenso|first3=Sara|last4=Carvalho|first4=Livia A.|last5=Steptoe|first5=Andrew|last6=Williamon|first6=Aaron|date=14 March 2016|title=Effects of Group Drumming Interventions on Anxiety, Depression, Social Resilience and Inflammatory Immune Response among Mental Health Service Users|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=11|issue=3|pages=e0151136|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0151136|pmid=26974430|pmc=4790847|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1151136F|s2cid=1448039|issn=1932-6203|doi-access=free}}

• {{Cite book|last=Fancourt|first=Daisy|title=Arts in health : designing and researching interventions|year=2017|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-879207-9|oclc=1151084210}}

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Category:Living people

Category:British psychologists

Category:British women academics

Category:British women psychologists

Category:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford

Category:Alumni of University College London

Category:Alumni of King's College London

Category:Academics of University College London

Category:1990 births