Dr David Francis Hunt
Founder & Director, Malekind Lab, Principal Investigator for the Building Bridges and Beyond Stigma projects
Senior Lecturer in Applied Psychology, University of Exeter
David is an applied psychologist and researcher whose work has spanned some of the largest challenges in mental health, from service improvement and suicide prevention to developing national guidance with the Care Quality Commission. He has led and collaborated on major programmes of research, always with a focus on translating evidence into practice that makes a real-world difference.
In the summer of 2024, David’s professional expertise and personal experience converged, leading him to focus his work on men’s mental health. He is now building a foundation of ethical and applied research in partnership with national and international collaborators, asking what more can be done to turn the dial on men’s wellbeing.
At the heart of his approach is a commitment to authenticity and collaboration — producing research that is academically rigorous, lived-experience informed, and oriented toward change. Through Malekind, David is working to create a more credible, humane, and hopeful foundation for men’s lives: one that helps them not only survive, but thrive.
Researcher on the Building Bridges project
Research Associate, University of Exeter
Previous research focuses on service evaluation using realist methods, with a particular interest in improving both patient and staff experiences within mental health services.
Researcher on the Building Bridges project
Research Assistant, University of Exeter
Previous experience in mindfulness and wellbeing intervention research. Current interest in masculinities and mental health, as well as development of psychometric scales.
George Mycock
Researcher on the Beyond Stigma project
Research Associate, University of Exeter
George is a lived experience researcher interested in men’s mental health, with particular expertise in men’s eating, exercise, and body image psychopathology. George is the founder of the mental health organisation MyoMinds, a member of the Mental Health and Movement Alliance at Mind, and sits on the steering board for the National Audit of Eating Disorders at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.