Dr. Nicholls is a Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UBC and the Lead, Forensic Research and Distinguished Scientist at BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS). She holds several cross-appointments, including the UBC School of Population and Public Health and the SFU Department of Psychology.
Her research examines the intersections of law and mental health related to the provision of services to persons in conflict with the law and diverse marginalized populations. Her team’s research focuses on assessment and treatment of violence, criminality and the development and implementation of evidence-based practice. She has published manuals to support the translation of research into practice and has engaged in large-scale implementations and evaluations; these include violence risk assessments and mental health screening in correctional settings, mental health assessments and treatment planning (see manuals).
Her scholarly work has earned her and her teams multiple grants and awards totaling over $15 million. Recently she received a CIHR Foundation award (> $2 million; 2015-2022) to fund her research.