David Colin Bruce King

All Publications

• A Consensus Statement for Ecological Medicine: Moving Toward Connection-Based Medicine. EcoHealth Makhinson, M., Pollack, L., Hallowell, R., Murray, C. H., Maddock, J. E., Stewart, S. M., Basu, A., King, D., Hansen, H. 2025

  Abstract

  Mounting evidence across multiple disciplines supports the health benefits of connection to nature. Although this trend suggests that the human-nature relationship is integral to health, its importance is often overlooked in clinical practice due, in part, to lack of consensus on its scope, limits, and terminology. To fill a needed gap, we developed a consensus statement on an inter-connectivity based view of health termed Ecological Medicine. The study recruited an expert working group and used modified Delphi technique and focus groups. The Ecological Medicine Working Group was directed toward Ecological Medicine consensus goals that included: (1) a consensus definition and framework, (2) priorities for practice, research, education, and policy, and (3) Ecological Medicine's implications. A consensus definition and framework for Ecological Medicine was reached, focusing on the importance of human inter-connections (to self, others, non-human species, and natural environment) in informing health understanding. Ecological Medicine suggests that healthcare should shift toward inter-connectivity, relationality, and health practices involving connection-based interventions, especially nature-based interventions. This framework may benefit research, practice, education, policy and other domains of healthcare by focusing on the importance and benefits of connectivity-based health interventions and on the inseparability of human health and planetary health.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s10393-025-01757-3

  View details for PubMedID 41138040

  View details for PubMedCentralID 6858153

• Assessing the UK's 1-Year Review of 'From Harm to Hope': Successes and Limitations Piot, A., King, D. Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy / Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group. London. 2023
• Patient & staff perceptions of animal-assisted therapy in psychiatric rehabilitation Sallette, L., King, D., Cowton-Williams, S., Mohan, R. CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS. 2021: S216-S217

  View details for DOI 10.1192/bjo.2021.578

  View details for Web of Science ID 000672583402068

• Treatment of Depressive Disorders with Psychedelics Handbook of Medical Hallucinogens King, D. C., Martell, J. Guilford Press, New York. 2021: 501-514
• Steps Toward Evidence-Based Regulation of Controlled Cannabinoids in Non-Medicinal CBD Products King, D., Bhatarah, P., Duffy, P., Yates, A., O'Sullivan, S. E. Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy / Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group / Centre for Medicinal Cannabis / Association for the Cannabinoid Industry. 2021
• Making UK Drug Policy a Success: Reforming the Policymaking Process Moore, A., Webster, T., King, D., Stone, R. Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy / Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group. London. 2021
• Medicinal Psilocybin: A Call for Reform Rucker, J., Schnall, J., D'Hotman, D., King, D., Neill, J. Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy / Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group / Adam Smith Institute. London. 2020
• The UK Review of Medicinal Cannabis: The Needs of a Nation King, D., Moore, A. Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy / Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group. London. 2020
• Psychedelicacies Breaking Convention: Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness edited by Wyrd, N., Luke, D., Tollan, A., Adams, C., King, D. Strange Attractor Press, London, UK / MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. 2019; 4
• On granite ankles, in the lungs of gods Journal of Holistic Healthcare King, D. C. 2018; 15 (2): 31-40
• Psychedelic Pharmacology in the 21st Century Breaking Convention: Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness edited by Sessa, B., Luke, D., Adams, C., King, D., Tollan, A., Wyrd, N. Strange Attractor Press, London, UK. 2017; 3
• Multifunctional cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific CD8(+) T cells are not restricted by telomere-related senescence in young or old adults. Immunology Riddell, N. E., Griffiths, S. J., Rivino, L., King, D. C., Teo, G. H., Henson, S. M., Cantisan, S., Solana, R., Kemeny, D. M., MacAry, P. A., Larbi, A., Akbar, A. N. 2015; 144 (4): 549-60

  Abstract

  Antigen-specific multifunctional T cells that secrete interferon-γ, interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor-α simultaneously after activation are important for the control of many infections. It is unclear if these CD8(+) T cells are at an early or late stage of differentiation and whether telomere erosion restricts their replicative capacity. We developed a multi-parameter flow cytometric method for investigating the relationship between differentiation (CD45RA and CD27 surface phenotype), function (cytokine production) and replicative capacity (telomere length) in individual cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells. This involves surface and intracellular cell staining coupled to fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect telomeres (flow-FISH). The end-stage/senescent CD8(+)  CD45RA(+)  CD27(-) T-cell subset increases significantly during ageing and this is exaggerated in CMV immune-responsive subjects. However, these end-stage cells do not have the shortest telomeres, implicating additional non-telomere-related mechanisms in inducing their senescence. The telomere lengths in total and CMV (NLV)-specific CD8(+) T cells in all four subsets defined by CD45RA and CD27 expression were significantly shorter in old compared with young individuals in both a Caucasian and an Asian cohort. Following stimulation by anti-CD3 or NLV peptide, similar proportions of triple-cytokine-producing cells are found in CD8(+) T cells at all stages of differentiation in both age groups. Furthermore, these multi-functional cells had intermediate telomere lengths compared with cells producing only one or two cytokines after activation. Therefore, global and CMV (NLV)-specific CD8(+) T cells that secrete interferon-γ, interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor-α are at an intermediate stage of differentiation and are not restricted by excessive telomere erosion.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/imm.12409

  View details for PubMedID 25314332

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4368162

• Neurotransmissions Breaking Convention: Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness edited by King, D., Adams, C., Luke, D., Sessa, B., Tollan, A. Strange Attractor Press, London, UK. 2015; 2
• The Epilogenic Model Neurotransmissions: Essays on Psychedelics from Breaking Convention King, D. 2015
• Epilogenesis Out of the shadows: a cornucopia from the Psychedelic Press King, D. edited by Dickins, R., Read, T. Muswell Hill Press, London, UK. 2015
• Breaking Convention: Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness edited by Luke, D., Adams, C., Waldstein, A., Sessa, B., King, D. North Atlantic Books. 2014
• Breaking Convention: Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness Breaking Convention: Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness edited by Luke, D., Adams, C., Waldstein, A., Sessa, B., King, D. Strange Attractor Press, London, UK. 2013; 1