Dr Nixon graduated in medicine from University College London in 1996.

He was a lecturer in psychiatry from 2000 and became a consultant in psychiatry in 2005. His MD produced evidence on the brain-level basis for depression vulnerability and he has published on clinical trial interventions, brain mechanisms and outcome measures for mood disorders. Dr Nixon helped to establish the Nottingham Specialist Depression Service over 10 years ago, where he works as medical lead with an interest in the psychopharmacology of depression. For the last 5 years Dr Nixon has worked on the NICE Guideline Development Group for Depression in Adults. He has an interest in Medical Education, including 5 years spent as Director of Medical Education at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. He now works as an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham and Honorary Consultant at Nottinghamshire Healthcare.