A long-standing researcher in the epidemiology and prevention of suicide in the UK and internationally. Gunnel is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Advisory Group (England) and acted as an advisor to WHO on the World Suicide Report (2014) and several other policies, including their strategy to prevent suicide by pesticide ingestion. He is an NIHR Senior Investigator and lead a programme of research on economic and lifecourse influences on suicide and suicidal behaviour, suicide methods and the hospital management of self-harm from a UK and global perspective.