We are delighted to welcome Roman Rothaermel back to the Unit as a Wellcome Trust-funded D.Phil. student in the Dupret Group.
As part of Roman’s recent M.Sc. in Neuroscience studies at the University of Oxford, he worked on a research project with Unit scientists Dr Gido van de Ven and Dr David Dupret to develop an unsupervised feature extraction framework for interneuron classification.
The goal of Roman’s new thesis research is to determine how the motivational state of an animal shapes its memory consolidation and retrieval on a large-scale systems level.
We are delighted to welcome Charlie Clarke-Williams back to the Unit as an MRC-funded D.Phil. student in the Dupret Group.
Charlie originally graduated with a B.A. in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford, during which he undertook a highly successful Final Honours School research project in the Unit under the supervision of Dr David Dupret. Charlie then completed an M.Res. degree at the University of Bristol, where he investigated the relationship between addiction and emotional disorders.
Charlie’s new thesis research in the Unit is focused on the assessment of neuronal network dynamics underlying drug-paired memories, and how these contribute to drug-seeking behaviours.
Last week, Unit scientist Dr Abbey Holt showcased her research on Deep Brain Stimulation - a form of therapy for Parkinson’s - at Oxford’s Curiosity Carnival, a diverse programme of public engagement activities held across the University and wider city.
Abbey participated in the ‘Great Research Bake-Off’, skilfully meeting the challenge of communicating the essence of her research through the use of cake!
After several hours of discussion with enthusiastic members of the public, Abbey and the other contestants shared their cakes for all to enjoy.
We are pleased to welcome Hayley Reeve to the Unit as a BBSRC-funded Research Technician working in Dr David Dupret’s Group. Hayley will be supporting the Group’s research into neuronal dynamics in the hippocampus, using a combination of behavioural, electrophysiological and optogenetic techniques.
Hayley graduated with an M.A. (hons.) degree in Psychology from the University of St Andrews in 2015, and stayed on to complete an M.Res. in Psychology, graduating in 2016. Hayley’s research at St Andrews focused on socioaffective behaviour in rats. In 2016, Hayley became a Research Technician at the University of Sussex, where she contributed to research on the neuronal substrates of appetitive conditioning in the prefrontal cortex.
We are pleased to welcome Dr Emma Falato to the Unit as a visiting scientist. Emma received her M.D. in 2011 from Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, where she is now training to be a neurologist. She is interested in the neurophysiological basis of motor control and entrainment of brain oscillations. Emma will work for 6 months in Professor Peter Brown’s Group on a project for her final thesis, aimed at investigating the effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation on motor cortex oscillatory activity during preparation for movement.
We are delighted to announce that Unit Programme Leader Dr David Dupret is the recipient of the Boehringer Ingelheim FENS Research Award for 2018.
The Award is given every 2 years, after an open competition held across Europe, to an individual under 40 years of age who has made outstanding and innovative scientific contributions to any area of neuroscience research.
This Award is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and is administered by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS). David will receive his Award at the 2018 FENS Forum of Neurosciences, Europe’s pre-eminent neuroscience conference.
Unit Deputy Director Professor Peter Magill commented “Everyone at the Unit is thrilled to see David’s vision, talent and achievements recognised in this way. David’s contributions to the Unit’s science and his field are exemplary”.
Congratulations to Unit scientist Dr Huiling Tan on being awarded the title of University Research Lecturer by the University of Oxford.
University Research Lecturer titles are conferred annually in recognition of an individual’s distinction in their field as well as their contributions to research, teaching and administration.
Unit Director Professor Peter Brown commented “Huiling is a dedicated, independent early-career scientist of the highest calibre. This award is a testament to Huiling's outstanding track record in research as well as her leadership and mentoring.”
Congratulations to Unit scientist Dr Andrew Sharott on being awarded the title of Associate Professor by the University of Oxford.
Associate Professor titles are conferred annually in recognition of an individual’s distinction in their field as well as their contributions to research, teaching and administration.
Unit Director Professor Peter Brown commented “I have known Andrew since he was a Ph.D. student, and it has been most gratifying to see his career flourish over the years. Andrew is a truly versatile and inspired researcher, and this award is richly deserved.”
Congratulations to Unit scientist Dr David Dupret on being awarded the title of Associate Professor by the University of Oxford.
Associate Professor titles are conferred annually in recognition of an individual’s distinction in their field as well as their contributions to research, teaching and administration.
Unit Director Professor Peter Brown commented “David is a phenomenal researcher, passionate about his science and discipline. He is an example to us all.”
Over two weeks in July and August, the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit again hosted 5 school pupils enrolled on an innovative work-experience placement scheme that was organised in partnership with the charity in2scienceUK.
The placement scheme was tailored for pupils from local state-funded schools to support their progress into university degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). During their time in the Unit, the pupils worked alongside Unit scientists and received personalised mentoring to gain a wide variety of practical experiences as well as to learn more about key concepts and challenges in neuroscience, medical research, and the use of animals in scientific procedures. In a series of integrated workshops with in2scienceUK, the pupils also received guidance on university applications, wider information about STEM careers, and training in transferable skills. The pupils recorded their experiences and progress in blogs and images.
Building on the successes of the inaugural work-experience scheme pioneered by the Unit in 2016, this year’s placement programme in Oxford was extended to 30 pupils, hosted in labs across nine Departments and two Divisions at the University.
Deputy Director Professor Peter Magill commented “Another great fortnight working with the pupils and our in2scienceUK partners. We are delighted by the growth of the scheme in its second year at Oxford. The enthusiasm and uptake by the University’s wider research community has been fantastic. Engaging local school pupils is a priority for the Unit’s thriving Outreach Programme, and it has been a pleasure to lead on widening access and participation in STEM.”
