The success marks the third consecutive year that the BRAIN Unit has won this prize for their engagement initiatives, following Operation Brain and the ‘Splodge on the Brain’ art project receiving the most votes from delegates at the previous two events.

The TRIDENT Cup

The TRIDENT Cup, was a game re purposed from PhD student Zoe Noakes’ Stem Cell Mini Golf, following a hugely successful run at the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (MRC CNGG) Cardiff’s Summer Fair. Inspired by the TRIDENT trial, the game was meant to symbolise obstacles encountered in order to complete clinical trials and the practical challenges of reaching specific areas of the brain for treatment of neurological conditions.

With the golf ball symbolising fetal cells, the aim was to guide the ball, navigating through the obstacles on the course in order to reach the striatum. Each obstacle symbolised different challenges within the trial such as ethics approval, regulatory, and participant availability and eligibility. If the ball rolled off the course the trial would fail.

Participants were invited to play a game of golf and attempt to get a hole in one, overcoming obstacles to get the ball into the striatum at the end, recording how many shots it took to sink the ball into the hole.

The competition had a steady flow of inquisitive and competitive participants, attracting health professionals, academics and lay representatives from across Wales, with players practising their best swings in order to win the top prizes.

A team of Cardiff University neuroscientists united with members of a care home in Bridgend to celebrate the importance of public involvement in research.

Researchers from the Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Unit visited Fieldbay’s private care home in Pen y Bont Court, Bridgend, on Friday 15 September to speak with members affected by a range of neuro-conditions.

BRAIN Involve community

The event, organised by Manager of the BRAIN Unit Dr Laura Bunting, featured two presentations followed by networking and an opportunity for Q&A. Members were invited to learn more about BRAIN Involve, a community that enables people with neuro-diseases and carers to get involved and shape the future of the Unit’s work.

Joining Dr Bunting was Professor Monica Busse, who is Director of Mind, Brain and Neuroscience Trials at the BRAIN Unit, Communications Officer Rachel Smith, and Research Associate Dr Susanne Clinch, creator of the Clinch Token Test (C3t).

Presentations aimed to make projects currently being developed by the BRAIN Unit accessible to the people they are designed to support. This includes gaining feedback on a wearable technology device that monitors exercise in people with Huntington’s disease.

The care home is one of eight hubs managed by Fieldbay, a local care provider which specialises in supporting individuals living with varying stages of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders.

Empowering the public

“We would like to thank Fieldbay’s fantastic team for welcoming us into their centre and providing the platform to host a conversation about research and why public involvement is so important to us,” said Dr Bunting.

“It is only by getting out into the community and speaking with people living with these conditions that we as researchers can hope to understand their real needs and develop more effective treatments and therapies.

“Public involvement is about so much more than simply taking part in research. We hope that, through our BRAIN Involve community, anyone wishing to input on research grants or get involved with our events feels empowered to do so.”

Representatives from other organisations included Richenda Leonard, who is Senior Project Officer for the Wales School for Social Care Research in the College of Human and Health Services at Swansea University, and Emma Langley from the Health and Care Research Wales’ Involving People Network.

The Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Unit is a research group based at Cardiff University. Funded by Welsh Government via Health and Care Research Wales, the Unit works to develop new therapies for brain diseases.

Pioneering research and treatments

A big part of public involvement is helping to shape and inform not only research, but also the pioneering treatments delivered by the BRAIN Unit.

In March 2016, the Unit’s Professor William Gray performed the first ever robot-assisted epilepsy procedure in Wales with patient Denise Casey, who was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 31 and suffered up to six fits every day for the past 20 years.

With the robotic arm, created by technology company Renishaw, it took Professor Gray 55 minutes to accurately identify and operate on the epileptogenic zone in a procedure that would normally take four hours. Denise, who has not suffered any seizures since her two procedures, recently hailed the neurosurgery as ‘wonderful’ in a BBC Wales interview.

BRAIN has also been awarded research funds to undertake the first trial in Wales assessing the impact of neural transplantation in people with Huntington’s’ Disease. BRAIN Involve input from the outset will help support and develop this vital trial to understand the possible treatments for this currently incurable and devastating condition.

Case study: Peter Roberts

Former deputy head teacher Peter Roberts had been shaving in the bathroom when he suffered his first epileptic seizure and his wife Christine found him lying unconscious on the floor. Although Peter made a good recovery, he went on to suffer four more epileptic fits and quickly began to realise the value of providing patient insight for epilepsy research.

Now BRAIN Involve members, Peter and Christine delivered a talk at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) to share their personal understanding of epilepsy and stress the importance of research into neurological conditions.

“My original motivation for getting involved with BRAIN Involve was actually my mother’s experience of Parkinson’s disease,” Peter explained.

“In the later stages of her life, my mother suffered greatly with PD – the last three years of her life were hell. This is one of the many reasons why the BRAIN Unit’s research is so vitally important. If there is anything at all I can do to support or progress Cardiff University’s treatments in PD or epilepsy – I will do so!”

How do I get involved?

As a member of BRAIN Involve, core activities may range from attending meetings with the research team, writing/reviewing research grants, or helping to organise, chair and attend meetings with other members.

“The importance of public involvement in our neuro-research and development of novel therapies cannot be overstated,” said BRAIN Unit Manager, Laura Bunting.

“Being a member of BRAIN Involve is not about taking part in research, but about using your experiences to help inform and develop research ideas and projects that are relevant to your condition.”

If you are interested in playing a role in shaping neuroscience research, contact the BRAIN Unit team on brainunit@cardiff.ac.uk, or visit BRAIN Involve.

The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is urging neuroscientists to apply for a range of prizes that recognise, promote and support neuroscientific excellence.

Each year, BNA awards prizes to UK neuroscientists in the following categories:

• Outstanding Contribution to Neuroscience
• Public Engagement of Neuroscience
• Postgraduate Prize
• Undergraduate Prize

If you know someone that is deserving of a neuroscience prize nomination, please submit an application to office@bna.org.uk before Tuesday 31 October.

For more details about each award, please visit www.bna.org.uk/about/our-prizes.

A creative engagement activity developed by the Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Unit has won the Best Interactive Stand award at this year’s Health and Care Research Wales Conference.

The success marks the second year running that the BRAIN Unit has claimed this particular accolade for their engagement initiatives, with their ‘Splodge on the Brain’ art project similarly receiving the most votes from delegates at last year’s event.

Operation Brain game

‘Operation Brain’, which was presented by the BRAIN Unit at the full-day annual conference at Cardiff’s SWALEC Cricket Stadium on Thursday 5 October, is a quirky take on the mainstream board-game ‘Operation’. Participants were invited to try their hand at brain surgery by removing all parts of the ‘brain’ structure to learn how each area controls different functions within the body.

But there’s a catch! The task must be completed in under 30 seconds while the participant endeavours to cause minimal brain trauma by not allowing their metal tweezers to touch the sides of the holes, which would trigger vibrations and a light to appear, signalling brain injury had been caused and points lost.

The competition got heated at the event, which attracted health professionals, academics and lay representatives from across Wales, as participants battled it out on the leader board to win chocolate brains and foam brain prizes.

Steady-handed winner, Kirsty, took home the top prize (a custom brain mug!) by being the only budding ‘neurosurgeon’ out of 37 participants to remove all seven brain pieces without causing any unnecessary ‘trauma’.

“We are absolutely delighted to win the Best Interactive Stand award two years running,” said Manager of the BRAIN Unit Dr Laura Bunting, who delivered a talk at the conference celebrating the importance of public involvement in research.

“The conference is a fantastic opportunity to get delegates thinking about how the brain areas control different parts of the body, and how our lives can be significantly challenged if our brain is injured or the system goes awry.

“Whether it be frontal lobe damage affecting a person’s executive functions or neuro-disorders such as Parkinson’s disease impacting movement – it is our aim to stress the importance of research in finding more effective therapies for these conditions.

“It is so rewarding to see our fun and competitive Operation Brain game helping people engage and understand more about our most vital organ – bring on next year’s competition!”

Find out more about the BRAIN Unit here: https://brainwalesprd.wpengine.com/

A neurosciences doctor based at the Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (BRAIN) Unit has won the National Anatomical Society’s Postgraduate Neuroanatomy Competition 2017.

Ronak Ved, a Neurosciences Doctor at Cardiff and Vale Neurosciences Directorate in the University Hospital of Wales, was awarded first prize after competing in the UK-wide event hosted at The University Hospital of Southampton.

The competition saw doctors representing neuroscience departments from across the country compete across three examinations. Participants took on a neuroimaging assessment, a challenge involving dissected brain specimens and a clinical-based written exam.

Top accolade

As the only entrant representing a Welsh Hospital, Ronak did the region proud and claimed the top accolade after securing the highest score in every component of the contest.

“It is a real privilege to be recognised for this national honour,” said Ronak, whose role is funded by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

“In my job, it is essential to integrate neuroscience knowledge with effective clinical care to deliver high quality treatment and instil confidence in our patients.

“This competition put all of these skills to the test, and I’m delighted to help place a spotlight on the BRAIN Unit as a centre of excellence in neurosurgery and neuro-therapeutic development, both on a local and national level.”

Well-respected

Jessica Castle, Director of Operations for the Specialist Services Clinical Board said: “We were really pleased to learn that Ronak won this national event and we would all like to congratulate him on this fantastic achievement.

“He is a well-respected and valued member of the Neurosciences team who has worked for the department for some time and has recently taken up the post of Neurology Teaching Fellow with us.”

For more information about the NRU and the (BRAIN) Unit, based at Cardiff University, please visit: https://brainwalesprd.wpengine.com/neuroscience-research-unit/

An incredible new film shows the human brain in unrivalled detail, thanks to a partnership between Cardiff University and Siemens Healthineers.

BBC Medical Correspondent Fergus Walsh’s brain was scanned at Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) using Europe’s most powerful MRI scanner – the Magnetom Skyra Connectom 3T.

Cinematic rendering

Siemens Healthineers used the scan data to produce amazing images of Fergus’s brain by adapting a technique used in the film industry known as cinematic rendering. These images provide a stunning new view of the pathways taken by the white matter, revealing the complex set of connections that underpin brain function.

Another volunteer to be scanned was Sian Rowlands who has multiple sclerosis. Conventional scans clearly show lesions – areas of damage – in the brain of MS patients. But the advanced scan, showing axonal density, can help explain how the lesions affect motor and cognitive pathways – which can trigger Sian’s movement problems and extreme fatigue.

Professor Derek Jones, Director of CUBRIC, said:

“The incredible detail shown in these scans highlight the possibilities available to the talented CUBRIC team which now has access to the most advanced equipment of its type in the world.

“The microstructural scanner will be used for research that will potentially have a profound positive impact on the lives of people around the world…”

“At CUBRIC we are looking to provide unprecedented insights into the causes of neurological and psychiatric conditions such as dementia, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis, as well as understanding the workings of the normal, healthy brain.” Professor Derek Jones, Director of CUBRIC

CUBRIC brings together expertise that has established Cardiff University as one of the UK’s top three universities in the UK for Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, alongside Oxford and Cambridge universities.

The best neuroimaging equipment in the world

The £44 million Centre, designed by global architecture and technology practice IBI Group, and built by construction firm BAM, is four times larger than the University’s previous brain research imaging facilities. It houses the best neuroimaging equipment in the world to help unravel the mysteries of the human brain.

The new facility has been part-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Wellcome Trust, the Welsh Government and the Wolfson Foundation.

Together, these investments are supporting innovation in world-class brain imaging research, including the creation of highly-skilled research jobs in Wales.

Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) is one of just four projects shortlisted for this year’s National Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Architecture.

The Gold Medal for Architecture recognises the importance of architecture in the nation’s culture and celebrates the highest standards of architectural design in the country.

The shortlist of four building projects, located across Wales, was unveiled at a reception hosted by the National Eisteddfod of Wales and supported by the Design Commission for Wales and Royal Society of Architects.

After further deliberation over the coming month, just one of the shortlisted buildings may be awarded the Gold Medal for Architecture on 5 August 2017 at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Anglesey.

CUBRIC, designed by the global IBI Group, has already won a clutch of awards including Project of the Year and Design through Innovation at the 2017 RICS Awards and a major science buildings award at the 2017 S-Lab Awards.

CUBRIC is home to powerful MRI scanning facilities, brain stimulation equipment, sleep laboratories, modern offices and break-out spaces.

The £44m facility was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2016.

Cardiff University’s Fluoxetine, Learning and Memory in Epilepsy (FLAME) team invites people with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to take part in a research study.

The trial explores a potential treatment to improve learning and memory difficulties in people affected by TLE, a common problem for individuals living with this condition.

There are currently no treatments available to combat learning and memory issues in TLE. We know that new brain cells are constantly being formed (neurogenesis) in the brain’s hippocampus, which is important for learning and memory. We also know that there is less neurogenesis in people with severe TLE, which may help to explain some of the difficulties patients report.

Research aims

Previous research has shown that a widely used medicine called fluoxetine can restore the production of new cells in the brain. It can also restore the ability to learn a difficult learning task in an animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy that shows the same patterns of learning and memory problems seen in people with TLE.

FLAME is examining whether fluoxetine can improve learning and memory in a similar way in patients with TLE.

Between now and February 2018, the FLAME team aims to recruit up to 20 patients with TLE to participate in this trial. Interested volunteers will be invited to attend the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) for an initial eligibility assessment, which will involve a blood test, questionnaires and an MRI scan. Suitable participants will then be invited to complete a series of learning and memory tasks at Cardiff University both before and after a two-month course of fluoxetine treatment.

Three talented rising stars of microstructural MRI have each secured highly prestigious fellowships to study at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Maxime Chamberland (Sherbrooke University, Quebec), Erika Raven (Georgetown University, Washington DC), and Chantal Tax (Utrecht Medical Centre, Utrecht) will start their fellowships this year in the newly built, state-of-the-art centre.

Prof Derek Jones, mentor to all three Fellows, said:

“I am absolutely thrilled by the success and high calibre of these three Fellows, and in particular, that they have chosen to hold their Fellowships in CUBRIC at this important stage in their career development…”

“I am excited by the research proposals from each of the Fellows, and really look forward to working with each of them here in an increasingly international CUBRIC!” Professor Derek Jones, Director of CUBRIC

World-leading expertise

Dr Chamberland secured a Fellowship from the Natural Sciences Engineering and Research Science Council (NSERC) of Canada to develop fast, interactive tools for exploring brain fibres and brain connectivity, and was ranked first out of his application round. He said:

“As a computer scientist, I am interested in developing cutting-edge methods that will ultimately improve neurosurgical outcome. Although there are many centres in the world, I carefully selected CUBRIC as the host institution for my proposed research project…”

“Given its world-leading expertise, combined with world-leading equipment, CUBRIC is the perfect environment to develop my career and work with the best possible neuroimaging data to explore the limits of what might be possible in the human brain.”
Dr Maxime Chamberland, Sherbrooke University, Quebec

First Connectom MRI scanner in Europe

Dr Tax secured a Rubicon Fellowship from The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), again ranking first in her round, for her proposal to exploit ultra-strong gradients in multi-modal MRI for assessment of white matter microstructure. She said:

“I have a passion for unravelling the brain’s structure. The unique equipment and multidisciplinary academic environment at CUBRIC is ideal for building upon the experience and tools from my PhD in diffusion MRI…”

“CUBRIC also hosts the first Connectom MRI scanner in Europe. Motivated by the potential of this system, the expertise of my supervisor Professor Derek Jones, and the similarities between my interests and the research lines at CUBRIC, I selected CUBRIC to hold my Fellowship.” Dr Chantal Tax, Utrecht Medical Centre, Utrecht

US-UK research collaboration

Dr Raven won the only Marshall Sherfield international Fellowship from the US to look at the iron content of brain tissue, and how this relates to cognition. She said:

“The CUBRIC facilities are incredible, and I am excited to learn from the large assembly of experts that make up the group…”

“The mission of my fellowship is to promote US-UK research collaboration. CUBRIC has been very active in hosting international meetings, notable speakers, and local community events like the brain games. I think this will be an excellent place for both academic growth, and meeting new colleagues.” Dr Erika Raven, Georgetown University, Washington DC

Located on Cardiff University’s Innovation Campus, the Brain Research Imaging Centre houses a combination of neuroimaging equipment unique within Europe, allowing the University to further its world-leading research and reputation as one of the UK’s top three Universities for Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience.