BRAIN centre: Core Team

MR physicist with expertise in preclinical imaging. Toby’s research focuses on new methods for quantitative imaging at close to 1,000 times the resolution available in a clinical scanning session.

These exquisite scans can provide real insight into changes at the cellular level, leading to better interpretation and diagnostic potential. These methods have been applied to image demyelination and neuro-inflammation in rodent models, and are now being used to investigate brain metabolism.

Seniour lecturer in Biomedical Imaging and Spectroscopy, and joint-head of the Preclinical Neuroimaging Group. After initial training in Medicinal Chemistry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Po-Wah now has over 25 years of experience of applying NMR, MRS and MRI to biomedicine. Her current research is focused on determining the central (neural) consequences of peripheral dysfunction, especially the influence of metabolism and a range of metals, particularly iron. This work continues her research in the role of metals in normal ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease, and builds upon her established research into metabolic disorders including obesity, diabetes and fatty liver. At the BRAIN Centre, she is championing the use of MRS and metallomics (biological tissue elemental mapping and bulk analysis).

Psychopharmacologist by training, with a keen interest in translational research. Nisha’s work involves drug discovery–developing and testing new and existing molecules that may be useful in treatment or as biomarkers. She is currently working on understanding the role glutamate plays in the neurological and psychiatric disorders. She also has expertise in preclinical positron emission tomography (PET). 

Senior clinical scientist and consultant neuropsychiatrist, specializing in sleep and leading the KCL Sleep and Brain Plasticity Centre. Ivana is a recipient a Wellcome Trust award which she is using to unravel the mechanisms of sleep, neuroplasticity and inflammation. Toward this, she makes use of clinical and preclinical imaging experiments.

Fernando is a Reader in Physiological Neuroimaging and has expertise in measuring cerebral blood flow and metabolism by MRI. His expertise will enable us to establish methods to measure CMRO2 (cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen) on the preclinical MR scanner at the BRAIN Centre. 

Senior molecular imaging scientist with expertise in quantification and kinetic modelling of PET signal. At the Department of Neuroimaging, Mattia has championed the use of many different PET tracers, including fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG; for brain metabolism), translocator protein (TSPO; for neuroinflammation) and Leucine (cerebral protein synthesis) with which he collaborates with the BRAIN Centre.

Expertise in structural and functional/pharmacological MRI and analysis in clinical and preclinical applications. Owen is an expert on Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) software, amongst other methods, and has a keen appreciation of challenges and nuances of MR study design and data processing having ran SPM workshops and help-desk for many years. 

Seniour lecturer in the Neurobiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Anthony’s group combines in vivo MRI, 3D imaging of intact, fixed brain tissue (CLARITY) and molecular analyses of gene and protein expression to study: (1) How alterations in brain structure and function observed in patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders align with appropriate rodent models and (2) The effects of psychotropic drugs on the nervous, immune and endocrine systems. Anthony is championing the use of preclinical neuroimaging in his department and at the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, as a means to address the lack of continuity between the levels of analysis used in animal models and clinical research into brain disorders.

With years of experience in microscopy and the related methods, George manages the new Wohl Cellular Imaging Centre, located in the building next door. WCIC houses several state-of-art microscopes for all aspects of screening and microscopy work on cells, tissues and live animals. By collaborating with both BRAIN Centre and WCIC, researchers have an unprecedented opportunity to study the CNS macroscopically as well as microscopically, within the same (or closely related) samples and subjects. WCIC is also under an academic leadership by Dr Deepak Srivastava who runs a research group focusing on molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic communication. 

Flavio is a Senior Lecturer in Translational Neuroimaging with a background in MR physics, image analysis and biomedical engineering. His research interests focus on the development and application of advanced MR diffusion imaging methods including Spherical Deconvolution Tractography, high resolution in-vivo and ex-vivo Diffusion Tensor Imaging and new biophysical models of diffusion. Within the preclinical imaging team his interests are currently focused on the development and optimization of cutting edge MR microscopy methods to unravel the micro- and mesoscale organization of brain structures in typical and atypical neurodevelopment both in post-mortem human brains and animal models.

Marija’s primary research interests are in the study of disease mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. She has expertise in rodent imaging and the development of optimized anaesthesia protocols for fMRI. With the BRAIN Centre, Marija is currently involved in setting up novel imaging methods combining optogenetic and fMRI to study the effect of targeted activation and deactivation of specific neuronal populations on the brain function. 

A recipient of the prestigious Sir Henry Dale Fellowship, Gemma’s research aims to understand the neural mechanisms of emotion and stress response in schizophrenia, and how to intervene on those mechanisms early to prevent or delay the development of psychosis. She uses a combination of preclinical and clinical imaging along with behavioral/psychophysical experiments to explore these topics. 

Lawrence’s primary research interests and long-term goals are to identify and test novel strategies for promoting CNS neuroplasticity and recovery after CNS injury. He has pioneered the use of neurotrophin-3 to promote spinal neuroplasticity after stroke or corticospinal tract injury in rats, and he uses MRI, in addition to molecular and behavioural methods, to study the evolution of brain lesions and their functional consequences.

Formerly at the Department of Neuroimaging at KCL, William (Bill) continues to be involved with The BRAIN Centre owing to his expertise in image analysis methods for preclinical applications, automated image registration and segmentation, multi-modal integration, evaluation and validation techniques.