 |
BNA Local Group Rep (LGR): Gernot Riedel Aberdeen Group Leader name: Professor Gernot Riedel |
The neuroscience programme at the Aberdeen IMS places particular emphasis on bridging the gap between the biochemistry of the brain and the behaviour of the brain - how the molecular events that control function of neural cells set up the firing outputs of neuronal networks, reading out as the brains control of behaviour. These behaviours may be as simple as sitting reading this webpage or standing in the sun swinging a golf club; or they may be as advanced as our own brain developing a new theory as to how the brain works and wondering whether we can also lift ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Research in the IMS neuroscience programme progresses from molecules to neural networks to behaviour with great emphasis on how these may go wrong in disease and presently programme faculty are studying Alzheimer's disease, neuropathies, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia as well as mechanisms of repair of the damaged brain and spinal cord and how the brain changes with ageing. Singular excellence exists in the study of natural compounds and nutrition with distinctive work in the actions of cannabinoids, chemicals derived from marine creatures as well as the action of vitamins and other nutrients. Research in these complex systems makes use of new mathematical modelling techniques using a systems biology approach.
Read more about Aberdeen University translational neuroscience activities
