Research

FMRIB is a recognised world-class MR imaging laboratory that integrates research into key neurological and neuroscientific problems with cutting-edge developments in MR physics and data analysis. Our core research strengths include the following areas of translational neuroscience: Pain, Plasticity in Disease, Cognition, in vivo Neuroanatomy, MR Physics, and Image Analysis.

We are currently developing neurodegeneration as a new area of applications research. Within FMRIB, close collaboration between physics, image analysis, basic and clinical neuroscience is key to our success, with over 280 papers published in just 9 years of operation. One illustration is the establishment of FMRIB as a leading international centre using diffusion MRI to investigate connectional brain anatomy. This progress has required physicists to develop and implement high angular and spatial resolution DTI acquisition, image analysts to create novel methods for modelling local diffusion properties and global connectivity as well as enabling comparative anatomy across subjects, and neuroscientists to define interesting anatomical or clinical problems.

Further examples of FMRIB’s collaborative spirit include: Multimodal Imaging (i.e. combined ERP and BOLD FMRI); Spinal Cord BOLD FMRI; Neurovascular Coupling; and High-Resolution Structural and Functional MRI. Our publication output per annum continues to rise (approx. 60 papers per annum) and our grant income over the past 8 years totals over £19 million.

We wish to acknowledge the generous financial support from the following organisations who have enabled this research: MRC, EPSRC, Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, GSK, Pfizer, Royal Society, Wolfson Foundation, Oxford Magnet Technology, Oxford University, Glaxo Wellcome and EPA Cephalosporin Fund, SRIF, HEFCE, Wolfson Foundation, JREI plus 7 charities. We wish also to thank the many patients and subjects who have generously given their time to partiticpate in our research projects.

Please find below further information on the research activities that take place at FMRIB.

• Analysis
• Physics
• Pain
• Connectivity
• Plasticity in Disease
  
• Speech and Brain
  
• Vision
• Neurodegeneration
• Cognition
• Psychiatry
• Epilepsy