UK Research and Innovation today announced the launch of a new Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE) that aims to develop device-based treatments for brain conditions including Parkinson’s, dementia, stroke and childhood epilepsy.

The MRC CoRE in Restorative Neural Dynamics will receive up to £50 million in funding over 14 years.

The new flagship endeavour will start later this year and will be led by researchers at the University of Oxford, Cardiff University, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Imperial College London, and Newcastle University.

The MRC CoRE team will investigate 'neural dynamics’, the complex and changing patterns of activity across networks of nerve cells in the brain that underlie behaviour. They will study how neural dynamics arise in health and are disturbed in brain disorders. The team will exploit knowledge of neural dynamics as they develop novel interventions and neurotechnology – ranging from brain implants to non-invasive and wearable devices – that could improve how the brain and body functions.

In tackling their collective challenge, the team also aim to set new benchmarks in research culture, stakeholder involvement, and collaborative working between public and private sectors.

Unit Director Professor Peter Magill, who is also founding Director of the MRC CoRE in Restorative Neural Dynamics, commented: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to build on the many successes of the Unit and to evolve our discovery and translational research, together with that of our partners, in a new challenge-led direction. Many thanks to colleagues at the Unit, the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and our partner organisations for their contributions to this exciting new vision for harnessing neural dynamics to transform medical device-based therapies for brain conditions.”

UKRI’s announcement of the MRC CoRE in Restorative Neural Dynamics.

University of Oxford’s announcement of the MRC CoRE in Restorative Neural Dynamics.