This year's annual address, held on 7th November 2017, began with a review of the year's successes presented by Professor Michael Hanna, Director of UCL Institute of Neurology.
Professor Hanna showcased wide-ranging examples of IoN's research impact, from gene discovery and gene-silencing, to seizure imaging and re-purposing of drugs in Parkinson's Disease. He also demonstrated IoN's impressive research output: one paper every 6 hours on average, and one a week in the world’s very highest impact journals.
Highlights from the year included record research grant income at over £70m, and £248m current active research grants (2016/17), the selection of UCL as the hub of research activities and operational headquarters of the UK Dementia Research Institute, the opening of the Huntington's Disease Centre, and renewal and rebranding of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuromaging. Enterprise highlights included Gold Standard Phantoms (IoN’s first start up) achieving £1m additional equity.
These achievements were complemented by many individual IoN researchers' awards and appointments, including the Brain Prize, Weston Brain Institute International Outstanding Achievement Award, Citation Laureates, the first female ABN president, and new Fellows of the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences, alongside 100% success in 2017 promotions.
Mike then presented the annual Education prizes 2017:
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Queen Square Prize Michael Thor |
Hugo James Ross Prize (MSc
Clinical Neurology) Stephanie Azzopardi |
Haymon Gorlov Prize (MSc Clinical Neuroscience) Christopher Hatton |
We were
delighted that Professor Bart De Strooper, Professor at the Institute of
Neurology and Director of the UK DRI delivered this year's annual address.
Professor De Strooper's major science contributions include discovering the
role of presenilins in AD, the role of kinases PINK-1 and LRRK2 in PD, miRNAs
in AD, and characterising the cellular phase of AD. The latter formed the basis
of his Annual Address.
Professor De Strooper's presentation emphasised the global nature of the disease, and the knowledge gap in research. He focused on 21st century methods, including single cell biology and humanised models, and future priorities in addressing the disease, drawing parallels with cardiovascular health, in terms of risk factors, early diagnosis, lifestyle and stabilisation therapy.
Professor Lomas, Professor De Strooper, Professor Hanna
The event closed with a vote of thanks by Professor David Lomas (UCL Vice Provost (Health) who concluded by congratulating all at the Institute of Neurology for the past year’s successes and looking forward to UCL's world-leading future in Neuroscience.