Professor Edward Chang delivered a lecture entitled “A Neural Code for Words” on 12th February 2026.
Professor Chang is a world leader in recording activity from neurons in the human brain to understand how neural circuits support behaviour. In his lecture, he described the scientific journey that led his team to uncover how the brain produces speech and how these discoveries now allow speech to be decoded directly from neural activity. This work is driving the development of new technologies that may restore communication for people with neurological conditions that prevent speech despite preserved cognitive ability.
The lecture prompted a lively Q&A with more than 100 attendees from across UCL, UCLH and neurosurgical centres throughout the UK.
Earlier in the day, neurosurgical trainees from UCL/UCLH/ICH-GOSH presented their research during the 4th Annual UCL Neurosurgery Research Day. Topics ranged from pituitary disease and neuro-oncology to artificial intelligence, robotics, paediatric epilepsy and the ongoing Neuralink study.
The outstanding presentations reflected both the breadth of research and the strength of the partnership between the institutions. The Lindsay Symon Award, given for the best trainee presentation, was awarded to Valentina Lind for her talk “Glioblastoma Neural Activity Maps to a Prognostic Human Brain Network.”
The 2026 Neurosurgery Research Day and Victor Horsley Lecture were supported by The National Brain Appeal. For more than 40 years, the charity has supported pioneering research at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. To date, it has raised nearly £56 million to advance innovative research, develop new treatments and improve facilities for people living with neurological conditions.
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Main image: Professor Edward Chang and Professor Rob Brownstone (Brain Research UK Chair of Neurosurgery, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology)
