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History of the Institute

The Institute was established in 1950, as one of the federated Institutes of the British Postgraduate Medical Federation of the University of London. In August 1995, the Institute affiliated with University College London (UCL), and formally merged with the College in August 1997. The Institute has retained and developed its close links with the National Hospital and provides teaching and research of the highest quality in neurology and the neurosciences.

See also additional interviews in Queen Square Alumni newsletter, including Professor Trimble, Professor Warrington, Dr Gordon Plant; and YouTube including Professor Alan Thompson, Professor Andrew Lees and Professor Kailash Bhatia

Education

Education has been integral to the Institute since its founding in 1950, as it has been to the sister hospital the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. The centre that is responsible for education at the Institute is the Education Unit (formerly the Students Office)

The Education Team (formerly Education Unit) was created on the 1st May 2006 and is the dedicated section within the UCL Institute of Neurology (ION) responsible for all areas of student administration plus the academic oversight and management of education and training. The Team manages a portfolio of Taught Graduate Courses and provides administrative, pastoral and generic academic support to research students registered at the ION. The Team is also responsible for some of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities run by the ION and its sister hospital, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. It runs an Elective programme for final year undergraduate medical students from the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, and provides support to visiting students undertaking study placements at the ION. The Team promotes best practice in the design and delivery of teaching and research supervision on site, in line with UCL policies and procedures.

Students Office Staff

Assistant Secretary for Students

  • Miss P. Harris ( - 1989)
  • Mrs Ann Newman (1989-1990)
  • Mrs J. Townsend (1990-2006)
  • Miss J Reynolds (1990-2006)

Clinical Sub-Deans

  • Dr John Scadding
  • Professor Andrew Lees
  • Professor Niall Quinn
  • Professor Simon Shorvon
Education Team (formerly Education Unit) Staff

Head of PGR:

  • Professor Alex Leff (2016 – present)

Head of PGR:

  • Professor Dimitri Kullmann (2016 – 2021)

Head of the Education Unit:

  • Dr Caroline Selai (2006 – 2017)

Departmental Postgraduate Tutor:

  • Professor Simon Shorvon (2006 - 2016)
  • Dr Caroline Selai (2013 - 2018)
  • Professor Steve Kennerley (2018 - 2023)
  • Professor Tammaryn Lashley (2023 - present)

Education Team Managers:

  • Ms D Warr (2006 - 2014)
  • Mr D Blundred (2014 – 2023)
  • Mr A Addo (2023 - present)

Teaching Administrators:

  • Miss J Reynolds (2006 - 2015)
  • Ms B Harder (2006 - 2008)
  • Mr D Blundred (2008 - 2014)
  • Ms A Foakes (2013 – present)
  • Ms K Hobbs (2013 - 2016)
  • Mr M Fumagalli (2015 - 2019)
  • Mr D Cotfas (2015 – present)
  • Mr A Addo (2016 – 2021)
  • Mrs S MacLeod (2016 – 2019)
  • Mrs D Buck (2017 - 2018)
  • Ms S Begum (2017 - 2018)
  • Ms T Skinner (2019 - present)
  • Mrs M Khanom (2020 - present)
  • Mr C Routh (2020 - present)
  • Mr D Bates (2020 - 2022)
  • Mrs A O'Regan (2021 - present)

Teaching Fellows:

  • Dr A Liston (2008 – present)
  • Dr P Dassan (2011 - 2012)
  • Dr L Silveira Moriyama (2012 - 2013)
  • Dr A Batla (2013 – present)
  • Dr S Gill (2015 – present)
  • Dr B Kalmar (2015 - 2020)
  • Dr T Young (2016 – present)
  • Dr C Hardy (2017 - 2018)
  • Dr S Haider (2018 - present)
  • Dr J Agustus (2019 - present)

Statisticians:

  • Dr K Kallis (2007 - 2012)
  • Dr Z Fox (2012 – 2016)
  • Dr K Rantell (2012 – 2015)
  • Dr S Islam (2016 – present)
  • Dr G Favarato (2022 - present)
Queen Square Prize
  • 1973 - Dr F C K Chen
  • 1976 - joint winners: Dr S G Jacobson & Mrs Caroline Smith
  • 1977 - joint winners: Dr RJ Guilof and Dr J MacDermot
  • 1986 - Dr A H V Schapira
  • 1987 - Dr D Barnes
  • 1988 - Mr G Wolswijk
  • 1989 - Dr R S Howard
  • 1990 - Dr G Fuller
  • 1991 - Dr Chin Cheng Lee
  • 1992 - Dr S Hammans
  • 1994 - Dr K Alien
  • 1995 - Dr M Maier
  • 1996 - joint winners: Dr R Chalmers & Dr N Losseff
  • 1997 - joint winners: Dr O Bandmann & Dr M Samuel
  • 1998 - Dr P Fletcher
  • 1999 - Dr J Vaughan
  • 2000 - Ms L Eunson
  • 2001 - Ms Y Knight
  • 2002 - joint winners: Dr Hu Liang Low and Dr Ming-Jen Lee
  • 2003 - Dr Giovanna Malluci
  • 2004 - Dr Mark Edwards
  • 2005 - Ms Gaia Skibinski
  • 2006 - Dr Mirakul Muqut
  • 2007 - Dr David Williams
  • 2008 - Dr Binith Cheeran 'Stimulation Genomics: Probing the effects of Genetic Variation on Human Cortical Plasticity and its Clinical Implications'.
  • 2009 - Dr Ed Wild 'A novel pathogenic pathway of immune activation in Huntington’s disease'.
  • 2010 - joint winners: Emily Ferenczi 'Probing network oscillations to explore neural connectivity' & Ben Seymour 'The Computational Neuroscience of Human Aversive
    Learning'.
  • 2011 - joint winners: Dr Gavin Winston 'Developing Optic Radiation Tractography to Reduce Visual Field Deficits following Anterior Temporal Lobe Resection' & Dr Tamara Shiner 'Deconstructing the role of dopamine in learning, movement & motivation in Parkinson's disease'.
  • 2012 - Sheena Lindsey Waters-Metenier 'Supercharging the brain: the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation to facilitate learning of complex motor skills'.
  • 2013 - Dr Barney Bryson 'Identifying the Contribution of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) to Motor Neuron Degeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and its Therapeutic Implications'.
  • 2014 - Dr Eleanna Kara 'The genetic basis and pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease: What can we learn from other complex neurodegenerative diseases and how can these findings translate to clinical utility?'.
  • 2015 - joint winners:  Dr Umesh Vivekananda 'Investigation of pre-synaptic action potential morphology and axonal signalling in submicrometer sized hippocampal synapses in Episodic Ataxia Type 1' & Prisca R. Bauer 'Is there a neuronal emergency brake that terminate seizures but also causes sudden unexpected death in epilepsy?'.
  • 2016 - Ms Charlotte Spicer 'Targeting the heat shock response - a new hope for the treatment of inclusion body myositis'.
  • 2017 - Dr Michael G Thor 'Recessive loss of function in the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.4 causes congenital myopathy or fetal akinesia'.
  • 2018 - Dr Olivia Poole 'Understanding the role of TRIAP1 in phospholipid metabolism: a novel cause of mitochondrial disease'.
  • 2019 - Dr Karen Suetterlin 'Why does the periodic paralysis phenotype change from episodic to degenerative with age?'.
  • 2020 - joint winners: Dr Edwin Jabbari 'LRRK2: A genetic modifier of survival and therapeutic target in the primary tauopathy progressive supranuclear palsy' & Dr Paul Zeun 'Looking backwards to move forward: Identifying the best time to initiate treatments in Huntington’s disease'.
  • 2021 - joint winners: Dr Alexander Bampton 'HnRNP K: The new kid on the block in neurodegenerative disease and ageing' & Dr Viorica Chelban 'Disease-Gene discovery - the crossroads between science, research environment and clinical practice'.
  • 2022 - Kanza Tariq 'Cerebrospinal Fluid Production Rate In Various Pathological Conditions: A Preliminary Study'.
  • 2023 - joint winners: Dr Oliver Ziff 'Decoding Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis through Transcriptomics: The Role of DNA Damage' & Dr Angelo Dawson 'Changing the Narrative: Chronic Stroke Patients Can Recover Lost Motor Control'.
Pat Harris Prize

Awarded to the best candidate on the Diploma in Clinical Neurology programme from 1989 until 2009. From 2009 to 2011, candidates on the MSc in Clinical Neurology were also eligible for this award.

  • 1989  Dr Moon-Keen Lee
  • 1990  Dr Talat Wazna
  • 1991  Dr Susanne Markwort
  • 1992  Dr Uzor Godwin Lekwuwa
  • 1993  Dr Mahfoud Younes El Bashari
  • 1994  Dr Bahiga Mohamed Abu Hagar
  • 1995  Dr Tak Hong Tsoi
  • 1996  Dr Jan Victor Hirschmann
  • 1997 Dr Azam Aslam
  • 1998 Dr Teeratorn Pulkes
  • 1999 Dr Madhurendra Narayan Singh 
  • 2000 Dr Shahpar Nahrir 
  • 2001 Dr Susann Brandenberg
  • 2002 Dr Juzar Hooker
  • 2003 Dr Jia Haur Tho
  • 2004 Dr A Ryalat
  • 2005  Dr Petra Schwingenschuh and Dr Mario Da Cunha Saporta
  • 2006 Dr Joseph Kwan
  • 2007 Dr Kojovic & Dr Hrishikesh Kumar
  • 2008 Dr Osman
  • 2009 Dr Andre Leitao (Diploma Clinical Neurology) & Dr Raymond Tan (MSc Clinical Neurology)
  • 2010 Dr Varun Sethi (MSc Clinical Neurology)
  • 2011 Dr Tom Pollak (MSc Clinical Neurology)
Haymon Gorlov Prize

Awarded to the best candidate on the MSc Clinical Neuroscience programme

  • 1998 – 1999  Dr Olaniyi Osuntokun
  • 1999 – 2000  Dr Ramachandran Viswanathan 
  • 2000 – 2001  Rachael Mackinlay
  • 2001 - 2002  Bijal Trivedi and Emily Walker
  • 2002 - 2003  Dr Steven Long
  • 2003 – 2004  Dr Paul Johns and Miss Gemma Northam
  • 2004- 2005   Anneke Haddad
  • 2005 – 2006  Ioanna Sevastou
  • 2006 – 2007  Dr Nikos Gorgoratis and Mr Stephen Knafo
  • 2007 – 2008  Mr Neir Eshel
  • 2008 – 2009  Mr John Seamons
  • 2009 – 2010  Dr Jorge Castillo Quan
  • 2010 – 2011  Dr Eleanna Kara
  • 2011 – 2012  Dr Robert Hurford
  • 2012 – 2013  Ms Yein Nam and Ms Madeline Grade
  • 2013 – 2014  Ms Anna Stevenson and Ms Ingvild Stueland
  • 2014 – 2015  Ms Eleonora Spanudakis
  • 2015 – 2016  Ms Mica Clarke
  • 2016 - 2017 Mr Christopher Hatton
  • 2017 - 2018 Ms Talya Goble
  • 2018- 2019 Ms Helene Marie (Nina) El-Bacha
  • 2019- 2020 Ms Sophie Newton 
  • 2020- 2021 Mr Christos Chimonides
  • 2021- 2022 Mr Martin Esparza Iaizzo
  • 2022 - 2023
Hugo James Ross Prize

Awarded to the candidate who achieved the highest overall mark for their MSc on the MSc Clinical Neurology programme. Awarded until 2019-2020.

  • 2011 – 2012  Dr Nicola Aquilina
  • 2012 – 2013  Dr Nadeem Hosein
  • 2013 – 2014  Dr Felix Govert and Dr Musa Watila
  • 2014 – 2015  Dr Xin You Tai
  • 2015 – 2016  Dr Giulia Attard Navarro
  • 2016 - 2017 Dr Stephanie Azzopardi
  • 2017 - 2018 Dr Prodromos Anastasiadis
  • 2018 - 2019 Dr Sabahat Iqbal
  • 2019 - 2020 Dr Huda Shujaa Aldeen
Programmes of Study
  • Electives for Medical Students (1949 - present)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Neurology (1983 – 2020)
  • Visiting Fellowship programme (1988 - 2008)
  • MSc Clinical Neuroscience (1998 – present)
  • Dual Masters in Brain and Mind Sciences (2006 – present)
  • MSc Clinical Neurology (2006 – 2020)
  • MSc/MRes Advanced Neuroimaging (2008 – present)
  • MSc/PG Dip/PGCert in Clinical Neurology via Distance Learning (2011 – present)
  • Wolfson 4 year PhD programme (2013 – 2021)
  • MRes Translational Neuroscience (formerly called MRes Translational Neurology (2014 – present)
  • MSc/PG Dip/PGCert/MRes Stroke Medicine (2015 – present)
  • MSc/PG Dip/PGCert/MRes Neuromuscular Disease  (2015 – present)
  • MSc in Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience) (2016 – present)
  • 4 year PhD programme in Clinical Neurosciences (2009 – 2017)
Short Courses (CPD)
  • Queen Square Advanced Neurology courses (1991 - 2011)
  • How to do it in Neurology (1993 – 1998)
  • MRCP PACES Course (1996 - 2020)
  • Neuroradiology & Functional Neuroanatomy (2000 – present)
  • SPM (2002 – present)
  • Update in neuromuscular disorders (2007 – present)
  • Clinical Neurology in General Practice course (2009 - 2010)
  • Neurology: leading edge neurology for the practising clinician (2014 - present)
Teaching Awards

Djamshidian-Chinthapalli award for outstanding contribution to teaching 

  • 2020 Dr Krishna Chinthapalli
  • 2019 Dr Etienne Laverse
  • 2018 Dr Etienne Laverse
  • 2017 Dr Etienne Laverse
  • 2016 Dr Niamh Cawley
  • 2015 Dr Duncan Austin
  • 2014 Dr Wallace Brownlee and Dr Shahrukh Mallik
  • 2013 Dr Damon Hoad
  • 2012 Dr Tabish Saifee and Dr Orlando Swayne


Clinical Tutor of the year

  • 2020 Dr Michael O'Brien, Dr Tabish Saifee and Dr Richard Perry
  • 2019 Dr Sam Shribman
  • 2018 Dr Hector Garcia-Moreno
  • 2017 Dr Michael O'Brien
  • 2016 Dr James Gratwicke
  • 2015 Dr James Gratwicke
  • 2014 Dr Salman Haider
  • 2013 Dr Atbin Djamshidian-Tehrani
  • 2012 Dr Mark Edwards

Clinical Neuroscience Dr Tony Pullen Lecturer of the Year Award

  • 2019 Prof Nick Fox
  • 2018 Prof John Rothwell
  • 2017 Dr Ed Wild
  • 2016 Mr Ludvic Zrinzo
  • 2015 Dr Katerina Fotopoulou
  • 2014 Dr Ed Wild
  • 2013 Mr Ludvic Zrinzo
Inaugural Lectures

ION YouTube playlist of inaugural lectures

1960s

  • 8 October 1962 Professor R W Gilliatt The effects of disease on the propagation of nerve impulses
  • 28 November1965 Professor W H McMeneney The practice of neuropathology today and its evolution
  • 7 December1967 Professor J B Cavanagh Selective vulnerability in neurological disease

1970s

  • 24 February 1972 Professor J Marshall The measurement of regional cerebral blood flow in the human subject
  • 23 March 1972 Professor A Davison The molecular biology of myelin
  • 22 May1974 Professor T A Sears Talking of Breathing
  • 2 October 1974 Professor W I McDonald Pathophysinlogy of central nerve fibres
  • 3 March 1976 Professor G du Boulay Animals have arms as well as legs
  • 15 November1979 Professor L Symon A surgical view of the cerebral circulation

1980s

  • 29 January 1981 Professor J Newsom-Davis Myasthenia gravis: a model for autoimmune disease of the nervous system?
  • 2 December1982 Professor E K Warrington Memory for facts and memory for events
  • 1988 Professor C D Marsden

1990s

  • 8 April 1992 Professor J B Clark The degenerate mitochondrion: the ultimate energy crisis
  • 7 June 1995 Professor RN Lemon Cortical Control of the Hand
  • 7 November 1995 Professor R S J Frackowiak Brain imagery and brain function
  • 12 March 1996 Professor F Scaravilli Neuropathology: to be or not to be"
  • 30 May 1996 Professor D G T Thomas A Neurosurgeon's approach to the millennium
  • 18 February 1999 Professor S D Shorvon Epilepsy and the hippocampal system
  • 15 July 1999 Professor A J Thompson Neurological rehabilitation from mechanisms to management

2000s

  • 9 March 2000 Professor M M Brown A journey up the carotid artery
  • 18 May 2000 Professor J W A S Sander The prognosis of epilepsy: past, present and future
  • 12 February 2004 Professor T Yousry The Brain and its landmarks
  • 23 March 2004 Professor M Hariz Disease and other brain disorders – what’s new?
  • 11 January 2006 Professor G Raisman Repairing the spinal cord: Ripples of an oncoming tide

2010

  • 22 April 2010 Professor X Golay From Physics to Translational Neuroscience: A personal spin history
  • 21 October 2010 Professor L Greensmith MND: From muscle to nerve and back again

2016

  • 26 January 2016 Professor Li Repair CNS Injuries by Transplantation of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells
  • 26 January 2016 Professor Barkhof Translational Neuroimaging – from Engineering to Healthcare

2017

  • Thursday 26th January 2017 : Professor Ying Li, Professor of  Neurosciences:  “Repair CNS Injuries by Transplantation of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells” and Professor Frederik Barkhof, Professor of Neuroradiology : “Translational Neuroimaging – from Engineering to Healthcare”. IoN news item on the lectures
  • Thursday 27th April 2017 : Professor Kenneth Harris, Professor of Quantitative Neuroscience: "Neuromics" and Professor Rob Brownstone, Brain Research Trust Chair of Neurosurgery: "Neural Circuits for Movement": IoN news item on the lectures
  • Thursday 22nd June 2017: Professor Claudia Wheeler-Kingshott, Professor in Magnetic Resonance Physics - "The random walk of translational MR Physics" and  Professor Olga Ciccarelli, Professor of Neurology: "Improving our understanding of MS using imaging"; IoN news item on the lectures
  • Thursday 21st September 2017: Professor Jernej Ule, Professor of Molecular Neuroscience: "How the assembly of protein-RNA complexes guides their regulatory functions" and Professor Tom Foltynie, Professor of Neurology: “Improving the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease”. IoN news item on the lectures
  • Thursday 23 November 2017: Professor Janice Holton (Professor in Neuropathology & Director of Queen Square Brain Bank) “Neuropathology: Studies in neurodegeneration and other stories” and Professor Maria Thom (Professor of Neuropathology) “Identifying diagnostic and prognostic neuropathology biomarkers in focal epilepsies” IoN news item on the lectures
  • Thursday 12 December 2017: Professor Giampietro Schiavo (Professor of Cellular Neuroscience) “The Axonal Transport Machinery and its Impairment in Disease” and Professor Huw Morris (Professor of Clinical Neurosciences)“Tangling with Neurodegeneration around the World” : IoN news item on the lectures

2018

  • Thursday 22 February 2018: Professor Anette Schrag (Professor of Clinical Neurosciences, UCL Institute of Neurology) Professor Jonathan Schott (Professor of Neurology, UCL Institute of Neurology) IoN news item on the lectures
  • Thursday 15 March 2018: Professor Patricia Limousin (Professor of Clinical Neurology, UCL Institute of Neurology) “25 years of Deep Brain Stimulation” IoN news item on the lectures
  • 10 July 2018 Professor Gillian Bates “Huntington’s disease: the end game in sight?” (Anita Harding Memorial Lecture) IoN news item on the lecture 
  • Tuesday 27 November 2018 :  Professor Alex Leff (Professor of Cognitive Neurology) Bad Language” ; Professor Nick Ward (Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neurorehabilitation) Rehabilitation, Recovery, Repair – 3 R’s of life after stroke” IoN news item on the lectures 
    Monday 10th December 2018:  Professor Adrian Isaacs (Professor of Neurodegenerative Disease) My journey of discovery in frontotemporal dementia and motor neuron disease; Professor Sebastian Crutch (Professor of Neuropsychology) Posterior cortical atrophy: personal, scientific and artistic perspectives on a clinical syndrome. IoN news item on the lectures

2019

  • Tuesday 19th March 2019: Professor Sven Bestmann (Professor of Movement Science)  Goals, and the brain; Professor Gareth Barnes (Professor and head of MEG) Brains, trains and magnetic fields. IoN news item on the lectures
  • Tuesday 1st April 2019: Professor Andrey Abramov (Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences)  Interplay of mitochondria, reactive oxygen species and calcium physiology and neurodegeneration; Professor Paola Giunti (Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences)  A Journey into the Ataxias; IoN news item on the lectures
  • Tuesday 9th April 2019 : Professor David Werring (Professor of Clinical Neurology, Department of Brain Repair & Rehabilitation). Medicine, magnets, and microvessels; Professor Rolf Jager (Professor or Neuroradiology, Department of Brain Repair & Rehabilitation). From large arteries to capillaries and beyond; IoN news item on the lectures
  • Monday 17th June 2019 : Professor Raj Kapoor (Department of Neuroinflammation) Accelerating drug discovery for multiple sclerosis ; Professor Jeremy Chataway (Department of Neuroinflammation) Trialling Multiple Sclerosis IoN news item on the lectures
  •  

2020

Tuesday 25th February 2020: Professor James Kilner (Professor of Human Motor Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences): Searching for the balance between head and heart Professor Ludvic Zrinzo ( Professor of Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences) : Bullets, batteries & brains: A functional neurosurgeon’s trajectory
IoN news item on the lectures

2021

  • 9th March 2021: Professor Rickie Patani (Professor of Human Stem Cells and Regenerative Neurology) ”ALS: Quo Vadis?” and Professor Rohan de Silva (Professor of  Molecular Neuroscience) “The yin and yang of neurodegeneration – A tauist’s meanderings”  IoN news item on the lectures
  • 27th April 2021: Professor Andrea Malaspina (Professor of Clinical Neurology). "A life in MND research: understanding the pace of ageing and neurodegeneration" News item
  • 25th May 2021 : Professor Rosaline Quinlivan (Professor of Neuromuscular Disease): ‘Changing natural history of childhood onset muscle diseases’  News item
  • 7th September 2021 : Professor Martina Callaghan (Professor of MRI Physics); “Protons and People” and Professor Vincenzo Libri (Professor of Translational Neurology). “A journey through clinical trials and beyond: Innovation or lost in translation…?  News item
  • 21st September 2021 : Professors Ahmed Toosy (Neuroinflammation) “Mechanistic insights into demyelinating disorders” and Professor Jennifer Pocock (Neuroinflammation): ”From pollen to microglia; a cellular journey”  News item
  • 5th October 2021: Professors Tammaryn Lashley (Professor of Neuroscience, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease) "What are we not seeing..." and Selina Wray (Professor of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease) Building brains in a dish: Using stem cells to understand dementia. News item

2022

  • 28th June 2022: Professor David Choi, Professor of Neurosurgery ”Regeneration, degeneration, life and COVID-19”
  • 13th September: Professor Vladimir Litvak (Professor of Translational Neurophysiology): ” Towards understanding cortico-subcortical communication: a stimulating journey” and Professor Kirill Volynski (Professor of  Neuroscience): “Mechanisms of neurotransmitter release in central synapses”. News item
  • 18 October 2022: Professor Helene Plun-Favreau (Professor of Cellular Neurodegeneration) ” Between the devil & the deep blue sea: a career journey from cancer to neurodegeneration” and Professor Pietro Fratta (Professor of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience) “From muscle to spinal cord, trekking up the motor unit”.  News item

2023

  • 24 January 2023: Professor Jon Rohrer "About the self - a journey through frontotemporal dementia" and Professor Michael Lunn "Searching the serum soup: Serendipity and mentorship"  News item
  • 21 February 2023 : Professor Quentin Huys (Professor of Computational Psychiatry) “Computational Psychiatry – of thoughts and destinies”. News item
  • 28 February 2023: Professor Sonia Gandhi (Professor of Neurology) "In search of the origin of Parkinson's" and Professor Ed Wild (Professor of Neurology) "Wild type versus mutant"  News item
  • 21st March 2023: Professor James Jepson (Professor of Neurogenetics) ”How fruit flies found a home at IoN” and Professor Sallie Baxendale (Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology) “It’s a poor memory that only works backwards... counting the cognitive costs of epilepsy surgery”. News item
  • 23rd May 2023: Professor Antonella Spinazzola (Professor of Neuroscience and Mitochondrial Medicine);  "Joining (and re-joining) The Magic Circle" and Professor Christos Proukakis (Professor of Neurology and Neurogenetics) " Searching for (DNA) needles in the (brain) haystack"  News item 
  • 5th September 2023: Professor Pedro Machado, Professor of Rheumatology and Neuromuscular Diseases "Spine, muscles and quarantine: career chronicles of myositis, spondyloarthritis and COVID"News item 
  • 28th November 2023: Professor Manjit Matharu (Professor of Neurology): “Unravelling Headache Disorders: A Clinician-Academic's Odyssey" and Professor Parashkev Nachev (Professor of Neurology) : "Humanising Neurology"

 

Annual Addresses
  • 1965 Dr. Henry Miller The training of a neurologist
  • 1966 Dr. Oavid Whitteridge Order and disorder of the nervous system
  • 1967 Dr. Charles Newman The most glorious textbook ever written
  • 1968 Professor W.O.M. Paton Neuropharmacology: its success and failures
  • 1969 Sir Charles Philips Ancestor worship in neurology
  • 1970 Sir James Paterson Ross British pioneers in neurosurgery
  • 1971 Sir Bernard Katz Current views on the mechanism of transmitter release
  • 1972 Dr. A.S.V. Burgen Bricks and mortar: the role of the basic sciences in the development of neurology
  • 1973 Professor A.F. Huxley Research on muscle and nerve
  • 1974 Professor W. Feldberg The ventral surface of the brain stem: a scarcely explored region of pharmacological sensitivity
  • 1975 Professor R.H.S. Thompson Some aspects of recent research on multiple sclerosis
  • 1976 Dr. Marthe Vogt Agents in cerebrospinal fluid related to neurotransmission
  • 1977 Sir Cyril Clarke Some nature-nurture problems in neurology
  • 1978 Professor A.J. Buller Where does all the money come from?
  • 1979 Dr. J.D.N. Nabarro The drawing together of neurology and endocrinology
  • 1980 Professor E.A. Barnard Prospects for experimental drug treatment in muscular dystrophy
  • 1981 Sir John McMichael The genesis of understanding
  • 1982 Dr. L.L. Iversen Chemical messengers in brain: chemical babel or future shock?
  • 1983 Professor R.D. Keynes Neuroscience 1984
  • 1984 Professor L.P. Le Quesne The University of London
  • 1985 Dr. Sydney Brenner Molecular biology and the nervous system
  • 1986 Professor W.B. Jennett Prognosis in Neurology - From Crystal Ball to Liquid Crystal
  • 1987 Professor A.D. Smith The Chemical synapse in the context of brain function
  • 1988 Professor R.W. Guillery The Neuron in perspective
  • 1989 Sir Christopher Booth Research and Postgraduate Medical Education
  • 1990 Lord Walton of Detchant Disce, Doce, Medere: an ode to Clinical Neuroscience
  • 1991 Professor Stewart Sutherland On keeping body and soul together
  • 1992 Professor Sir David Weatherall The Molecular Genetics of Mental Retardation: Some Thoughts on a New Syndrome
  • 1993 Professor Michael Bond Brain, Behaviour and Rehabilitation
  • 1994 Rabbi Julia Neuberger A New Ethic for the NHS
  • 1995 Professor Vernon Mountcastle The Hand as a Perceptual Organ: the tactile sensing of pattern and form
  • 1996 Sir Derek Roberts UCL Biomedical Research and JANUS
  • 1997 Professor Richard Gregory Knowledge in Perception and Intelligence
  • 1998 Professor Anthony Clare The Relationship between Psychiatry and Medicine
  • 1999 Professor Sir John Pattison The Importance of Research: Confessions of a Non-Neurologist
  • 2000 Professor Julian Jack Confessions of an Optimist
  • 2001 Professor Claudio Stern How Embryos Make Brain from Skin: Molecular Mechanisms that Initiate the Development of the Nervous System
  • 2002 lan McEwan Literature, Science & Human Nature
  • 2003 Professor Mahlon DeLong Parkinson's Disease: Pathophysiologic Basis and Surgical Treatments
  • 2004 Professor Malcolm Grant What is the Point of Research Intensive Universities?
  • 2005 Professor Ray Tallis The Future of Medicine: An Ignominious Destiny?
  • 2006 Professor Colin Blakemore MRC, NIMR and VCL: Lost in Translation?
  • 2007    Professor Robert Williamson    The Outcomes of the Human Genome Project: Was it Worth the $3 Billion
  • 2008    Professor Thomas Jessell Measured Motion:  The Science and Syndromes of Spinal Motor Control
  • 2009    The Rt Hon Lord Owen    Friendship, Adrenaline and Hubris
  • 2010    Professor Sir John Bell    Medical Science In the Age of Austerity
  • 2011    Professor Sir John Savill     Working with Industry:  Securing Health and Wealth Gain from Medical Research
  • 2012    Professor Patrick Vallance Making Medicines and Changing Medicine: Where is the Pharmaceutical Industry Headed?
  • 2013    Professor Michael Arthur World Class Universities – Predicting their Future
  • 2014    Dr Dennis Gillings The Global Dementia Challenge
  • 2015    Sir Paul Nurse, FRS The Francis Crick Institute
  • 2016     Professor Sir Doug Turnbull  A small circle of life: genetics, disease and prevention
  • 2017     Professor Bart De Strooper The cellular phase of Alzheimer’s disease
  • 2018     Professor Fiona Watt FRS "My Vision for UK Biomedical Research"
  • 2019     Dr C Frank Bennett "ASO-based therapies for neurological diseases"
  • 2020     Dr Richard J. Youle "Relationships between Mitophagy, Inflammation, STING and Parkinson’s Disease"
  • 2021     Dr Michael J Spence "Universities and a health system for the future"
  • 2022     Dame Anne M. Johnson ‘Making Medical Science work for everyone: What is the role of a National Academy"
Lecture Series
Swithin Meadows Memorial lectures
  • 1st May 1995 Professor David Zee, Johns Hopkins. "Avoiding Diplopia: neurological
  • control of the alignment of the eyes".
  • 2nd May 1997 Professor Ian McDonald. "Physicians, Subsequence and Consequence".3rd
  • 3rd December 1999 Professor Semir Zeki."Representations, Knowledge and the Brain".
  • 4th November 2000 Professor Michael Stryker "Neural mechanisms that produce amblyopia and good vision".*
  • 5th May 2005 Professor Eberhart Zrenner "Channelopathies in Neuroophthalmology"
  • 25th November 2015 Dr Gordon Plant "Fore and Aft:  trans-synaptic degeneration in the visual pathway".

*Organised by Institute of Ophthalmology. Frequency: Biannual or triannual lecture in conjunction with the
 

Eliot Slater Memorial Lectures (1992 – 2011)
  • 8th December 1992 Prof Robin Murray Neurologists should be interested in Schizophrenia
  • 22nd November 1994 Dr E. Fuller Torrey Odd clues about an odd disease: where should we look to find the causes of Schizophrenia
  • 12th November 1996 Prof Christopher Frith Science and Psychiatry
  • 3rd November 1998 Prof Peter McGuffin Progress in the Genetics of Mental Illness since Slater
  • 25th September 2011 Prof Ray Dolan The Anatomy of an Emotion
Anita Harding Memorial Lectures (1997 – )
  • 7th May 1997 Dr Anne B Young Huntington’s Disease and related triplet repeat disorders: A tribute to Anita Harding
  • 20th September 1999 Prof Stefano Di Donato Neurodegeneration and the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain
  • 19th June 2003 Prof John Collinge Kuru and vCJD: What we have learned, unlearned and have yet to learn
  • 20th September 2007 Prof John Hardy Genetics and Neurology: From single gene disorders to whole genome analyses
  • 29th June 2010 Prof Sarah Tabrizi Huntington’s Disease: From history to hope
  • 10 July 2018 Professor Gillian Bates “Huntington’s disease: the end game in sight?”

David Marsden Memorial Lectures (2000 – 2009)
  • 19 June 2000 Professor Stanley Fahn Active Versus Sham Neural Transplantation in Parkinson's Disease: Results, Surprises and Dilemmas
  • 4 November 2003 Professor Yves Agid The Role of the Basal Ganglia in The Pathophysiology of Emotions
  • 5 October 2009 The Rt. Hon. Lord Owen Friendship, Adrenaline and Hubris
The Carmichael Memorial Lectures (1980 – 2006)
  • 1980  Prof. Pat Merton, London '"Neurophysiology and Man"
  • 1983 Prof. Albert Aguayo, Montreal "Structure and function of axons regenerating from the adult mammalian brain
  • 1986  Prof. Hans Kuypers, Cambridge "Organisation of the motor system of the brain and the recovery of function"
  • 1989 Prof. Marcus Raichle, St Louis "Analomic Exploration of Mind: PET Studies of Human Cognition"
  • 1993  Prof. H J Freund, Dusseldorf "Restitution of function after focal brain damage"
  • 1996 Dr Mark Hallet, NIH, Bethesda "Human Motor Learning"
  • 1999 Prof. Mario Wiesendanger, Bern "Manual Skills and the Brain"
  • 2003  Prof. Mahlon R DeLong "Parkinson's Disease: Pathophysiologic Basis and Surgical Treatments"
  • 2006  Prof. Hans Hultborn "Fundamental Properties Of Motoneurones Are Controlled By Neuromodulators: Consequences For Their Function
GSK Advanced Lecture Series (2007 – 2010)
Queen Square Scholarships

2020-21

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology BAME Scholarship
Razna Ahmed, MSc Clinical Neuroscience
Edouard Chkaiban, Clinical Neuroscience
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology International Excellence Scholarships
Tsi Lok HO, Clinical Neuroscience
Siew Mei Yap, MRes Neuromuscular Disease
Shai Fuchs, Clinical Neuroscience
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology Stroke Academic Excellence Scholarship 
Denisa Rijal, Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke Medicine
Ezarat Cheah, Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke Medicine
UCLFAA MSc in Dementia Scholarship
Nalini Hazra, Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience)

2021 - 22

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology BAME Scholarship
Randy Gyimah, MSc Clinical Neuroscience
Rifah Islam, MSc Clinical Neuroscience
Odirachukwunma Chinedum Orah, MSc Brain and Mind Sciences
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology International Excellence Scholarships
Eleanor Dare Swanson Scott, MSc Clinical Neuroscience
Yi Jie (E’Jane) Li, MRes Advanced Neuroimaging
Lioba Chiara Sophie Berndt, MSc Clinical Neuroscience
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology Stroke Academic Excellence Scholarship 
Abdelmugeet Omer Ahmed Hassan, Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke Medicine
UCLFAA MSc in Dementia Scholarship
Eva Larsen, Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience)

Research

The Medical School of the National Hospital, Queen Square, dates from 1878 when Dr Buzzard and Dr Hughlings Jackson began the practice of inviting medical men to attend their outpatient clinics.

In 1938 the MRC established a clinical research unit at the Hospital, and the Institute for the Teaching and Study of Neurology was created in an extension of the Hospital building. Dr E.A. Carmichael was appointed Director of the Neurological Research Unit of the MRC at the National Hospital in 1942. In June 1948 the Medical School was reformed as a Limited Company and designated the Institute of Neurology.

In August 1950 the Institute entered the British Postgraduate Medical Federation and became an integral part of the University of London. In 1951 the Medical School of the Maida Vale Hospital for Nervous Diseases was incorporated into the framework of the Institute of Neurology. Professor Gilliatt, first chair of Clinical Neurology at the Institute (1962-1987), was appointed in 1955, followed by Professor John Marshall in 1956, and Professor Ian McDonald in 1966.

The Brain Research Trust was established to support the work of the Institute in 1971, which endowed the Departments of Neurochemistry and Neurophysiology (1973/74) and Neurosurgery (1976).

Queen Square House was opened by Queen Eilzabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1978. Further key appointments in the 1980s included Professor Anita Harding and Professor David Marsden, who was appointed Chair of Clinical Neurology in 1987, in which year he founded the Queen Square Brain Bank with Professor Lees.

Several important research Institutes were established in the next 2 decades: The Department of Cognitive Neurology and Functional Imaging Laboratory (now the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging) was founded in 1994, followed by the MRC Prion Unit in 1997, the first academic Unit for Functional Neurosurgery in the UK in 2002, the Dementia Research Centre in 2004 and the MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease in 2007.

Other resources