IoN celebrates achievements at Annual Address

This year's annual address, held on 29th October 2018, began with a review of the year's successes presented by Professor Michael Hanna, Director of UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

Professor Hanna showcased wide-ranging examples of IoN's research impact, from wearable Magnetoencephalography (MEG) to statins and MS, and gene therapy for refractive epilepsy to HD protein lowering drugs. He also demonstrated IoN's impressive research output: one paper every 8 hours on average, and three a month in the world’s very highest impact journals.

Highlights from the year included a record turnover of over £80m and £268m current active research grants, new appointments at, and formal opening of, UK DRI at UCL, renewal of Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, creation of Departments of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences and Neuromuscular Diseases, rebranding as UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and plans for new translational neuroscience building at EDH.

These achievements were complemented by many individual IoN researchers' awards and appointments, including the Brain Prize (for the second successive year), NIHR Professorship, and new Fellows of the Royal Society and British Academy, alongside 100% success in 2018 promotions.

Mike then presented the annual Education prizes 2018.

We were delighted that Professor Fiona Watt FRS, Executive Chair of the MRC, delivered this year's annual address on "My Vision for UK Biomedical Research". Professor Watt is seconded from her post as Director of the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at King’s College London, and is internationally recognised in her field, with expertise in the stem cells of healthy and diseased skin.

Professor Watt talked about her role in helping to shape the UK biomedical research landscape at this time of extraordinary transition, and her aspiration that the UK should provide the best medical research environment in the world, with superb facilities and creative funding to support excellence throughout the country.

 

The event closed with a vote of thanks by Professor Gill Bates (Professor of Molecular Neuroscience,  Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology)

Further information

• IoN infographic
• MRC website

Main image: Professor Watt, Professor Bates, Professor Hanna