Centre for Developmental Science launches at Oxford

Science 22 Oct 10 A new baby sleep lab enabling research into the impact of napping on infant memory and learning is one of several new facilities opened this week as part of the launch of Oxford's centre for the study of infant and child development. The Oxford Centre for Developmental Science boasts a range of new facilities with technology enabling cutting-edge research on the development of infants, children and adolescents. The Centre was officially launched on Tuesday, 19 October and brings together seven research groups in a single shared centre. The facilities constitute a state-of-the-art research environment for studying infants, children and adolescents using methods such as eye-tracking, Doppler ultrasound and brain-wave monitoring. Researchers will be able to study everything from basic vision and perception to cognitive skills including language, memory and attention, as well as social and emotional development. Dr Suzy Styles, researcher in the Oxford BabyLab, one of the research groups using the new facilities, said: 'I'm excited that this new centre is helping to foster a more collaborative approach between researchers working on different aspects of development. As a researcher in the early stages of my career, facilities like these make Oxford a highly desirable place for developmentalists to work right now.' The new Centre will also enable enhanced collaboration between the research groups, and enable much more precise measurements to be taken thanks to testing rooms that are electrically shielded and sound-proofed.