Durham University opens new neuroimaging centre

Paralympic gold medallist and Durham student, Lily van den Broecke, has officially opened the Durham University neuroimaging centre at The James Cook University Hospital. Lily, who guided her rowing crew to gold at the London Paralympics, was joined by neurobiologist Colin Blakemore, who specialises in vision and development of the brain. A joint project between Durham University and South Tees Hospitals NHSFoundation Trust, the centre provides state of the art facilities for biomedical research and the very latest technology for patients. Durham University will use the centre to maintain and advance its world reputation for human brain research and the new scanner will be used by clinicians at The James Cook University Hospital for diagnostic scanning and for joint research projects between the hospital and university. The £1.5 million Siemens 3-Tesla MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner will help patients with conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis or brain tumours who need highly detailed imaging of their brain. High-resolution images of activity in the brain are provided which allow detailed diagnosis and monitoring of patients' conditions to enable the best possible treatment decisions to be made. Research projects byDurham's academics include investigations of autism, the brain mechanisms of visual perception and how vision can be impaired as a result of brain damage, and the effects of hormones on the brain.