|
Senior Academic, Research and Teaching Fellow and Early Career promotions announced
Huge congratulations to the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology staff who have been awarded a promotion in this year's promotions round. This is a great achievement with 100% record of success for candidates for senior promotions.
We now have 10 new Professors, one new Associate Professor, five new Principal Research Fellows, one new Principal Teaching Fellow, six new Senior Research Fellows, one new Senior Teaching Fellow and one new Senior Clinical Research Fellow.
We encourage all Academic, Teaching and Research staff to consult the Academic Careers Framework and Early Career promotions (grades 7 & 8) to build their CV and track record towards applying for promotions; speak to your Head of Research Department and your line manager. If you don’t try, you don’t get! We will circulate further details on the applications process nearer the time.
The following promotions are effective from 1st October 2020
Professors
- Dr Sonia Gandhi (Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Professor of Neurology)
- Dr Steven Kennerley (Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience)
- Dr Pietro Fratta (Neuromuscular Diseases, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience)
- Dr Martina Callaghan (Imaging Neuroscience, Professor of MRI Physics)
- Dr Vincenzo Libri (Professor of Translational Neurology)
- Dr Tammaryn Lashley (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professor of Neuroscience)
- Dr Edward Wild (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professor of Neurology)
- Dr Selina Wray (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professor of Molecular Neuroscience)
- Dr Jennifer Pocock (Neuroinflammation, Professor of Cellular Neuroscience)
- Dr Ahmed Toosy (Neuroinflammation, Professor of Neurology)
Associate Professor
Principal Research Fellows
- Dr Annapoorna Kuppuswamy (Clinical and Movement Neurosciences)
- Dr Tobias Hauser (Imaging Neuroscience)
- Dr Peter Kok (Imaging Neuroscience)
- Dr Kin Ying Mok (Neurodegenerative Disease)
- Dr Rimona Weil (Neurodegenerative Disease)
Principal Teaching Fellow
Senior Research Fellows
- Rosella Abeti (Clinical and Movement Neurosciences)
- Maria da Conceicao Bettencourt (Clinical and Movement Neurosciences)
- Arman Eshaghi (Neuroinflammation)
- Christopher Hardy (Neurodegenerative Disease)
- Emma Holmes (Imaging Neuroscience)
- Thomas Piers (Neuroinflammation)
Senior Teaching Fellow
Senior Clinical Research Fellow
- Mie Rizig (Neuromuscular Diseases)
|
|
From free school meals to a professorship - Barnsley researcher's journey to the forefront in the battle against dementia
Yorkshire Post article celebrating Selina Wray's journey from growing up in social housing to being awarded a Professorship for her work using cutting-edge techniques with stem cells to unravel the causes of dementia.
|
|
|
IoN-DRI programme update
Transformation
- As part of a transformation programme to accompany the construction of the new facility at 256 Grays Inn Road, the IoN-DRI transformation team are developing a number of new initiatives to improve laboratory support. A key aim of the initiatives is to ensure that laboratory operations and infrastructure services are structured to maximise the value attained from the technologically advanced environment that Grays Inn Road will provide. The services are being designed to support a collaborative, efficient and sustainable way of working .The team are currently developing detailed plans and approaches for each initiative. Only initiatives that demonstrate that they are of the highest value and cost-effective will be implemented.
- On 16 June, the IoN-DRI programme team met with all IoN Heads of Department for a second discussion to determine the location of each department in the new building on Grays Inn Road. The aim is to work with all departments to assess space requirements and specific needs. The underlying intent is to maximise opportunity for collocating departments that collaborate most, as well as focusing on sharing of equipment, rooms and services.
Covid-19 impact on construction
- All construction work on site at Grays Inn Road is on a managed pause pending review from UCL. In the meantime, the IoN-DRI programme team are continuing to progress non-construction related work and putting plans in place for a potential restart.
Please also see ION-DRI Intranet pages for updates
|
|
Teaching and Learning
Tips from a Senior Administrator for supporting the delivery of remote teaching
Anna Foakes AFHEA, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, draws on 7 years’ experience in managing distance learning programmes to share her tips for administrative success.
UCL resources
|
Education team update
Huge congratulations to David Blundred, ION Education Manager, on winning a Personal Excellence Award at this summer’s One UCL Awards
- Lectures for term 1 will be delivered online, along with some face to face small group teaching
- Education team are working on different models to support both synchronous and asynchronous teaching, including guidance on use of platforms to deliver teaching
- All IoN PIs have been asked if they can think of projects that could be conducted online if a face to face project was not possible.
- We are working closely with the library to ensure that reading lists will be accessible, and that any suggested reading can be accessed electronically.
- The Education Team held a webinar with prospective students at the end of May, and this was well attended. We plan to offer one or two more sessions in which we can answer questions from prospective students.
- Along with Sarah Lawson and the Faculty marketing team, we are working on updating our study webpages and enquiry/offer holder messaging.
|
|
|
Congratulations!
We’re pleased to announce the following recent prizes and awards:
|
|
Two UCL Professors elected new Fellows of the Royal Society
In recognition for her outstanding contribution to science, Professor Cathy Price, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, while UCL honorary principal investigator, Professor Tim Behrens is also a new Fellow.
|
|
|
These Fellows have been chosen for their outstanding efforts in the field of biomedical science, including national science engagement and communication programmes, research discoveries and translating scientific advancements into benefits for public healthcare.
|
|
|
|
Professor Neil Burgess made a 2020 William James Fellow by the Association for Psychological Science
We are delighted to announce that the Association for Psychological Science have made Prof Neil Burgess (Department of Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) a 2020 William James Fellow for contributions to the basic science of psychology.
|
|
|
Congratulations to Professor Gareth Barnes and the rest of the MEG team who have been awarded funding by the UK Quantum Technology Hub Sensors and Timing to enable better planning for patients undergoing epilepsy surgery.
|
|
|
We're delighted to announce that Professor Matthew Walker and team have been awarded an ERUK Endeavour Project Grant to investigate whether a post-seizure breathalyser test and sweat analysis could help improve diagnosis - such a test could transform clinical practice
|
|
We're are delighted to announce the winners of the IHE & Rosetrees Trust Healthcare Engineering Awards, including the following project : Image Quality Control for PACS-integrated quantitative neuroradiology , led by Dr Sjoerd Vos, Prof Tarek Yousry, & Dr Gary Zhang,
|
|
|
MSA Trust award for Dr Christos Proukakis
John Telford, lay advisor on MSA Trust Scientific Advisory Panel, writes about this award to carry on investigating the role of somatic CNVs of SNCA α-synuclein on pathogenesis and variability of MSA
|
|
Yunzhe Liu and Max Rollwage (PhD students at Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging) have been awarded this year's Jon Driver prize.
Yunzhe Liu also won the junior category of the UCL Early Career Neuroscience Prize 2020 Both prizes were announced at the UCL Neuroscience Symposium
|
|
|
Congratulations to Prof Jonathan Schott for being recognised by the UK Council for Graduate Education
Professor Schott has being granted with the UKCGE Recognised Research Supervisor recognition. He has also been appointed Honorary Professor at the VU University Amsterdam and joined the editorial board of Alzheimer's Research
|
|
Conceição Bettencourt ARUK Research Fellowship
Conceição will be looking at the role of DNA methylation in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). The overarching goal of this fellowship supported by the Alzheimer's Research UK is to better understand the molecular alterations that occur in FTLD, and generate knowledge that will help to improve diagnosis, develop new treatments (DNA methylation may be reversible), and develop biomarkers to monitor disease progression in life and response to treatments in drug trials.
|
|
|
Student Choice awards
Students' Union UCL's Education Awards 2020 celebrate education at UCL and thank the staff and students who have made a difference over the past year. The results are now in and you can see a full list of the nominees on the Students Union UCL website.
Congratulations to all nominated. You're all winners to us!
|
One UCL Awards
Huge congratulations to David Blundred, ION Education Manager, on winning a Personal Excellence Award for his commitment, outstanding service and integrity, at this summer’s One UCL Awards
The winners and finalists of this category have gone out of their way to champion inclusivity, to support students, and to lead their team in providing cross-institutional support through UCL through the coronavirus outbreak.
|
|
|
Grants over £500k
Professor Karl Friston (Department of Imaging Neuroscience) awarded £506,431 for ‘The self as agent-environment nexus:crossing disciplinary boundaries to help human selves and anticipate artificial selves from 1 February 2020 for 36 months
- The Jon Moulton Charity Trust
Professor Nick Ward (Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences) awarded £553,029 for research into ‘A randomised clinical trial of a novel immersive gaming platform for the treatment of upper limb dysfunction after stroke’ from 1st June 2020 for 60 months.
Professor Kenneth Harris (Department of Neuromuscular Diseases) awarded £9,599,726 for the International Brain Laboratory from 1 April 2020 for 60 months
Professor Cathy Price (Department of Imaging Neuroscience) awarded £1,157,756 for research into ‘Neural mechanisms underlying flexible behaviour’ from 1 March 2020 for 60 months.
|
|
Focus: Health, Safety & Lab Operations
Important reminders about re-entering IoN Buildings
- Only re-enter IoN buildings with approval from your Departmental Administrator and HoRD
- All returning staff must have read the building specific COP or Return to Work Staff Guidance
- Adhere strictly to the staff guidance, risk control measures, personal hygiene standards and circulation flow around the buildings
- Wear face coverings when moving around campus and inside buildings where social distancing or unidirectional flow in communal areas can’t be achieved
- All returning staff must complete the fire safety training on MyLearning. Please make sure you use Chrome and VPN connection when accessing the online training
|
|
Working Safely During the Pandemic
UCL has launched a Covid-19 dedicated guidance page which covers all important information related to H&S on campus and for work from home, such as requirements for work with COVID-19 samples, Risk Assessments and other documentation needed for restarting lab activities and DSE assessments. More information
Online workstation assessment
Desk-based activities should be carried out from home and staff that can work remotely should continue to do so. Therefore, we must ensure we have appropriate working environments. UCL is asking all staff and postgraduate researchers to complete an online workstation assessment. It doesn’t take very long to complete and is designed to reduce the risks of ill-health associated with using display screen equipment (DSE). Access the assessment.
Digital fluorescent slide scanning service
Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre Muscle Pathology Service in collaboration with IQPath Digital Pathology Service Division of Neuropathology. Project Lead: Dr. Rahul Phadke r.phadke@ucl.ac.uk
|
|
Focus: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
As an Institute we strongly uphold the UCL-wide “Dignity At Work” policy, which, together with support available, protects staff and students from unacceptable behaviour. To implement this we are rolling out a training programme that equips us all with the right tools to help prevent any unacceptable behaviours.
‘Taking The Lead’ enables senior staff to work together to consider their responsibilities in creating and maintaining a positive workplace culture. The 2-hour session brings colleagues together to encourage a strategic and proactive approach to tackling bullying and harassment.
|
Over the past two years, around 90 IoN staff have completed "Taking the Lead" training, including all PIs and HoRDS as well as 13 Professional Services staff.
Calling Time on Sexual Misconduct: best-practice prevention in higher education • 17-18th June, 2020
Dr Caroline Selai, Fiona Kinsella, Wenqianglong Li , Michael Moutoussis and Rhian Male gave a presentation on Intersectional experiences: opportunities for change
|
|
Focus: Careers
Mentoring
- Mentoring is a crucial part of supporting career progression and we are dedicated to trying to find an appropriate mentor for any person who requests one at IoN. We have a mentoring scheme for non-clinical staff and PhD students and another for clinical staff and PhD students. We are also part of the faculty-wide mentoring scheme for technical and administrative professional services staff:
- Non-clinical research and academic staff and Post-upgrade PhD students (contact: Jo Barnes j.barnes@ucl.ac.uk);
- Clinical Research Fellows/Associates, including PhD students (contact Ed Wild: e.wild@ucl.ac.uk);
- Faculty-wide Professional and Technical Services staff (contact: Christine Gaston Christine.gaston@ucl.ac.uk).
Please see our website for further information
|
UCL career resources
|
|
Focus: Wellbeing
Mental Health Awareness Week 2020
IoN wellbeing champions organised a week of activities, including online meditation and yoga, alongside UCL's Mental Health Strategy Launch
The current situation with regards to Covid-19 is understandably stressful and upsetting for many of us, as our attention is drawn to our own physical health, and that of those around us, it is also important to remember to care for our mental health and wellbeing at this time. Self-isolation and quarantine can also have a significant impact on our mental health.
- If you’re doing something that you’d like to share, we want to hear about it!
- IoN wellbeing Teams is a space to chat with colleagues, take a break and share tips and photographs, including Pets Corner.
- or write to Sandra Porteous s.porteous@ucl.ac.uk or tweet and tag us @UCLIoN
@SelinaWray Lovely run from our respective bits of London to Pimlico to sit and have coffee on the river with @jmschott and @HelenePFavreau https://twitter.com/SelinaWray/status/1269604076490297345
|
IoN wellbeing champions (L-R): Jacky Bauer, Linda Taib, Jenny Lange
We would like to make you aware of the following resources available:
ION yoga: online sessions
ION has been organising online yoga sessions over the summer, following the success of the ones held onsite. Please contact Bernadett Kalmar b.kalmar@ucl.ac.uk for further information.
Please keep an eye on IoN Intranet wellbeing pages for updates, as well as the list of resources from UCL Health and Wellbeing Human Resources
|
|
Focus: Sustainability
IoN sustainability pledges 2019-20
- All of our events will now be vegetarian catering and we avoid plastic water bottles
- Achieve Green Impact Silver Office Award
- Organise an IoN green day
- Co-ordinate an IoN wide LEAF group
- Make waste and sustainability part of the IoN Labs induction
- Set up a Lab equipment repair service for IoN buildings
|
Green Impact
Office workbooks were submitted and audited late May. LEAF (Lab) submissions were audited over the summer. Thank you to everyone for all their hard work.
UCL sustainability awards ceremony took place virtually on 15th July. Congratulations to everyone on their awards!
UCL top tips for a sustainable return to work
Further information on ION activities is on the IoN website and intranet
ION contacts: sarah.lawson@ucl.ac.uk (Offices) and Steffy Czieso s.czieso@ucl.ac.uk (Labs)
|
|
IoN intranet
Remember to check the IoN intranet regularly for further information on
everything you need to know about working at the Institute:
feedback is always welcome!
|
|
New Starters and staffing news
Welcome to staff who joined ION in the past 3 months.
Miss Emma Davis; Dr James Mills; Miss Noemi Gatto; Dr Samuel Jackson; Ms Naomi Darlington; Mr Faisel Farooq; Dr Tatiana Lipina; Miss Hay Ying Janice Lip; Dr Joost Haarsma; Dr Stefano Facchini; Miss Natalie Woodman; Miss Cheryl Pearce; Dr Tricia Seow; Miss Arzo Iqbal; Mrs Natasha Allen; Ms Christine Chow; Mr Jesse Bu
We wish our colleagues who have recently left IoN all the very best for the future.
|
|
|
Upcoming Queen Square events
Due to the ongoing impact of coronavirus, the majority of upcoming IoN events and seminars have been cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable future
Some events are starting to be delivered online - please check www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/events and @UCLIoN for updates
|
|
|
UCL wide announcements
Revised submission dates for REF2021
Research England has announced the revised REF2021 submission deadline as 31 March 2021, following postponement of the original November 2020 deadline due to Covid-19. Full details of modifications to REF assessment periods and Covid-19 mitigations are available on the UCL REF2021 webpages.
|
UCL’s open access transformative agreements
The list shows the 5,000 journals in the agreements by broad Scopus categories, narrower Web of Science and Scopus categories, and very specific Scopus categories. We hope this will make it easier for academics to find out where they can publish open access without additional cost.
|
|
|
UCL COVID-19 support and resources
|
|
Research
UCL COVID-19 Research Central Project Database
To help capture and support projects related to COVID-19 at UCL we ask that all UCL Principal Investigators undertaking COVID-19 research activities complete the newly launched Covid-19 Project Form for each of their projects.
The information entered in this form will be used to coordinate UCL professional services support for researchers working on COVID-19.
It may also be used to allocate additional UCL funds and for UCL’s Communication and Marketing team to profile and publicise UCL’s COVID-19 research. If you are applying for external funding please complete this form prior to/in parallel to standard UCL processes.
|
Funding call: UCL Covid-19 Rapid Response
|
|
|
Applications are now invited for projects focused on rapid responses and novel solutions to understand and tackle the challenges faced during and after the coronavirus pandemic. This call is open to all disciplines across UCL.
This scheme will be supported by the UCL Coronavirus Response Fund, with co-funding from the UCL Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund along with UCLH and Moorfields NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (with the possibility of additional funding from other sources).
Projects may be 6–12 months in duration and are expected to cost between £20k and £50k. Find out more, including how to apply, on the SLMS website.
|
|
|
|
COVID-19 research
|
|
|
|
