Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment hosts its inaugural research showcase event

Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) held its inaugural research showcase event on Thursday 7 July at Conference Aston.

The yearly event is an opportunity to highlight its research projects and meet with the Institute's external partners, funding bodies and professional colleagues.

Guests were invited to join IHN's research and teaching team to learn more about its vision and hear about individual research projects currently underway.

The center's co-directors Professor Jackie Blissettand Professor Gavin Woodhall talked about IHN's vision which includes:

• unlocking the potential of research to support child health and development

• answering the questions that matter to children and young people, their families and the services that support them

• developing the next generation of research leaders in child health and development.

Researchers working on projects including treatments for drug resistant epilepsy, childhood eating behavior, improving support for people with rare neurogenetic conditions and diagnosis of pediatric brain cancer using magnetic resonance imaging and artificial intelligence met with external partners and clinicians to talk them through their latest projects and developments.

The event was also attended by Aston University Interim Vice-Chancellor, Saskia Loer Hansen, Executive Dean of the College of Health and Life Sciences, Anthony Hilton and other members of the University executive team, together with academic researchers in the University's College of Health and Life Sciences.

There was also an opportunity to meet all the Institute's researchers, ask questions and network.

After a successful launch of our new £2.8 million MRI scanner earlier this year, it is great that we were able to come together again and showcase all of our research that goes on in IHN, particularly to our external partners, including local clinicians and funding bodies.

This is our inaugural research showcase and we plan to invite guests back to Aston University each year to update them on how the institute has progressed with its research.

As a research institute that puts children and young people at the heart of what we do, it is important to be in touch with all of our partners from a cross-section of the community to update them on all of our latest developments and find ways to collaborate further – particularly in clinical settings."

Professor Jackie Blissett, co-director of Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment