Newybrains

18/09/2025

26/08/2025

Associate Professor Doug Smith, one of the programs neurobiology researchers, delivered an insightful presentation on dementia research at Elermore Glen Retirement Village earlier this month.

Located in Elermore Vale, Elermore Glen is home to 112 residents aged 55 and over. Each year, the community hosts a Tombola for Charity, where residents vote to support one of five nominated causes. This year, dementia research received the highest number of votes.

"Dementia seems to be very prevalent in our age demographic. It has either touched a family member or we all know someone who is affected, so it makes us very aware of the struggle some people are going through." - Elermore Glen Resident.

Attendees were extremely impressed by Professor Smith’s clear and compassionate explanation of how dementia impacts the brain. He also shared practical strategies to maintain brain health, including staying physically active, engaging in puzzles, and maintaining social connections.

The residents chose to support the Hunter Medical Research Institute, ensuring that the funds raised would stay in the Hunter region to support dementia research at The University of Newcastle, Australia

Thanks to their generosity and a wonderful afternoon tea, the residents raised an incredible $5,000.

18/02/2025

17/02/2025

Introducing our February 2025 featured member, Gabrielle Martin

12/12/2024

The Brain Neuromodulation Research Program team would like to wish everyone a safe & wonderful Christmas! 2024 has been a big year for us with many wonderful member and student achievements and a calendar full of program events!
We now look forward to what 2025 will bring!

We hope you all have a well deserved break and enjoy celebrating the silly season with family and friends 🎅🤶🎄

03/12/2024

The Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society (ACNS) Conference, hosted by the was held in Newcastle from the 25th - 29th November 2024

The conference featured three thematic streams, each designed to explore critical areas where cognitive neuroscience can make significant contributions:
1. AI and the Brain – Adversaries or Allies?
2. Optimising Human Performance by Partnering with Defence
3. Healthy Cognitive Pathways

The conference included a comprehensive program featuring:
✏️ National & international keynote speakers
✏️ Workshops & symposia
✏️ Open oral & poster presentations
✏️ Themed sessions related to the three thematic streams

We had great representation at this event from the following program members
Dr. Anna Behler - Organising Committee & Symposium Chair
🔹 Workshop Presentation: EEG and fMRI: Measuring brain activity at different spatio-temporal scales
🔹 Symposium Presentation: Reading or Viewing: The trade-off of visual attention in captioned movies
🔹 Open Talk: The role of traveling waves in cortico-hippocampal communication

Professor Stephan Chalup
🔹 Poster: Towards expanding human visual understanding of the essential structure of space to four dimensions using artificial neural networks

Caroline Faucher
🔹 Open Talk: Dog-assisted intervention to reduce scanxiety and improve MRI quality

Dr Belinda Liddell
🔹 Fast Talk: The neural impact of attachment priming on network connectivity during social exclusion: A pilot fMRI study with resettled refugees

Dr Bryan Paton
🔹 Workshop Presentation: EEG and fMRI: Measuring brain activity at different spatio-temporal scales.
🔹 Open Talk: Enhanced brain MR imaging after cochlear implantation

Dr Richa Phogat
🔹 Open Talk: Biophysical modeling of cortical-hippocampal interactions

22/11/2024

That’s a wrap! Such a great day of presentations from our emerging researchers, guest speaker and well-being workshop. We hope all our attendees found value in todays event.

22/11/2024

2024 Emerging Researcher Conference - Guest speaker Dr Yeka Aponte and two of our emerging researcher presenters

22/11/2024

Emerging Researhcer Conference - Blitz talks!

21/11/2024

Session #1 of our 2024 Emerging Researcher Conference in full swing! Today is a great opportunity for our emerging researchers to showcase their research and present in front of an audience. We wish all those presenting today the best

18/11/2024

International Men’s Day 2024 is a global observance that celebrates the positive contributions & achievements of men while addressing important issues affecting men’s health, well-being, & gender equality.

The theme for International Men's Day 2024 is "Men's Health Champions".

A key aim of International Men’s Day (IMD), is to highlight some of the social issues that men and boys face, including the surprising fact that 50 Australian men a day are dying from preventable causes, before they reach the age of 75.

Australia is one of the healthiest and wealthiest countries in the world and yet men born in Australia still die an average of 7 years younger than women born in Australia.
Australia also leads the world in taking action for men’s health and this IMD we want to celebrate the Men’s Health Champions around the country, who are working to improve the lives and health of men and boys.

The IMD 2024 theme – Men’s Health Champions – will help shine a spotlight on both the problems of men’s health and the people delivering the solutions, with the help of four sub-themes:

Building healthy communities!
Look out for your mates!
Take Action, Stay Healthy!
Creating a healthier future!

This International Men's Day we are celebrating the achievements of the amazing men who are part of The Brain Neuromodulation Research Program - a talented mix of researchers, clinicians and students.

11/11/2024

RESEARCH UPDATE! Check out how program funding received in 2023 has been invested