Get to know your brain at Neuroscience events for Brain Awareness Day

The University will be hosting two events for Brain Awareness Day on Wednesday 15 March.

GCSE and A-Level students are invited to attend an afternoon of activities which will explain a range of brain research between 12.30-3.30pm followed by an evening event for all from 6pm.

Along with presentations there will be live demonstrations and the opportunity to meet PhD students and scientists.

The talks in the afternoon session will be given by Dr Andrew Young, Dr Sarah White and Professor Flav Giorgini from the University’s Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour.

Dr Young will discuss how we understand the effect of the brain on schizophrenia, Dr White will explore the role of eye movements in reading and Professor Giorgini will explain how genetics are used to better understand neurodegenerative diseases.

At 6pm the University invites the general public for an evening of talks and demonstrations which offer the opportunity to ‘get to know your brain’.

Dr Jaime McCutcheon will explain the neuroscience of feeding - why we eat the foods we do. Professor Ruth Luthi-Carter will also give a talk which looks at how we understand and treat brain diseases using genetic approaches.

The talks at both events will be followed by a number of live demonstrations, all given by University neuroscience researchers. They will be:

• Changing your point of view – Liz Maratos
• The molecular basis of taste perception – Jaime McCutcheon
• The developing eye: using light to explore the retina – Frank Proudlock
• Responses of visual nerve cells in an insect – Tom Matheson
• Tricking the brain: the neuroscience of illusion – Robin Green
• Seeing inside the brain: lighting up brain cells with fluorescent proteins – Joe McDearmid

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. The University of Leicester is delighted to partner with the DANA Foundation again to celebrate Brain Awareness Week.

• The programme for the afternoon event for GCSE and A-Level students is available here.
• The programme for the evening event is available here.
• More information about Brain Awareness Week at the University of Leicester is available here.