UQ’s Queensland Brian Institute (QBI) is this week hosting 180 brain imaging specialists from around the world who are here for the annual FSL & FreeSurfer course, being held in the southern hemisphere for the first time.
Organised by QBI’s Dr Ross Cunnington, the course will cover both the theory and practice of brain image analysis using FSL and FreeSurfer, the software required to read MRI scans.
“The course is very well known among researchers around the world, so for it to be happening in Brisbane is very exciting,” Dr Cunnington said.
“The focus will be on the high-level methods needed to investigate brain function using MRI.
“It will bring together 180 researchers, mainly PhD students and early career scientists, and will be taught by neuroscientists from Oxford University, Harvard University and UCLA.”
Established in 2003, QBI is dedicated to understanding the molecular basis of brain function and applying this knowledge to the development of new therapeutics to treat brain and mental health disorders.
QBI was formed as part of the Queensland Government's Smart State Initiative with the generous support of the Atlantic Philanthropies.
The FSL & Freesurfer course, which has been offered since 2001, is an initiative of the Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), based at the University of Oxford.
Researchers from this centre were instrumental in developing the FSL software.
Dr Tim Behrens, from the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, will present a seminar at this year’s event.
“A feature will certainly be Tim Behrens’ seminar on human decision making,” Dr Cunnington said.
“Tim has done some significant imaging research looking at the brain’s response to rewards and how that influences the choices people make.”
The 2008 FSL & Freesurfer course is another major neuroscience event for QBI, and has been timed to closely follow the recent Human Brain Mapping Conference in Melbourne (15 – 19 June).
MEDIA: Dr Cunnington (3346 6330, r.cunnington@uq.edu.au) or Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)
