Research group

Clinical Neurosciences

We study clinical areas that include major human infectious diseases and diseases that affect the central nervous system.

Part of Medicine

About

Our group is part of the University-wide Southampton Neurosciences Group (SoNG). The group was established in 2001 to provide a focus for collaborative, interdisciplinary and applied neuroscience. 

We research the clinical and environmental factors that impair brain development. This includes studies on the impact on neurological and neurodevelopmental function in children who were both at high risk and/or have suffered adverse effects. We also explore the pathology, prevention and repair strategies for damaged neural tissue.  

Our research programme is aimed at understanding the biological basis and treatment of neurodegenerative disease. We do this through a number of projects: 

  • drug clinical trials 
  • immunotherapy 
  • tissue engineering 
  • neuroimaging 

Our laboratory-based research is helping us understand the main risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases (for example, ageing, genotype and neuroinflammation) and the repair potential of stem cells using animal models and human tissue. 

People, projects and publications

People

Dr Nathan Huneke MBChB MRes PhD MRCPsych

NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer

Research interests

  • Experimental medicine
  • Neuroimaging
  • Placebo and nocebo effects
Connect with Nathan

Professor Parwez Hossain MBChB PhD FHEA FRCOphth FRCS (Ed)

Professor

Research interests

  • Corneal Infection
  • Keratitis
  • Corneal Transplantation

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Rina Cianfaglione

Research Fellow
Connect with Rina

Professor Roxi Carare

Head of School

Research interests

  • Causes and new therapeutic strategies for dementias and other neurodegenerative diseases
  • New early diagnostic measures in dementia based on biomarkers from the nose
  • Drug delivery to the brain

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Roxi

Professor Ruihua Hou MD, MSc, PhD, SFHEA

Professor of Biological Psychiatry

Research interests

  • 1) Psychoneuroimmunology studying how psychological processes, the central nervous system, an…
  • 2) human psychopharmacology focusing on the role of the locus coeruleus in neurodegenerative …
  • 3) neuroinflammatory mechanisms underlying anxiety and affective disorders as well as comorbi…

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Ruihua

Professor Sam Chamberlain MB/BChir, PhD, MRCPsych

Professor of Psychiatry

Research interests

  • Clinical conditions of interest include Impulsive/Compulsive Disorders; such as but not limit…
  • My work also explores mental health and well-being of university students.
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Dr Sandrine Willaime-Morawek

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • How brain development and function are affected by external factors such as maternal diet
  • In vitro stem cells modelling of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases' molecular…

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Seilin Uhm

Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Evidence synthesis in health and social sciences.  Consensus development and priority setting…
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Dr Skaiste Linceviciute

Research Fellow
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Professor Tracey Newman

Director of the Doctoral College

Research interests

  • The demographic of populations worldwide is changing. People are living longer but with more …
  • Hearing loss and dementia: I lead multidisciplinary research focussed on hearing loss, the us…
  • My focus is understanding cellular mechanisms in these conditions and also how the learning a…

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Tracey
Ian Galea
Prof (Clinical & Experimental Neurology)
During neurological disease, brain tissue including vessels and blood within are destroyed, leading to inflammation, release of haemoglobin and blood-brain barrier compromise. We study these pathological processes across a range of neurological diseases.