This is an historical archive of the activities of the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit (MRC ANU) that operated at the University of Oxford from 1985 until March 2015. The MRC ANU established a reputation for world-leading research on the brain, for training new generations of scientists, and for engaging the general public in neuroscience. The successes of the MRC ANU are now built upon at the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit at the University of Oxford.

News

  • Unit

    Our Great Tits are growing fast. There are 6 surviving chicks. They should fledge in the next day or so.

     
  • External

    The Unit contributed a host of fine athletes and results to this year's 10 km Town and Gown fun charity run supporting the Muscular Distrophy Campaign. On the 16th of May, Thomas Bienvenu, Kristina Detzner, Tommas Ellender, Ruth Faram, Katja Hartwich, Linda Katona, Damien Lapray, Miroslawa Manko, Cristina Martinez Gonzalez, Lema Massi, Eleftheria Pissadaki, Andrew Sharott, Peter Somogyi and Robert Stewart joined over 3000 runners in the annual event. From the two teams The MRC Express and The MAGYARS, Robert Stewart came in first as 27th overall at 37:10, while Thomas Ellender made it at 41:11. Fastest girl was Lema Massi at 45:07.

    One year on, the Director was 2 (two) sec faster than last year! Peter Somogyi finished 1152th at 52:53 as a member of the team The MAGYARS, improving a respectable 2 sec on last year. But he was still beaten by other team members, son Balazs coming 146th at 43:42, son Levente coming in 915th at 50:59 and daughter Lilla at 917th at 51:00, while daughter-in-law Claire finished her first race 1763th at 59:18.

    Full results at sportsystems.co.uk.

     
  • Unit

    Please welcome second year medical students Emma Burke, from Oriel College, and James Jordan, from St Anne's College, who have joined the Bolam Lab to run their Final Honours School research project. Under daily supervision of Dr. Pablo Henny, they will carry out a pilot study on the synaptic and molecular characterisation of the axon initial segment region of dopaminergic neurons of the rat substantia nigra.

     
  • Unit

    In the May issue of Trends in Neurosciences, on pages 220-229, authors O'Neill et al. highlight emerging evidence suggesting that sharp wave/ripple events in the hippocampus coordinate the reactivation of memory traces. The cover image depicts a representationof reactivation during sleep. The background image shows a closed eye with traces of sleep-associated local fieldpotentials, to represent sleep. The place fields of four cells are illustrated, of which the blue and red cells show overlappingfields. During sleep these waking patterns are reactivated, through the joint firing of the blue and red cells. This reactivationis depicted in the foreground, by the joint firing of the red and blue pyramidal cells. Cover credit: Ben Micklem

     
  • Unit

    We are pleased to welcome Mr. Foad Mohamed to the Unit. Foad is an undergraduate student studying for his BMBCH medical degree at Pembroke College, and has joined the Magill Group to undertake his Final Honours School research project. Foad is using light microscopy techniques to define molecular heterogeneity in neurons of the external globus pallidus in dopamine-intact and Parkinsonian brains.

     
  • External

    For the third year running, the ANU has a live nest camera feed in it's reception. This year the box, located outside the director's window, has been taken by a pair Great Tits. The previous two years the nest was occupied by Blue Tits. The female laid the first egg on the 18th April, and laid the eighth and final egg on the 25th April. All eight eggs had hatched by this morning (10th May), the first having hatched by Sunday afternoon (9th May).

    The first installment of the video diary of the nest available to download here (38.5 MB).

     
  • Unit

    Glutamate receptors: their localization, function, and roles in physiological learning processes

    The 4th David Smith Lecture in Anatomical Neuropharmacology was given on the 4th May, by Prof. Ryuichi Shigemoto, Head of Division of Cerebral Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan, and Professor, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, School of Life Science.

    The lecture was set up to celebrate the vision of the previous Chair of Pharmacology Prof. A. David Smith, Honorary Associate Director and founder of the Unit, and the successful conclusion of the latest quinquennial scientific review of the Unit. More information about the David Smith Lectures.

    To commemorate the Lecture, Prof. Shigemoto received a laser engraved cherry wood plaque, designed by Unit Artist Ben Micklem and illustrating aspects of anatomical neuropharmacology at Oxford from molecules to the brain.

     
  • External

    We welcome the news that David Roberts and Sheila Fozard got married on Saturday 24th April 2010 at Harris Manchester College Chapel, Oxford.

    David has been a member of the Unit since its foundation some 24 years ago and has been a Research Assistant with Peter Somogyi during this time.

    David and Shelia celebrated with family and friends and although some guests experienced difficult travelling conditions to the UK following the volcano disruption, particularly David's son, Andrew, who was stuck in Witchita, USA, but he finally made it back in time.

    David and Shelia will Honeymoon touring the West coast of Scotland.

     
  • Unit

    Douglas leaves the Unit this week having spent ten months in the laboratory of Peter Somogyi completing his Pro Gradu thesis "The expression and effect of the NK1 receptor in GABAergic interneurons of the hippocampus". Douglas chose his project in neuroscience because of his fascination with the function of the brain and he carried out this research project as part of his University of Oulu (Finland) studies. He returns to Finland to complete his MSc Degree in protein Science and Biotechnology.

    We congratulate Douglas on his successful time in the Unit and his success in obtaining a PhD Studentship (Neuroscience) at the University of Tubingen, Germany. We wish him well in his future scientific career.

     
  • Unit

    Natalie Doig delivered a short presentation of her results, part of the transfer process from Probationary Research Student to DPhil status. In recognition of the excellent standard of her presentation, she was awarded the Paton Prize. This prize is awarded each year to the student who gives the best transfer talk in the Department of Pharmacology, and is in memory of Professor Sir William Paton.

     

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