9:30am – 10.00am  

Registration and Welcome Drinks

To take place in the lounge of Radcliffe Conference Centre, University of Warwick. 

10.00am - 10.15am  

Introduction to the event

(Michael Chappell, Health GRP Lead)

Michael Chappell will provide an overview of the event, and will also confirm which events will be next in our 2022 Brain Awareness series.

10.15-10.45am  

Beckett and Brain Science and an Overview of Dementia and Parkinsons.

(Liz Barry, English)

Liz Barry has a wealth of knowledge around the brain to share and will encourage us to think about how literature and history might help us understand and critique concepts of mental disorder, and in particular think about the subjective experience of mental illness. Liz will draw on Samuel Beckett specifically and how his writing and performance enhances the understanding of clinical and conceptual categories of mental experience.

Liz will also discuss her recent work around Dementia and Parkinsons.

10.45-11:15 am  

Neuroeconomics: Brief Introduction

(Dr. Lukasz Walasek, Behaviour, Brain and Society GRP Lead) 

Dr. Lukasz Walasek will provide an overview of how our understanding of the brain can tell us something about how we make everyday decisions. Drawing from the recent advances in the field of neuroeconomics, Dr Walasek will illustrate how the core principles of behavioural science can be investigated using brain imaging techniques.

11:15am – 11:30am Refreshment Break

11:30am – 12:00pm  

Stress and the Brain - A light Hearted look at a serious organ

(Denver Thorpe of the Wellbeing Support Service, Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Coach and Mental Health Trainer) 

Denver will take a light-hearted look at how the brain reacts to stress and the interventions that can support and maintain brain health. An overview of the resilient brain and resources to support ourselves and others will also be included.

12:00pm – 12:30pm  

A Neuro-anatomical view of the brain: A look inside the brain (Using a Microscope and Brain tissue slides) 

(Prof. Bruno Frenguelli, GRP Neuroscience theme Lead for the Behaviour, Brain and Society GRP) 

Prof Frenguelli will look at the capacity of the human brain to learn and remember, Today, a greater understanding has been achieved of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the processes of learning and memory, and how these processes may become disordered in disease states such as Alzheimer's Disease or after conditions such as Stroke. Dr Frenguelli will dive deeper into these concepts. 

12:30pm – 13:00pm 

A Neuro-physiological view of the brain:  

(Prof. Nicholas Dale, Prof in Neuroscience, GRP Neuroscience theme Lead for the Behaviour, Brain and Society GRP) 

Prof Nicholas Dale will look at the theme of neurons and how they communicate with each other to achieve the desired neural function. This talk will essentially be an exploration of how chemical signalling in the nervous system works.

13:00-13:30   Lunch and Networking