Category: Research

Our stroke theme researchers, Catherine Lawrence (PI), Paul Kasher, Stuart Allan and Ben Dickie have been awarded a grant from The Medical Research Council. Modulating cholesterol 25-hydroxylase: a strategy to accelerate haematoma clearance after intracerebral...

Scientists have developed new models to investigate brain haemorrhage that can replace the use of mammals.

Health inequalities are unfair differences in health between different groups in society. This Stroke Association commissioned literature review led by our Rehabilitation and Living with Disability theme lead Professor Audrey Bowen, looks at health inequalities and stroke as a first step to finding out what research exists on health inequalities across the stroke pathway, and collated these studies.

Professor Stuart Allan is at the forefront of stroke recovery research and is leading a team of researchers working on the next generation of clot-busting medication. Find out more in this episode of the Recovery After Stroke podcast.

“The POBIG study is a team effort, working alongside neurosurgeons, oncologists, nurses, radiologists, physicists, and pathologists, and importantly patient support groups like the Brainstrust. Besides the novelty of irradiating the tumour before surgery, other innovative aspects are that we base the diagnosis on imaging so as not to delay the treatment. Crucially we don’t irradiate the whole tumour, only the part where the neurosurgeon believes the remnants will be left behind. This prevents interference with the standard clinical pathway of looking into specific tumour characteristics and offers unique opportunities to develop more personalised treatment strategies against this life-limiting disease. We are very pleased with how Joel has responded to this treatment and the result so far is very encouraging. We are hopeful this technique could improve outcomes for all patients like Joel in the future.”

A major research project to help improve treatments for Parkinson’s disease will take place at Manchester Metropolitan University, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) and the Walton Centre (NHS Trust Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery) in Liverpool. The project will be led by, investigator in our centre’s Parkinson’s theme, Professor Nicola Ray, Manchester Metropolitan’s Department of Psychology and her Co-Investigators at the NCA, Walton Centre and The University of Manchester. Professor Ray developed the ideas for the project from work she and the team have undertaken with funding from Health Innovation Manchester.

The Association of British Neurologists’ Movement Disorders Special Interest Group meeting will come to Manchester for the first time in January 2023.

Post-stroke cognitive decline is one of the most distressing complications in stroke survivors, occurring in up to a third of those affected by stroke within five years. Laura Parkes, Craig Smith and Stuart Allan have been awarded funding to track changes in the brain over months and years in people who have suffered a stroke. The Imaging Hub will be based in Manchester, with $780k funding for research scans and an imaging scientist to work with Dr Parkes and her team.