CHBH Networks
The Centre for Human Brain Health (CHBH) is committed to advancing our understanding of the human brain through collaboration. Our researchers play leading roles in a wide range of national and international research networks, bringing together expertise from neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, genetics, medicine, engineering, computer science, mathematics, and the social sciences.
These networks provide opportunities to develop innovative research programmes, share knowledge and expertise, support early career researchers, and create meaningful partnerships with industry, policymakers, and community groups. By working across disciplinary and institutional boundaries, our researchers address some of the most important challenges in brain health and cognitive science.
Our network activities support the Centre's mission to understand the mechanisms that underpin healthy brain function throughout life, while translating research discoveries into real-world impact. Through these collaborations, CHBH researchers contribute to shaping research agendas, influencing policy, developing new technologies, and improving health and wellbeing outcomes for society.
TMSMultiLab
Lead CHBH Member: Dr Nick Holmes
Dr Nick Holmes is a founding member of TMSMultiLab, an international network of researchers using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate brain function and behaviour. The network brings together researchers from across the world to share expertise, resources, data, and best practice in TMS research. Members meet regularly to discuss ongoing research, develop collaborative publications, support funding applications, and foster new research partnerships.
Through TMSMultiLab, CHBH researchers contribute to advancing open, collaborative, and reproducible approaches to non-invasive brain stimulation research. The network provides valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration across institutions and disciplines.
BhamXR (Birmingham eXtended Reality and Virtual Worlds)
Lead CHBH Member: Dr Massimiliano Di Luca
BhamXR is an interdisciplinary University of Birmingham network that brings together researchers, students, and practitioners working across virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies, virtual worlds, telepresence, avatars, digital identity, AI-generated environments, and spatial computing.
The network supports responsible, inclusive, and human-centred extended reality (XR) research by fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors. Through seminars, training opportunities, knowledge exchange activities, and collaborative projects, BhamXR connects researchers with academic, civic, and industry partners to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging immersive technologies.
By facilitating cross-disciplinary dialogue and innovation, BhamXR helps advance research that enhances our understanding of human experience, behaviour, communication, and interaction in virtual and mixed-reality environments.
MEG-UKI
Lead CHBH Member: Dr Andrew Quinn
MEG-UKI is a collaborative network of universities and research institutions across the United Kingdom and Ireland that operate magnetoencephalography (MEG) and/or optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) facilities.
The network provides a forum for researchers to share scientific findings, discuss methodological developments, and foster collaboration across sites. Member institutions take turns hosting the annual MEG-UKI meeting, which attracts around 200 researchers working across cognitive neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, neuroimaging, and related fields.
In 2024, the University of Birmingham hosted the annual MEG-UKI meeting, bringing together researchers from across the UK and Ireland to showcase new research, strengthen partnerships, and support the continued development of the MEG and OPM research community.
mTBI-Predict Consortium
Lead CHBH Member: Professor Karen Mullinger
The mTBI-Predict Consortium isa multidisciplinary research collaboration dedicated to developing and validating biomarkers for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The consortium brings together experts in neuroimaging, clinical neuroscience, engineering, data science, and translational medicine to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of concussion and other forms of mild brain injury.
The consortium is undertaking large-scale research to identify imaging, clinical, and biological markers that can help predict long-term outcomes following mTBI. By combining advanced neuroimaging techniques with clinical and biological assessments, the programme aims to provide clinicians with more accurate tools to identify individuals at risk of persistent symptoms and support earlier, more targeted interventions.
Through its involvement in mTBI-Predict, CHBH contributes to internationally significant research that seeks to improve outcomes for individuals affected by concussion and mild traumatic brain injury while advancing our understanding of brain recovery and resilience.
Language and Cognition at Birmingham (LACAB)
Lead CHBH Member: Professor Andrea Krott
The Language and Cognition at Birmingham (LACAB) is an interdisciplinary network that brings together researchers working on language and cognition from across the University of Birmingham. The network spans multiple Schools and Departments, including Psychology, Linguistics and Communication, Education, Modern Languages, and Computer Science.
LACAB provides a collaborative environment for researchers investigating a wide range of topics related to language, communication, learning, and cognitive processes. By connecting expertise from diverse disciplines, the network supports innovative research, knowledge exchange, and the development of new collaborations that advance our understanding of how language and cognition interact across the lifespan.
Through seminars, workshops, and collaborative research activities, LACAB fosters cross-disciplinary dialogue and creates opportunities for researchers to share methodologies, develop new projects, and address complex questions that benefit from multiple perspectives.
ENIGMA Antisocial Behaviour Working Group (ENIGMA-ASB)
Lead CHBH Member: Professor Stéphane De Brito
Professor Stéphane De Brito is a founding member of the ENIGMA Antisocial Behaviour Working Group (ENIGMA-ASB), an international collaboration of researchers investigating antisocial behaviour across the lifespan. The network brings together expertise from research centres worldwide to better understand the neural, behavioural, and biological factors associated with conduct problems, psychopathy, and antisocial personality disorder.
A key aim of the working group is to conduct large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data collected across multiple sites, enabling researchers to address questions that cannot be answered by individual studies alone. By combining datasets and expertise, ENIGMA-ASB seeks to produce more reliable, reproducible, and robust findings regarding the brain mechanisms underlying antisocial behaviour.
The network also supports research into related areas, including aggression, dimensional measures of antisocial behaviour in population-based samples, and the integration of genetic and neuroimaging data.
SIESTA (Synergise, Integrate and Enhance Sleep Research to Transform Brain Ageing)
Lead CHBH Member: Professor Clare Anderson
SIESTA is a multidisciplinary international research programme led by the University of Sydney. SIESTA brings together researchers from a range of disciplines to develop innovative approaches for understanding, preventing, and treating sleep disturbances in older adults at risk of dementia.
The programme aims to accelerate the translation of research findings into practical solutions that support healthy brain ageing and improve quality of life. By integrating expertise in sleep science, neuroscience, ageing, and clinical research, SIESTA is helping to advance understanding of the relationship between sleep, cognitive health, and dementia risk.
The Sleep Network
Lead CHBH Member: Professor Clare Anderson
Professor Clare Anderson is one of the leads of The Sleep Network, an interdisciplinary University of Birmingham network that brings together researchers, clinicians, industry partners, and policymakers working across sleep and circadian science.
The network supports collaboration across disciplines to address major challenges relating to sleep, health, wellbeing, safety, and performance. Through research partnerships, knowledge exchange activities, events, and training opportunities, The Sleep Network promotes the development of innovative and transdiagnostic approaches to understanding and improving sleep and circadian health.
By connecting expertise from across academia, healthcare, industry, and policy, the network aims to accelerate the translation of sleep research into real-world interventions that can improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
Are you interested in collaborating with CHBH researchers or joining one of our networks? We welcome opportunities to work with academic partners, healthcare organisations, industry, charities, policymakers, and community groups who share our commitment to improving brain health and understanding human cognition.