The world-leading Functional Imaging Laboratory (FIL) at University College London has received a £6.7 million Strategic Award and has been granted Wellcome Trust Centre status.

Brain imaging is one of the most exciting areas of modern biomedical science. The use of non-invasive imaging tools such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) is providing deep insight into brain function in living subjects.

In the vanguard of these developments is the FIL, led by Professor Ray Dolan. It aims to provide an integrated understanding of brain function spanning areas such as vision, cognition, social interaction, emotion, language, memory, decision making and other 'higher-order' aspects of brain function.

Understanding how the brain functions is of great intrinsic interest, but the work of the FIL also has practical applications. Neurological and psychiatric disorders remain major health problems, and psychological disorders are predicted to become the leading cause of ill-health globally within the coming decades.

The Strategic Award will provide core support to enable FIL researchers, many of whom already have substantial Wellcome Trust funding, to draw upon common central resources. The FIL will also continue enhancing its widely used data analysis software to ensure it meets the community's needs.

See also

• Feature: Strategic Awards 2006 (22 February 2006)