Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment

About the Institute

Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) exploits advanced technology to explore brains, development and healthy behaviours. Our research in children extends from ‘bench to bedside’; our discoveries become the next advances in healthcare and educational policy for literacy, eating and neurodevelopmental disorders.

We are developing healthy minds.

IHN provides an academic milieu to foster research excellence, supported by facilities that enable cross-cutting topics in which we have a demonstrated track record. IHN's capabilities in advanced technologies, child-centred assessments and Care Quality Commission registered clinical service create a rich hub of opportunity for world-leading research and education of young scholars. Members of IHN strive to generate world-leading translational neuroscience research.

Our Vision

Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) will be recognised nationally and internationally as a centre for child brain research and the education of professionals working in the science-practitioner model.

Technological advances in paediatric neuroimaging will attract industry-based investment, which will be translated into advances in fundamental and applied science for the benefit of society.

IHN will create fundamental scientific insights that improve knowledge as well as offering opportunities to improve the care and wellbeing of people who experience neurological, neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions.

People

Our world-leading academic and research team working in three Themes: Cellular/Fundamental, Behavioural/Cognitive and Applied/ Clinical Neuroscience.

Research

The research activities of the Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) members aim to advance our understanding of fundamental brain processes at the cellular level so that we can better target disordered neural signalling to improve patient outcomes. Our work on the cognitive science and neuroscience of human vision, sensation, language and affect uses innovative methodologies to advance knowledge of typical behaviour. These insights can then be applied to improving the characterisation of neurological disorders, atypical neurodevelopment (e.g. autism, epilepsy, dyslexia) and creation of targeted interventions to improve child health (e.g. anxiety management in autism, co-design of mental health services, evidence-based nutrition guidance for children, novel approaches to feeding and eating behaviour change in individuals, services and systems, public health policy change regarding medicines used in pregnancy, presurgical imaging tools to improve prediction of outcome neurosurgery).

Our research is concentrated into three Themes (Cellular/Fundamental, Behavioural/Cognitive and Applied/ Clinical Neuroscience) with four cross-cutting key areas of research strength (Social Cognition/Autism, Reading/Dyslexia, Epilepsy, Eating/Nutrition).

Clinical Services

Specialist clinical services are delivered through the Aston Brain Centre. For more information visit our clinical services

If you need any guidance or advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team.