Partner Universities of Oxford and Surrey have launched an exchange scheme designed to enhance the skill sets of researchers across both institutions by leveraging their respective strengths in sleep research and neuroimaging.
Last week a group of Early Career Researcher’s (ECR’s) from the Oxford Health BRC together with our Training & Career Development Project Manager attended the Practical Sleep & Circadian Training Day in Surrey at the NIHR Royal Surrey Clinical Research Facility, University of Surrey.
Oxford researchers who attended the event gained hands-on experience at Surrey’s Sleep Research Facilities. During the Practical Sleep & Circadian Training Day, Oxford ECR’s were given the opportunity to:
– Visit the Surrey Sleep Research Facilities
– Gain hands-on experience in collecting sleep research data
– Shadow experts, participate in training sessions, and immerse themselves in the advanced sleep research methodologies employed at the University.
Professor of Sleep and Physiology Derk-Jan Dijk and Director of the Surrey Sleep Research Centre Professor Simon Archer and their colleagues warmly welcomed the group from Oxford for the event, and agreed on the enormous benefit of this initiative.
OH BRC Training & Career Development Project Manager, Andreia Costa told us: “Attending the Practical Sleep & Circadian Training Day alongside the Early Career Researchers was a fantastic experience. Observing their enthusiasm as they engaged with hands-on activities and explored Surrey’s advanced sleep research methodologies was truly rewarding. It’s inspiring to see how such collaborations can foster growth and innovation in this field. The team at the Clinical Research Facility in Surrey were incredibly welcoming, providing expert guidance and creating a collaborative environment that made the experience both enriching and enjoyable.”
Katrijn Schruers, of our BRC Brain Technologies theme said: “I think overall, it was fantastic to see the facilities and equipment at the University of Surrey, it is very valuable to know what type of research they currently focus on, what their future research plans are and generally what they are capable of. This is also useful for future collaborations! We have been discussing possibilities and equipment with the rest of our lab members and our Principal Investigator (PI).”
In return Surrey researchers will have the opportunity to enhance their expertise in MRI and neuroimaging at Oxford’s Wellcome Centre Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN) facilities during a planned future visit. This will enable them to expand their expertise in neuroimaging techniques, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between sleep and brain function.
