Author Archives: thebrainbank

About thebrainbank

The brain bank comprises a group of Manchester based scientists eager to enthuse and entertain with their scientific banter. To learn more about who we are see the our 'about' page. You can also find us on twitter @brainbankmanc or email us brainbankmanc@gmail.com.

Acne bacteria to blame for back pain?

Posted on May 12, 2013 by thebrainbank

What do acne and chronic back pain have in common? Well, as it turns out, more than people once thought.  A group at the University of Southern Denmark have found that the same bacteria that gives people spots might be … Continue reading →

Posted in Natasha Bray, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Comments: The future of secondary school science

Posted on May 6, 2013 by thebrainbank

Exam time is fast approaching and once again this year pupils will not only be fretting about their potential grades, but also over the following inevitable barrage of claims concerning falling exam standards. Yes, however hard you may have worked … Continue reading →

Posted in Comments, News and Views, Sarah Fox | Leave a comment

The dream-reading machine

Posted on April 27, 2013 by thebrainbank

The film Inception starts with Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt attempting to infiltrate someone’s subconscious. They are trying to steal the target’s dreams. This wonderfully futuristic concept may be a thing of science-fiction movies, but researchers in Japan might just … Continue reading →

Posted in Oliver Freeman | 1 Comment

News and Views: The Brain Activity Mapping Project – What’s the plan?

Posted on April 24, 2013 by thebrainbank

“If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t” – Dr. Emerson Pugh Isabelle Abbey: An ambitious project intended to unlock the inscrutable mysteries of nerve cell interactions in … Continue reading →

Posted in Isabelle Abbey-Vital, Natasha Bray, News and Views | Leave a comment

Preventing mitochondrial disease: Can three (parents) be the magic number?

Posted on April 22, 2013 by thebrainbank

Since September 2012, there has been a consultation in the UK on whether to allow the creation of three-person embryos. This may sound like an odd debate to be having, but there is a good reason for trialling this technique: to reduce … Continue reading →

Posted in Louise Walker | 2 Comments

News and Views: The Festival of Neuroscience – A 5 minute guide.

Posted on April 14, 2013 by thebrainbank

  Between 7th-10th April 2013, neuroscientists from across the globe met in London for the British Neuroscience Association’s ‘Festival of Neuroscience’. Here is my whistle-stop tour of the main talking points.     Drugs, neuroscience and society Instigated by the … Continue reading →

Posted in News and Views, Oliver Freeman | 1 Comment

How Bluetooth could save your life

Posted on April 14, 2013 by thebrainbank

“The iPhone is great, but what if I wanted to put it in my brain?” John A Rogers from the University of Illinois asked this question at a recent talk about electronics that work inside our bodies. From stretchy electronic … Continue reading →

Posted in Claire Scofield | Leave a comment