Members

I have conducted research on pain and its management for over 30 years. Areas of interest include response to electrophysical agents, individuality and pain, perceptual embodiment, epidemiology, pain education, pain and art, community-support-programmes for pain, and painogencity (health promotion). Methodologies include evidence syntheses (e.g., Cochrane reviews, meta-ethnography), human response to stimuli (quantitative sensory testing) and clinical trials. I have a long-standing interest in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and deliver a distance learning MSc module on Foundation Neuromodulation (implantable devices).

My research focuses on understanding the brain mechanisms that underpin human sensorimotor function. My research utilises a range of approaches, including state-of-the-art MR imaging and spectroscopy, magnetoencephalography, and non-invasive brain stimulation to investigate the pathophysiology of common mental/brain health conditions. A key focus is developing the next generation of novel therapeutic approaches for mental/brain health conditions based on wearable technology and non-invasive brain stimulation. To this end I am a founding Non-Executive Director, and Chief Scientific Officer, of Neurotherapeutics Ltd.

I am currently a senior postdoctoral researcher at the University of Glasgow. My research involves designing, simulating, fabricating, and testing neuromodulation devices with a diverse range of modalities, including optogenetic, magnetic, and thermal. I go from using state-of-the-art software to simulate device performance in full human body models, to cleanroom nanofabrication, and in-vivo testing of device prototypes with a broad range of talented collaborators in engineering, neuroscience, and computing science. My latest research proposal involves designing the first optogenetic brain implant for chronic pain treatment.

Dr Alex Casson is a Reader in the Materials, Devices and Systems division of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on non-invasive bioelectronic interfaces: the design and application of wearable sensors, and skin-conformal flexible sensors, for human body monitoring and data analysis from highly artefact prone naturalistic situations. This work is highly multi-disciplinary and he has research expertise in:
– Ultra low power microelectronic circuit design at the discrete and fully custom microchip levels.
– Sensor signal processing and machine learning for power and time constrained motion artefact rich environments.
– Manufacturing using 3D printing, screen printing, and inkjet printing.
He has particular interests in closed loop systems: those which are tailored to the individual by personalised manufacturing via printing; and tailored to the individual by adjusting non-invasive stimulation (light, sound, electrical current) using data driven responses/outputs from real-time signal processing. Dr Casson’s ultra low power sensors work is mainly for health and wellness applications, with a strong background in brain interfacing (EEG and transcranial current stimulation) and heart monitoring. Applications focus on both mental health situations including chronic pain, sleep disorders, and autism, and physical health/rehabilitation applications including diabetic foot ulceration, and chronic kidney disease.

Electrical stimulation therapies represent nonpharmacologic treatment options for chronic pain management. However, we do not understand how these therapies work and this knowledge gap continues to limit the success of these technologies. Therefore, our research group implements a patient-specific approach that integrates detailed clinical mechanistic testing with computational models. We believe that this systematic approach will improve our scientific understanding of neurostimulation for chronic pain and provide scientific guidance to individualize and optimize several components of these neurostimulation technologies.

How does the brain represent, process, and regulate pain and affective experiences? The goal of our lab research is to answer this question to better understand pain and emotions, thereby promoting the physical and psychological well-being of people who suffer from pain and emotional distress. Specific aims include 1) understanding the brain mechanisms of pain and emotion dynamics (mechanisms), 2) developing integrated brain models of human affective experiences and clinical outcomes (biomarkers), 3) translating basic and computational neuroscience findings into clinical applications (translation), and 4) building a life- and neuroscience-inspired artificial intelligence (AI) to better understand pain, affect, and human intelligence.

My main interest is in understanding how our body representation changes in the brain (brain plasticity). Our primary model for brain plasticity is hand function and dysfunction, and how we could use technology to increase hand functionality in able and disabled individuals at all ages.