The causes of variability in brain function and disease between individuals are complex, with contributions from genetic, metabolic and environmental factors. We study the link between brain structure and inter-individual variability (aka. anatomical phenomics). We develop quantitative MRI (qMRI) based techniques to study how histological differences in brain microstructure relate to the genetic and phenotypic variability observed in health and disease.

Improving our understanding of these relationships will allow:

• Earlier, more accurate diagnoses in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD)
• Better predictions of future disease progression at an individual subject level
• Insight into the biological foundations of structural-functional variation

Objectives

1. Develop data-driven methods using quantitative MRI to better define individual-level cytoarchitectural brain anatomy in vivo.

2. Apply these methods to characterise how differences in brain structure contributes to the phenotypic variability between individuals in health and disease.

3. Combine these insights, with other biophysical measures (e.g. genetics, serum biomarkers, clinical measures) to better characterise disease sub-groups and biological mechanistic pathways

4. Use these techniques to develop earlier clinical diagnosis and more accurately predict future disease trajectories.