queen square alumnus assocıatıon Queen Square Alumnus Editorial Association Newsletter Dear Queen Square Alumnus Association member, Issue 1 – Nov 2011 Welcome to this first issue of the Queen Square Alumnus Association Editor Newsletter. I owe a debt of gratitude to Miss Pat Harris who Mr David Blundred established the Queen Square Alumnus Association in 1989. She was the driving force, along with the founding members and the late Teaching and E‐Learning Professor Ian McDonald. The re‐invigoration of the Alumnus Administrator Association would not have been possible without the support and assistance of Professor Simon Shorvon, Professor Andrew Lees, Ms [email protected] Louise Shepherd and her colleagues in the Library, the Medical Illustration department, Miss Jean Reynolds, Dr Caroline Selai, Ms Editorial Leads Daniela Warr Schori, Professor Jock Murray, Mr James Davis from UCL Alumni Services and last but not least Dr Surat Tanprawate. I have Professor Simon Shorvon been encouraged and heartened that so many members of the Alumnus Association have been in touch via e‐mail and expressed their Professor Andrew Lees interest in receiving this newsletter. I hope that in the future we can Ms Louise Shepherd offer more benefits for being part of the Queen Square Alumnus Association. Miss Jean Reynolds Queen Square holds a special place in the heart of all that have spent Ms Daniela Warr Schori some time here and I hope that you find this newsletter and future newsletters useful in keeping you up to date and in touch with events here. If you would like to contribute to the newsletter or have any suggestions for alumni events then please get in touch by e‐mailing [email protected] In this issue: on page 2 we have the latest news from Queen Square, followed by a list of souvenirs available to purchase. Miss Pat Harris Page 5: Interview with Professor Simon Shorvon, Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Clinical Sub‐Dean at the UCL Institute of Neurology. Page 6: Developments at the Library by Ms Louise Shepherd Page 7: The Education Unit by Dr Caroline Selai and Miss Jean Reynolds Page 8: Interview with Dr Surat Tanprawate, Consultant Neurologist at Chang Mai University, Thailand. Professor Ian McDonald Page 9: An article from our archives first published in the Lancet in The opinions expressed in the 1889. Newsletter by authors and interviewees do not necessarily reflect Page 10: An article on Canadians at Queen Square by Professor Jock the opinion of the Editor or of the UCL Murray Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Page 12: Photographs of Queen Square from our archives Neurosurgery. All photographs have been kindly provided by the Queen Square Library, Medical Illustration and the private collection of the Editor News From Queen Square Professor Alan Clinical Research at published in the Journal of Number 33, Parkinson’s Disease. Thompson complete with appointed as laboratories, out­ Dean of UCL The lists authors used 3 different patients and an Faculty of Brain bibliometric techniques (total impressive new 220 Sciences citations, “broad impact” citations seater lecture and H­index – see original article theatre, and for explanation) to not only assess Warm completed the the productivity of individual congratulations to Advanced researchers, but also to identify Professor Alan NeuroImaging Suite researchers whose work reached Thompson, who which included the beyond the Parkinson’s disease has been appointed first interventional research community. as the first ever scanner in the UK, Dean of the UCL opened by Princess Faculty of Brain Anne, the princess UCL Institute of Neurology’s Sciences. This new Royal in October Professor Andrew Lees tops the list role comes about 2008. with over 23,000 citations since as the result of a 1985. Professor Lees is well known major strategic restructuring of UCL The Institute and National Hospital for introducing apomorphine pump School of Life and Medical together form a national and therapy into clinical practice for the Sciences. As a result of his new international centre of excellence at treatment of refractory motor role Professor Thompson will Queen Square for teaching, training fluctuations in patients with relinquish the positions of Director and research in neurology and Parkinson’s disease (these are the of the Institute and interim Chair of allied clinical and basic peaks and troughs in levodopa the Neurosciences Domain. neurosciences. effectiveness which occur after a patient has undergone several Professor Thompson said “This has years of levodopa treatment, Professor Thompson joined the been one of the most enjoyable staff at Queen Square in 1990 as leading to several severe periods of and fulfilling times in my career – immobility during the day each consultant neurologist with a there is an extraordinary lasting an hour or so). special interest in Multiple Sclerosis atmosphere at Queen Square and Head of Neurorehabilitation. which is stimulating, supportive and He is now one of the most highly Professor Lees cites this ground­ collegiate. It has been particularly cited researchers in the field of breaking therapy, together with his gratifying to see the way in which neuroscience worldwide. He has the profile of work on clinico been Director of the IoN for three pathological neuroscience has risen. years and during that time the correlations in My aim is that the new Institute has seen a steady Faculty of Brain Sciences Parkinsonian increase in both grant income and syndromes carried will result in a further, outputs in both basic and clinical out over two decades substantial rise in profile neuroscience research. Some key and productivity. It brings at the Queen Square achievements for the Institute over Brain Bank for together six exciting and the three years include successful Neurological dynamic Institutes and renewals of the Wellcome Centre Divisions across sensory Disorders, as his for Neuroimaging and the MRC most significant systems, cognitive and Prion Unit, the establishment of the achievements. behavioural function, MRC Centre for Neuromuscular psychology, psychiatry Disease collaborating with the UCL and neurology ­ and there is no Institute of Neurology, UCL Institute When asked to comment on this doubt but that the Institute of of Child Health and University of great achievement, Professor Lees Neurology will play a critical role in Newcastle, a plethora of major is quick to point out the legion of its success ” grants and senior Fellowships, the collaborators he has worked with development of a major four year over the years, particularly his Professor Thompson continues as PhD programme in clinical longstanding links with the Programme Director for neuroscience, the refurbishment of University of Melbourne and Neuroscience at UCL Partners, and the Library and greater integration neurologists Bill Gibb and Julian recruitment to the position of of neuroscience across UCL with Fearnley. He adds: “I owe a great Director of the IoN will take place in particular focus on deal to the stimulating academic autumn of 2011. neurodegeneration and mental environment of the National health. Hospital for Neurology and UCL neuroscientists among the Neurosurgery and its close partner the UCL Institute of Neurology and Prior to becoming Director of the most cited in Parkinson’s of course to my many clinical UCL Institute of Neurology, disease research Professor Thompson was Clinical fellows many of whom have gone Director of the National Hospital for on to achieve glittering careers in Neurology and Neurosurgery Seminal works by current and past institutions all over the world.” UCL neuroscientists account for 10 (UCLH). It was during his tenure, out of the top 100 most cited that the National working with the Other UCL staff (past and present) Parkinson’s disease researchers, Institute established the Centre for on the list include Susan Daniel according to a list recently 2 (retired), Richard Frackowiak (now investigation of movement recognised in this way." at Universite de Lausanne, disorders and neuropsychology, Switzerland), John Hardy, Patricia and is based in Zurich, Switzerland. "The Wellcome Trust's new Limousin, David Marsden approach to research funding is (deceased), Niall Quinn (retired), The Foundation awards research unbelievably competitive and John Rothwell, Anthony Schapira grants to support neuroscience something of an unknown quantity and Nicholas Wood projects. Additionally, outstanding and it is encouraging to see that achievements in Neuroscience are four of the five UCL candidates honoured annually with this award. short­listed for awards, were successful. It will be very important Professor Lemon said “ Obviously I that many others follow suit in Professor Maguire awarded am delighted, because the Award is subsequent rounds such that we Kemali prize really a tribute to my research build up a large cadre of New and team, the Sobell Department, IoN Senior Investigators here at IoN and UCL.” and across UCL Neuroscience" Congratulations to Wellcome Trust Centre for Professor Dimitri Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging’s Kullmann recognised for Neuroimaging student receives Professor Eleanor his outstanding research Young Researcher Award Maguire who is the recipient of the The Wellcome Trust has Congratulations to Sundeep Teki, a Eighth announced the first PhD student in Auditory International Prize recipients of its Investigator Neuroscience at the Wellcome of the Dargut and Awards, £56 million worth Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Milena Kemali of funding for exceptional who received a Young Researcher Foundation for researchers addressing the award at the 13th International Basic and Clinical Neurosciences, most important questions about Rhythm Perception and Production for innovative contributions to health and disease, and we are Workshop organized by the Max understanding human memory. The delighted be able to congratulate Planck Institute for Human Kemali Prize (25,000 Euro) will be Professor Dimitri Kullmann, Head Cognitive and Brain Sciences in awarded at the Congress of the of the Department of Clinical and Leipzig, Germany.