3 courses offered in the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
Cognitive Neurosciences - MPhil
The 20th century saw a revolution in neuroscience, illuminating how the function of the brain underlies our experience of the world. Now, advances in brain imaging, computational modelling, brain stimulation, informatics, and more are bringing us closer to unravelling the links between neural function and mental experience. This endeavour is ever-more critical as societies grapples with the pressing health challenges of our era, including ageing populations, neurodegenerative disorders, and mental ill-health.
Cognitive neuroscience is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field. Its very nature is interdisciplinary: the boundaries between psychology, neuroscience, and computer science (among others) blur. It is at this intersection that scientists make ground-breaking discoveries into how the brain gives rise to cognition, perception, language, emotion, and decision-making.
This new MPhil in Cognitive Neuroscience is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of these complex processes, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to contribute to cutting-edge research and real-world applications.
Medical Science (MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit) - MPhil
At any one time, the CBU hosts up to 60 postgraduate students from the UK, EU, and Overseas. While these are primarily PhD students, we welcome applications from prospective MPhil students wishing to pursue full-time or part-time research in areas covered by any of our research programmes. Our approaches span experimental cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, computational modelling and neuroimaging using MRI, MEG, and EEG, and our postgraduates benefit from the CBU’s research panels of typical and specialist (e.g. Cambridge Cognitive Neuroscience Research Panel) volunteers. The CBU also has superb computing facilities as well as committed professional and technical staff that that offer IT, graphics and multimedia support.
We encourage interested, prospective applicants to visit the CBU Research and People webpages to learn more about ongoing research and opportunities. You can also find a list of specific projects and supervisors on our Studentships webpage: https://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/studentships/. Once you have identified a project or research area, we encourage you to reach out to a potential supervisor who does research in your area of interest.
The CBU has excellent state-of-the-art facilities for experimental behavioural studies, as well as institutional links with Addenbrooke’s Hospital which enables access to patient populations that include stroke and progressive neural degenerative diseases. Several research programmes have strong interests and expertise in mental health, and in recent years students have worked alongside clinicians to explore mechanisms and novel treatments in individuals with ongoing mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression.
There is a 3 Tesla MRI scanner on the premises, as well as MEG and EEG facilities. Through its partnership with the University of Cambridge Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, the CBU has excellent access to PET and additional fMRI (3 Tesla) and high-field (7 Tesla) scanning facilities. The CBU also offers state-of-the-art computing facilities, supporting Unix, PC, and Mac platforms, and handling of large volumes of neuroimaging data as well as extensive computational modelling. All students have their own networked desktop computer with internet access.
The Unit’s close links with the University Department of Psychology and the Department of Psychiatry are strengthened through the Cambridge Postgraduate Programme in Cognitive and Brain Sciences – a joint programme of termly seminars for all first year postgraduate students, given by members of each department.
The CBU also benefits from membership of the Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine as well as wider neuroscience community in Cambridge, supported by the Cambridge Neuroscience network.
Medical Science (MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit) - PhD
At any one time, the CBU hosts up to 60 postgraduate students from the UK, EU, and Overseas. We warmly welcome applications from prospective PhD students wishing to pursue full-time or part-time research in areas covered by any of our research programmes. Our approaches span experimental cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, computational modelling and neuroimaging using MRI, MEG, and EEG, and our postgraduates benefit from the CBU’s research panels of typical and specialist (e.g. Cambridge Cognitive Neuroscience Research Panel) volunteers. The CBU also has superb computing facilities as well as committed professional and technical staff that that offer IT, graphics and multimedia support.
We encourage interested, prospective applicants to visit the CBU Research and People webpages to learn more about ongoing research and opportunities. You can also find a list of specific projects and supervisors on our Studentships webpage: https://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/studentships/. Once you have identified a project or research area, we encourage you to reach out to a potential supervisor who does research in your area of interest.
The CBU has excellent state-of-the-art facilities for experimental behavioural studies, as well as institutional links with Addenbrooke’s Hospital which enables access to patient populations that include stroke and progressive neural degenerative diseases. Several research programmes have strong interests and expertise in mental health, and in recent years students have worked alongside clinicians to explore mechanisms and novel treatments in individuals with ongoing mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression.
There is a 3 Tesla MRI scanner on the premises, as well as MEG and EEG facilities. Through its partnership with the University of Cambridge Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, the CBU has excellent access to PET and additional fMRI (3 Tesla) and high-field (7 Tesla) scanning facilities. The CBU also offers state-of-the-art computing facilities, supporting Unix, PC, and Mac platforms, and handling of large volumes of neuroimaging data as well as extensive computational modelling. All students have their own networked desktop computer with internet access.
The Unit’s close links with the University Department of Psychology and the Department of Psychiatry are strengthened through the Cambridge Postgraduate Programme in Cognitive and Brain Sciences – a joint programme of termly seminars for all first year postgraduate students, given by members of each department.
The CBU also benefits from membership of the Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine as well as wider neuroscience community in Cambridge, supported by the Cambridge Neuroscience network.