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What do we do?

We help fund research projects and studentships for research groups based in Scotland. Our goal is to help patients who have injured, or developed diseases of their brain or nervous system.

These conditions typically include tumours, stroke, head injury, Parkinson’s Disease, depression, schizophrenia, MS, epilepsy, motor neurone disease.

About us

Moving ahead with brain research and education

Sources for funding include donations, charitable trusts, and personal fundraising. By raising funds this way we help fund research projects and studentships.

If you would like to donate please click the button below to go to The Neurosciences Foundation JustGiving page.

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World Brain Day graphic

World Brain Day 2024

Observed on July 22, the aim is to promote awareness and education for neurological disorders that affect individuals worldwide. This year it will be dedicated to Brain Health and Prevention.

To celebrate World Brain Day 2024, Scotland’s Neurosciences Foundation will publish “The A to Z of Neuroscience – 101 Things You Didn’t Know About Nuts, Noggins, Numskulls and Nerves“.

The one hundred and one extraordinary facts will feature here, and every week one wee nugget of information will be posted on the Foundation’s social media feeds.

The aim is to remove some of the mystery – and apprehension – about matters of the brain and the nervous system and have a little fun at the same time.

The charity differs from some of the big, UK-wide brain health charities by raising funds for early-stage, highly experimental research. This can be of enormous help to the smaller research labs and to early-career scientists who have new and innovative ideas. When our initial projects show hopeful progress, the work starts to bring in major funding initiatives.

The Chair of the Neurosciences Foundation, Dr Sarah Deans, said:

“We’d like everyone to help us spread awareness about brain health and disease prevention.
Each year on July 22, World Brain Day is devoted to a different topic in neurological health. This year, it’s time we bring attention to prevention.

We have been working hard alongside our fellow charities to share vital information on preventing neurological disorders, breaking down barriers to care and advocating for optimal brain health and prevention around the globe.

This World Brain Day, we want to empower the world to understand and practice preventive neurological care so we can forge a healthier future for all.”

Some gems from the Neurosciences Foundation’s 101 Things include:
Busy Brains. It is a myth that humans only use 10% of our brain. We actually use all of it. We’re even using more than 10 percent when we sleep.
Fat. Sixty percent of the human brain is made of fat. Not only does that make it the fattiest organ in the human body, but these fatty acids are crucial for your brain’s performance.
And among the lighter-hearted topics:
The Numskulls is a comic strip in The Beano, and previously in The Beezer and The Dandy – UK comics owned by D.C Thomson. The strip is about a team of tiny human-like technicians who live inside the heads of various people, running and maintaining their bodies and minds. It first appeared in The Beezer from 1962 until 1979.

Two new projects funded

The Neurosciences Foundation would like to announce support for two vital research projects aimed at tackling Motor Neurone Disease (MND). We are providing £20,000 of funding. Both studies will be carried out in Scotland, highlighting the strength of medical research north of the border.

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We help fund research projects and studentships for research groups

The Daphne Merrills Studentship

Partnership with Brain Research UK has led to a successful application for a Studentship in Glioblastoma by researcher Febe Ferro. Glioblastoma is a devastating condition, with only 5% of patients surviving beyond 5 years. Many of us will have had a friend or relative who has suffered from this condition.

Find out more

Projects and studentships.

At The Neurosciences Foundation our aim is that we help fund research projects and studentships. Here are a few details of what some of these research projects and studentships have achieved.

  • Improving the accuracy of assessing the cause of memory problems in patients with Parkinson’s Disease.
  • Exploring the use of memory training to improve daily living in patients with stroke or brain injury.
  • Developing a chemical material to use with imaging techniques measuring inflammation in MS, PD, Alzheimer’s Disease and stroke.
  • Investigating materials that might reduce the likelihood of ‘at risk’ patients developing a stroke.
  • Setting up a network studying improvements in the monitoring of head injuries in neurological intensive care units.
  • Making a chemical material to use with imaging techniques to study the action of drugs used to treat glioblastoma.
  • Examining whether properties of blood vessels in the neck might indicate the risk of developing a stroke.

Four of our researchers

Katerina, Fraser, Christina and Ellen after their excellent presentations to The Neurosciences Foundation Trustees on 3rd Nov 2022

Funded projects and studentships

Trustees and Members of the Medical Advisory Board (MAC)

Meet the Trustees and members of the Medical Advisory Board (MAC). By giving time to The Neurosciences Foundation voluntarily we help fund research projects and studentships.

Dr Sarah Deans, Chair of the Board of Trustees
Chair of the Board of Trustees

Dr Sarah Deans

Sarah has a PhD in Physical Activity for Health, and a Masters in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise

With more than 25 years experience, Sarah worked as a clinician and academic in the fields of prosthetics and orthotics. Sarah worked at the University of Strathclyde for 21 years. There she taught rehabilitation of those with limb absence, and professional skills for healthcare. Much of her research has been published, and has enjoyed international and national speaking engagements. Now she currently devotes time to her husband and two children, The Neurosciences Foundation, property development, and gardening. Also trying to be more physically active, Sarah walks Jimmy the dog!
We help fund projects and studentships
Member, Medical Advisory Committee

Dr Saif Razvi

Saif is a neurologist with a special interest in treatment-resistant epilepsy and epilepsy mimics. Currently he is Clinical Lead for Neurology for the West of Scotland. Complex issues with epilepsy are assessed at the William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre where Saif is the neurologist.

Passionate about improving access of care to patients, Sais has helped develop telemedicine clinics across Scotland. Fascinated by the workings of the mind, Saif works with many neuropsychologists to improve care of people with neuropsychological illnesses.
In his spare time, Saif enjoys road cycling and following the peloton on the UCI world cycling calendar.
NSF head
Trustee

Prof Donald Hadley

Donald is a Consultant Neuroradiologist. He worked in the Institute of Neurological Sciences and Professor of Radiology (Hon.), University of Glasgow. Donald has a long standing interest in neuroimaging research.

Publications have involved a range of investigations into the theme of central nervous system abnormality.
We help fund research projects and studentships for research groups applications
Member, Medical Advisory Committee

Professor Paul Brennan

Paul is Reader and Honorary Consultant Neurosurgeon at the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian. His research combines molecular, epidemiology and clinical investigation to guide rationale innovation to improve patient care. This strategy is applied to improving diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for people with brain tumours, and brain or spinal injuries.

As founder of eoSurgical Ltd Paul has also led innovation in surgical simulation training around the world. In the laboratory Paul probes mechanistic hypotheses generated by using large scale clinical data to drive discovery science. Collaboration allows him to bring innovative technologies to the clinic, developing the clinical and scientific evidence for adoption in routine care.
Based in Edinburgh, Paul is part of the CRUK Adult Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence,
We help fund research projects and studentships
Trustee, Chair, Medical Advisory Committee

Prof David Wyper

Dave is a medical physicist with a particular interest in brain imaging. He has now retired and was Director of SINAPSE (https://www.sinapse.ac.uk/) from 2010 till 2017. He was previously Director of the NHS Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering, based in Glasgow.

His most recent focus is on public understanding of science. We can easily resort to using acronyms and terms that are unfamiliar to non-scientists. It should be possible to explain all science without resorting to jargon. Sadly, few lay summaries are clear to non-scientists. It’s a challenge.

To relax Dave gets on his bicycle. For many years he was a road runner. The pounding has now been reduced by getting on his Paralane Focus and riding sedately round hills south of Glasgow. A piper in Williamwood Pipe Band, Dave is still invited to many weddings.

Margaret has put up with him for over 50 years and they have two sons, one daughter and two grandchildren. Margaret’s passion is dance. She set up and ran the Dance Foundation and now has several hundred children and mothers. Dave puts up the barres!

We help fund research projects and studentships for research groups
Trustee

Phil Taylor

Phil had a thirty-year career in journalism and broadcast news. When he escaped, he started working with scientific research organisations helping to tell the extraordinary stories of their achievements. Latterly Phil worked in communications in the Higher Education sector establishing his own company collaborating with scientists, researchers and educators.

In his spare time, Paul plays with his vintage Hornby Dublo collection and wishes Everton FC could do better.
We help fund research projects and studentships
Member, Medical Advisory Committee

Dr Andrew Todd

Professor of Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow

Andrew qualified in medicine at the University of London (1979) obtaining a PhD in Neuroscience from the same University (1983). He moved to the University of Glasgow in 1984, and became a Professor in 2000. Andrew's work over the last 40 years has investigated the organisation of nerve circuits in the spinal cord. In particular this work involved those that are responsible for pain and itch. Understanding more about these circuits will be important for the development of new treatments for these common conditions.
Trustee

Dr Kristin Flegal

Since 2023, Kristin has held the post of Research Development Manager for Glasgow's Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE). Kristin works to enhance access and usage of their imaging research facilities including Scotland's only 7T clinical MRI scanner.

Kristin has a PhD in Psychology with a concentration in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in fMRI at the University of California, Davis, in 2015. She moved to the University of Glasgow to take up the role of Lead Scientist of SINAPSE (https://www.sinapse.ac.uk/). From 2021 until 2023, Kristin worked as a Senior Project Manager in Glasgow's UKRI-funded Living Laboratory for Precision Medicine programme. Here she was responsible for the delivery of three Advanced Imaging collaborative projects with academic, clinical, and industry partners.
We help fund research projects and studentships for research groups
Trustee and treasurer

Henry Gildie

Henry is a chartered certified accountant and is a director of HLG Associates (EK) Limited.

A fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, Henry has operated within industry, over the last 20 years.
We help fund projects and studentships
Trustee

Amanda Garden

Mandy worked in IT for over 40 years. Latterly she worked for the South East Scotland Cancer Network, which is based in NHS Lothian.

Since her retirement Mandy has continued her interest in IT by developing WordPress websites for family, friends, and charities. Her interest in brain cancer research arose because she has lost two close family members to brain tumours.

Mandy likes to spend time in the garden, reading, walking, and exploring Edinburgh and the Lothians on her bike.

We help fund research projects and studentship applications
Member, Medical Advisory Committee

Prof John Pickard, CBE

John is Emeritus Professor of Neurosurgery. He is also Chairman/Clinical director of the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, University of Cambridge. He trained in Neurosurgery in the 1970’s at the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Glasgow. John has been Chairman of the SINAPSE International Advisory Board and external advisor to the MSN for Neurosurgery.

Following retirement, he established the NIHR Brain Injury Healthcare Technology Cooperative (now MedTech Cooperative). John now lives in East Lothian for grandchildren, golf and escape from too many committees.
Dr Andrew Crawford
Trustee

Dr Andrew Crawford

Andrew currently works at the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman as head of Improvement, Standards and Engagement. With a background in education and quality assurance within local authorities, he has always had a keen interest in developing public services to benefit service users.

Keeping fit and travelling are amongst Andrew's interests.

The Neurosciences Foundation charity details

Would you like to find out more about our charity? Have a look at The Neurosciences Foundation page on Scottish Charities Register (OSCR) website to see our accounts and charity details.

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