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Godfather of MRI, Professor Graeme Bydder, was involved in introducing the first MRI scans to clinical settings. Now in his 80s, he is still involved in the giant leaps forward being made in imaging technology that are revealing new levels of detail in the brain. He is pictured with Paul Condron, charge technologist at the Mātai Medical Research Institute in Gisborne, whose deep expertise in emerging techniques is helping to drive this transformation. 4 Headlines A PICTURE PAINTS A especially in brain research A dvances in AI and gene editing are expected to usher in an exciting new era of discovery in brain research. Hiding behind these headline-grabbing innovations is the unsung hero of modern neuroscience – MRI and brain imaging. Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology found in research centres is vastly more powerful than the MRI machines found in hospitals. Newer machines using advanced MRI sequences and powerful gradients can detect extremely subtle signs of brain disease, long before symptoms appear. Assuming the right investment in New Zealand’s health infrastructure, this technology could soon be standard in healthcare. This will be transformative, says Associate Professor Miriam Scadeng, Head of the Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging at The University of Auckland, and a Principal Investigator at the University’s Centre for Brain Research. She says it is not only the technology, but advances in our understanding of brain disease – particularly the role of inflammation – that will dramatically improve how we treat almost every major brain condition. Associate Professor Miriam Scadeng