Researchers specialising in fields related to the workings of the brain are being invited to apply for new starter grants available through an international partnership with City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).
Up to £30,000 is available across an estimated six collaborative projects in brain science, encompassing neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, mathematics and computing.
The call for applications was opened at a September event at CityUHK, which showcased the progress of four inaugural Initiator Projects that have been running since April.
The Brain Science initiative is designed to complement the CityUHK-led Institute for Digital Medicine, in which Exeter is a key partner, strengthening joint research in health, wellbeing, and technology-driven healthcare.
Both universities are internationally recognised for research excellence and innovation in brain sciences and health-related fields.
Professor Katie Lunnon, Professor in Dementia Genomics at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "This initiative highlights the power of collaboration in tackling complex challenges. By combining Exeter's and CityUHK's strengths across disciplines, we are creating the foundations for transformative discoveries in brain science that will benefit societies worldwide."
By bringing together complementary expertise, the collaborative Brain Science initiative is designed to foster novel, cross-disciplinary approaches to understanding the brain and its connection to health, behaviour, and digital technologies. It also seeks to strengthen international research partnerships between the two institutions, support early-career researchers, and open new frontiers in multidisciplinary science.
The four initial Initiator Projects were launched following two online 'sandpit events' in April, which drew interdisciplinary teams from both universities to discuss new research ideas. These first round projects were:
- Connectome 2.0 - How individual properties of neurons affect network behaviour (Joel Tabak and Margaritis Voliotis [Exeter] and Qiang Liu [CityUHK])
- Investigating Language in Health Communication: The Impact on Alcohol Consumption (Janet Geipel [Exeter] and Jia Mian James [CityUHK])
- Genome-wide Characterization of Mobile Elements in Chromatin Interactions (Sean Flynn [Exeter] and Zhu Xiaowei [CityUHK])
- Quantitatively track, stage and classify seizures with AI models using EEG data (Neil Vaughan [Exeter] and Chunyue Geoffrey Lau [CityUHK])
As well as receiving updates on their progress, the September event presented an opportunity to shape a strategic roadmap for long-term collaboration in brain science and allied fields.
Professor Niels Schiller, Chair of Psycho- and Neurolinguistics and Head of the Department of Linguistics and Translation at CityUHK, added: "CityUHK and Exeter University have complementary expertise in different areas of Brain Sciences. This collaboration is a textbook example of inter- and cross-disciplinary collaboration to push the frontiers of our fields."
Applications for the 2025/26 programme are open until 9 November, and welcomes projects across the entire area of brain science.
