Brain Behaviour Group (BBG) News
July 2024
Ben Levett attended this years' Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Philadelphia, USA. Not only did he present two posters, he also was one of the ISTAART Ambassadors!
![Alzheimer's Association Ambassadors 2024](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/small_image/public/blevett_2024_alzambassador.jpeg?itok=CJ_M3evB)
Dr Jess Jiang was nominated for and awarded the Diversity in Research Award at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Awards! This award recognises individuals or teams whose research endeavours exemplify a commitment to diversity, whether through addressing underrepresented topics, engaging diverse perspectives, or promoting inclusivity in research methodologies and practices. Jess was also nominated and short-listed for the UCL Inclusion Awards 2024: Provost's award for embedding equality, diversity & inclusion. This award recognises an individual or team's effort to embed EDI into mainstream work through their approach and undertaking of tasks, be it day-to-day tasks or larger projects. Congrats Jess!
June 2024
Dr Jess Jiang, Prof Naaheed Mukadam and Prof Jason Warren have been awarded funding for the MANDDOLIN4 (Music and Neuroscience against Dementia: from Designs to Outcomes through Listening Interventions Inclusively Informed for Individuals) project by UCL's Grand Challenge of Mental Health & Wellbeing Pump-priming Funding Call.
We were very happy to be part of this years Rare Dementia Support Primary Progressive Aphasia support group meeting! Prof Jason Warren, Dr Anna Volkmer and Ben Levett spoke at this year's event.
![BBG at RDS PPA support group meeting 2024](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/small_image/public/bbg_2024_ppasg.jpg?itok=qyiHT8OY)
May 2024
Ben Levett and Eva Larsen ran the Hackney Half Marathon for The National Brain Appeal!
![Ben Levett and Eva Larson Ran the Hackney Half Marathon](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/small_image/public/blevett_elarson_2024_hackneyhalf.jpg?itok=EKVH9Jsd)
Lucy Core gave a fantastic Pint of Science talk on Music and Dementia at The Bedford in Balham, London. She discussed how different forms of dementia can lead to striking changes in emotional reactions to music, intense musical aversions or cravings, as well as remarkable musical skills despite other cognitive problems. She also showcased how understanding the musical brain can help with the development of music interventions and therapies.
![Lucy Core presented at Pint of Science](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/small_image/public/lcore_2024_pintofscience.jpg?itok=FHsWCU9N)
Dr Jess Jiang spoke on BBC Radio 3, talking about music and dementia and personalised playlists.
April 2024
Dr Chris Hardy has been awarded an Alzheimer's Society postdoctoral fellowship, titled AUDITION: Auditory biomarkers in dementia: Improving diagnosis and tracking disease evolution. Congratulations Chris!
Many BBGers were involved with the extremely successful Dementia Awareness Day event for the Chinese Community - with over 80 attendees! Dr Jess Jiang organised the event, as part of her larger PPIE work within the Chinese community. Dr Chris Hardy gave a talk on early diagnosis of dementia, Lucy Core and Ben Levett ran a booth about research, and Prof Jason Warren led the clinical Q&A session at the end.
![DRC booth at Dementia Awareness Day for Chinese Community](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/small_image/public/drcbooth_5.jpg?itok=6NZaB_rg)
November 2023
Lucy Core presented her work on functional neuroanatomy of music familiarity and temporal structure in frontotemporal dementia at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Conference!
![Lucy Core presented her work on functional neuroanatomy of music familiarity and temporal structure in frontotemporal dementia at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Conference](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/medium_image/public/corel_sfn_2024.jpg?itok=aTn2Cf6h)
October 2023
Dr Chris Hardy spoke about hearing loss and dementia at the 2nd Rehabilitation Conference for Hearing Impairment, hosted by Aesculap Academia UK, in Birmingham.
September 2023
Professor Jason Warren was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
![Professor Jason Warren was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/medium_image/public/warrenj_honfellowship_rcslt_2023.jpg?itok=_YKxWMEv)
September 2023
Dr Anna Volkmer and Professor Jason Warren chaired and presented keynote lectures on their PPA work at the 2023 British Aphasiology Society conference.
July 2023
Dr Emilie Brotherhood, alongside the BBG, was awarded an Equipment Grant for new software for our research in music and dementia.
July 2023
The Brain Behaviour Group was well represented at the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Amsterdam, including a Featured Research Session on dementia and hearing impairment chaired by Dr Chris Hardy with Professor Jason Warren as a platform presenter.
![The Brain Behaviour Group was well represented at the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Amsterdam](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/medium_image/public/bbg_aaic_2023_group.jpg?itok=pMx3_0hh)
![The Brain Behaviour Group was well represented at the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Amsterdam](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/large_image/public/bbg_aaic_2023_agenda.jpg?itok=99ETjtiX)
July 2023
Professor Jason Warren, Dr Chris Hardy and Dr Anna Volkmer appeared on a Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy podcast to talk about their research into PPA.
June 2023
Lucy Core was named one of the ISTAART Ambassadors for 2023-2024!
June 2023
Ben Levett presented his work on hearing and dementia at the Alzheimer’s Research UK public engagement day!
![Ben Levett presented his work on hearing and dementia at the Alzheimer’s Research UK public engagement day!.](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/medium_image/public/levettb_aruk_2023.png?itok=gr1poIWs)
May 2023
Professor Jason Warren gave the President’s Invited Lecture at the British Neuropsychological Society 2023 Conference – titled ‘Where the Wired Things Mar: a voyage round primary progressive aphasia’.
May 2023
The Brain Behaviour Group was privileged to join our Rare Dementia Support group members for the 2023 PPA Support Group annual meeting.
![The Brain Behaviour Group was privileged to join our Rare Dementia Support group members for the 2023 PPA Support Group annual meeting.](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/sites/drc/files/styles/medium_image/public/bbg_ppa_supportgroup_2023_group.jpg?itok=WfSVcxE9)
April 2023
Dr Mai-Carmen Requena-Komuro talked about her work on time perception and dementia on BBC Sounds CrowdScience!