Brain health Expo in Tāmaki this year

Brain health Expo in Tāmaki this year

A dynamic brain health expo – Brain Day Auckland 2016 - showcasing the latest in brain research and wellbeing will be held at the University of Auckland’s Tāmaki Innovation Campus next month..

The community expo, ‘Your Amazing Brain’, is the opening event for this year’s Brain Awareness Week (March 12 – 18). The following week will feature brain research panel discussions at Auckland Grammar School (see details below). Both event programmes will showcase the work of our world-class scientists and clinicians.

Brain Awareness Week is organised by the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research (CBR) in collaboration with the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand. Brain Day usually attracts thousands of people of all ages and the panel discussions are also popular with the public.

The fun, engaging and informative day of neuroscience on Saturday 12 March includes a full-to-bursting programme of brain research findings and brain health workshops, discussion groups and talks, engagement activities with community groups, interactive research labs and fun activities for all ages – including science experiments for children.

The Centre for Brain Research has prepared engaging activities for everyone to enjoy, including a Kids Brain Zone which will host activities for school-aged children, and microscope viewing and art projects for the youngest members of the family.

Young scientists from nutrition and dietetics, sports science, audiology, speech science, vision research, music and dance, will take the kids through an array of entertaining and educational games and tasks.

For adults, there is a series of discussion panels and talks that cover topics around the healthy human brain and different neurological conditions.

Healthy brain sessions include interactive talks about nutrition for your brain, brain development, exercise and robotics in neuroscience.

For those who are affected - directly or indirectly - by neurological conditions, the CBR will be hosting talks and discussions about multiple sclerosis, music therapy, stroke in younger adults and living with brain injury.

The CBR acknowledges the support of the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand, Brain Research New Zealand (BRNZ) and many other community organisations and volunteers whose contributions make this event bigger and better each year.

Brain Day is part of Brain Awareness Week, an annual international campaign initiated by the Dana Foundation of New York, to raise public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.

Brain Awareness Week will feature three brain research panel discussions to be held at Auckland Grammar School on Mountain Road in Epsom.

• 'The Young Brain' on Tuesday 15 March at Auckland Grammar School Centennial Theatre, from6.00pm – 7.30pm.
Dr Jessie Jacobsen will explore the biology underlying neurodevelopmental conditions and examine various new targets for management and treatment of these disorders with some of New Zealand’s leading researchers in this field. Chaired by Dr Jessie Jacobsen, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland.
Discussion panel: Associate Professor Karen Waldie, Dr Colette Muir and Dr Justin Dean
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• 'The Creative Brain' on Wednesday 16 March at Auckland Grammar School Centennial Theatre, from 6.00pm – 7.30pm.
Professor Ralph Buck will engage with our distinguished panel to understand the critical role that creativity plays in helping us to adapt to new experiences, learn new information and create new memories - and what happens when the links between cognitive flexibility, creativity and imagination are impaired. Chaired by Associate Professor Ralph Buck, School of Dance, University of Auckland.
Discussion panel: Professor Donna Rose Addis, Professor Michael Corballis and Auckland City Hospital Head of Neurosurgery Mr Edward Mee
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• 'The Changing Brain' on Thursday 17 March at Auckland Grammar School Centennial Theatre on6.00pm – 7.30pm.
The brain has a range of intrinsic capacities to react to damage and change the pathways of its circuitry in an attempt to recover function. Associate Professor Cathy Stinear will ask our panel about their exciting research aimed at both encouraging spontaneous recovery and targeting rehabilitation to optimise the return of function.Chaired by Associate Professor Cathy Stinear, School of Medicine, University of Auckland.
Discussion panel: Dr Melanie Cheung, Professor Peter Thorne and Dr Clare McCann
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Brain Day 2016: Your Amazing Brain, Saturday 12 March 2016 from 9am-3pm, University of Auckland Tamaki Innovation Campus, Gate 1, 261 Morrin Road, St Johns, Auckland. *There will be plenty of free parking on the day

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