DrRobert Dickinson
Associate Professor
Department of Surgery & Cancer - Faculty of Medicine
Orcid identifier0000-0002-1237-7599 (opens in a new tab)
- Associate ProfessorDepartment of Surgery & Cancer - Faculty of Medicine
- 020 7594 7633 (Work)
- Biophysics Group, Room 403, Sir Ernst Chain Building, South Kensington Campus, United Kingdom
BIO
Neurotrauma & Neuroprotection Laboratory
My lab is interested in understanding the molecular pathophysiology of brain injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke and in neuroprotection (preventing or limiting the spread of injury). Currently there are no effective neuroprotective drugs that target the injury development that occurs following TBI or stroke. We have been investigating the neuroprotective efficacy of anaesthetics and inert gases such as xenon and argon. The identification of the molecular targets of certain anaesthetics such as xenon has led to the idea of using them as treatments to prevent brain damage in conditions such as traumatic brain injury and hypoxic/ischemic injury such a neonatal asphyxia and post-cardiac arrest brain damage. In my lab we use a variety of approaches to study the molecular actions of anaesthetics and neuroprotectants; these include patch-clamp electrophysiology, site-directed mutagenesis and models of brain injury.
Enquiries from prospective PhD, BSc, MRes or Erasmus students are always welcome
Public Engagement
We participated in "Science Uncovered", an event for the general public at London's Natural History Museum in 2012 & 2013. Science Uncovered is the Natural History Museum’s biggest after hours event attended by 8,500 visitors and is part of an EU funded European Researcher's Day with events taking place simultaneuosly throughout Europe.
In April 2013 we participated in the Wonder Festival of Art & Science of the Brain at London's Barbican Centre where we showcased our neuroprotection work. The event was attended by over 5,000 visitors. In May 2013, May 2014 & May 2016 the research group took part in the Imperial Festival in an event attended by 15,000 members of the public and alumni.
We participated in event for Imperial College Alumni & Donors, November 2014. We participated in Imperial Fringe event to launch the Imperial College Annual Report on Animal Research, February 2015. Our lab has done an outreach activity day at Gillespie Primary School on physiology & the brain.
Dr Dickinson worked with the innovative Lab 13 Science Lab at Gillespie Primary on a project on Manuka Honey funded by British Pharmacological Society. The pupils presented at Cheltenham Science Festival in 2015 and the project was featured in The Times, The Mail Online, Science in School and The British Society for Immunology website.
AWARDS
Group member Rita Campos Pires won the prize for best oral presentation at the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre research event in 2015.
Scott Armstrong won the MRC Max Perutz Science Writing Award 2013 for his essay entitled "Saving the Brain from itself" which was published in the Times Higher Education.
Medical student Ashni Pau won the Evelyn de Rothschild Prize for Best BSc Project for her work on xenon neuroprotection. Ashni is seen here (second left) with other BSc Prize winners and Professor Alison McGregor (centre) Head of Year 4 Medicine.
Katie Harris won a special prize for Science Communication and second prize overall in the Graduate School Poster Competition.
Scott Armstrong won first prize in the student poster competition at The Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies launch event in October 2013. Co-author Rita Campos-Pires collected the award from Professor Sir Anthony J Newman Taylor CBE.
My lab is interested in understanding the molecular pathophysiology of brain injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke and in neuroprotection (preventing or limiting the spread of injury). Currently there are no effective neuroprotective drugs that target the injury development that occurs following TBI or stroke. We have been investigating the neuroprotective efficacy of anaesthetics and inert gases such as xenon and argon. The identification of the molecular targets of certain anaesthetics such as xenon has led to the idea of using them as treatments to prevent brain damage in conditions such as traumatic brain injury and hypoxic/ischemic injury such a neonatal asphyxia and post-cardiac arrest brain damage. In my lab we use a variety of approaches to study the molecular actions of anaesthetics and neuroprotectants; these include patch-clamp electrophysiology, site-directed mutagenesis and models of brain injury.
Enquiries from prospective PhD, BSc, MRes or Erasmus students are always welcome
Public Engagement
We participated in "Science Uncovered", an event for the general public at London's Natural History Museum in 2012 & 2013. Science Uncovered is the Natural History Museum’s biggest after hours event attended by 8,500 visitors and is part of an EU funded European Researcher's Day with events taking place simultaneuosly throughout Europe.
In April 2013 we participated in the Wonder Festival of Art & Science of the Brain at London's Barbican Centre where we showcased our neuroprotection work. The event was attended by over 5,000 visitors. In May 2013, May 2014 & May 2016 the research group took part in the Imperial Festival in an event attended by 15,000 members of the public and alumni.
We participated in event for Imperial College Alumni & Donors, November 2014. We participated in Imperial Fringe event to launch the Imperial College Annual Report on Animal Research, February 2015. Our lab has done an outreach activity day at Gillespie Primary School on physiology & the brain.
Dr Dickinson worked with the innovative Lab 13 Science Lab at Gillespie Primary on a project on Manuka Honey funded by British Pharmacological Society. The pupils presented at Cheltenham Science Festival in 2015 and the project was featured in The Times, The Mail Online, Science in School and The British Society for Immunology website.
AWARDS
Group member Rita Campos Pires won the prize for best oral presentation at the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre research event in 2015.
Scott Armstrong won the MRC Max Perutz Science Writing Award 2013 for his essay entitled "Saving the Brain from itself" which was published in the Times Higher Education.
Medical student Ashni Pau won the Evelyn de Rothschild Prize for Best BSc Project for her work on xenon neuroprotection. Ashni is seen here (second left) with other BSc Prize winners and Professor Alison McGregor (centre) Head of Year 4 Medicine.
Katie Harris won a special prize for Science Communication and second prize overall in the Graduate School Poster Competition.
Scott Armstrong won first prize in the student poster competition at The Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies launch event in October 2013. Co-author Rita Campos-Pires collected the award from Professor Sir Anthony J Newman Taylor CBE.
FACULTY
- Faculty of Medicine
POSITION NAME
- Associate Professor