OMEGAS meeting held in Dundee
On the 9th and 10th of December 2025 we kicked off the OMEGAS symposium, a first-of-its-kind meeting for Scottish researchers interested in bringing optically pumped magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) to Scotland. This emerging quantum technology will replace the older, expensive, and hence not widely available, cryogenic magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure tiny changes in magnetic fields exerted during normal and pathological brain function.
We were fortunate to have six expert speakers from the UK and beyond to introduce us to their ground-breaking OPM-MEG research, heard from Scottish researchers with projects that can easily connect to, and benefit from, that technology, and got updates from OPM-MEG manufacturers CERCA, FieldLine and Mag4Health on their available technology solutions. We also learned from the Swedish NatMEG institution, which could function as a model for a Scottish national facility and heard from local facilitators, the Scottish Imaging Network SINAPSE, TayMedConnect, and the Quantum ARC to identify synergies and collaborative ways forward.
What became clear during the meeting was the versatility of OPM-MEG for research and clinical applications, evidenced by ongoing projects but also the promise of new use cases that are firmly on the horizon: Understanding the developing brain and paediatric diagnostics (Prof Caroline Witton, Aston University), pharmacological interventions and their effects on brain function (Prof Krish Singh, Cardiff University), imaging brain function during movement and brain-spine interactions (Dr Tim Tierney, University College London), effects of neurodegenerative disease on the brain (Prof Mark Woolrich, University of Oxford), localising epileptic foci (Prof Svenja Knappe, University of Colorado, Boulder), and understanding brain connectivity for language and other cognitive functions (Prof Olaf Hauk, University of Cambridge).
Dr William McGeown (University of Strathclyde, OMEGAS Steering Committee member) introducing one of our speakers, Dr Tim Tierney (University College London) on Day 1 of the meeting.
These advances were complemented by Scotland-based research that will contribute to magnetic sensing of the brain and body or strongly benefit from it: Developing next-generation quantum sensors (Dr Negin Arekhloo, Neuranics, Glasgow), tremor relief by means of focused-ultrasound thalamotomies in essential tremor patients (Dr Isla Barnard and Dr Tom Gilbertson, University of Dundee), understanding neural mechanisms of memory formation and retrieval (Prof Simon Hanslmayr), decoding visual processing of real-world scenes using rapidly flickering glasses (Dr James Dowsett, University of Stirling), imaging the effects of transcranial vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS, a method for treating a variety of conditions) on brain activity and connectivity (Dr Charlotte Keach, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia), and using single-shot functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) for decoding semantic content from visual scenes (Prof Daniele Faccio, University of Glasgow).
Our meeting has reinforced OMEGAS’ resolve to work towards, and ultimately install, OPM-MEG as a new technology in Scottish neuroscience research and pursue avenues for clinical applications and connect Scotland to the fast-growing community of researchers who already have access to this technology.
The OMEGAS team sends huge thanks to the Quantum ARC and Brain Health ARC (Scottish Founding Council) for funding OMEGAS and our symposium. Further thanks go to the University of Dundee for hosting the event.
Please get in touch if you are interested in joining the consortium or want to receive updates on our initiative.
Final meeting programme now available
Download here.
OMEGAS symposium in Dundee
Tuesday 9th – Wednesday 10th December, Dalhousie Building, Main campus
We are delighted to announce the first OMEGAS Symposium, taking place at the University of Dundee (9th-10th December). Be part of an insightful day of talks on MEG research, engaging conversations, and networking opportunities!
The event will feature ground-breaking findings from internationally renowned researchers who use this technique to study brain and other physiological processes and highlight the need for this technology in Scottish clinical and cognitive neuroscience.
On Tuesday 9th December, OPM-MEG experts will demonstrate the breadth of OPM possibilities and future perspectives for research into clinical, developmental, pharmacological and motor aspects of brain function.
The second day (Wednesday 10th December) will be a half-day programme, reserved for OMEGAS members and those who wish to join the initiative.
We welcome poster presentations and short talks for Early Career Researchers. The deadline for the abstract submissions is the 25th November 23:59 GMT.
Registration open until 2 Dec.