Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) aims to develop a child-focused research programme that delivers a new understanding of development and disease and the interventions that will make a difference.
Our research in children extends from 'bench to bedside' and from molecules to minds. Our discoveries become the next advances in healthcare and educational policy for literacy, eating and neurodevelopmental disorders. We are putting children at the heart of research.
Our Vision
- Unlocking the potential of research to support health and development of children and young people.
- Answering the questions that matter to children and young people, their families and the services that support them.
- Developing the next generation of research leaders in children's health and development
Our Research
IHN members conduct studies which impact on the wellbeing of children, young people and society. Our researchers establish new models and understanding of childhood disease, disorder and developmental processes and use these to inform therapeutic and social interventions (e.g. anxiety management in autism, evidence-based nutrition guidance for children, pre-surgical imaging tools to improve prediction of neurosurgery outcomes).
IHN’s partnerships (internal and external) are integral to our success, adding valuable expertise, advice and resources. Our discoveries improve knowledge and offer opportunities to improve the care and wellbeing of those affected by neurological, neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions.
Contact Us
- Contact Details
For general enquiries please email ihn@aston.ac.uk
For clinical enquiries please email ihn_clinical@aston.ac.uk
- Meet the IHN Management Team
Professor Jackie Blissett (Co-Director)
Jacqueline is a Professor of Childhood Eating Behaviour, and Co-Director of the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment. She investigates the biopsychosocial predictors of food acceptance and rejection, the health correlates and consequences of children's eating behaviour, and develops interventions to maximise the likelihood of healthier eating outcomes in a variety of vulnerable groups.
Professor Gavin Woodhall (Co-Director)Gavin is Professor of Neuropharmacology and Co-Director of the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment. He develops new animal and human models of brain disease for drug discovery, with a focus on the maladaptive processes underlying altered network function in epilepsy and schizophrenia.
Professor Evangeline Wassmer (Clinical Director)Evangeline Wassmer is the Clinical Director of the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment and a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital, UK. Evangeline specialises in demyelinating disorders, in particular, peadiatric multiple sclerosis. She is the Chief Investigator of the the Paediatric UK Demyelinating Disease Longitudinal Study (PUDDLS); a prospective longitudinal observational study which aims to determine the natural history, predictors and outcomes of childhood CNS inflammatory demyelinating diseases.
Dr Karen Woodhall (Research Strategy and Operations Manager)