Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Inst. and Dept. of Expt.Psychology, University of Cambridge
Downing St
CB2 3EB,
Cambridge
UK
 www.cam.ac.uk

Participant's Leads

Prof. Trevor Robbins Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Inst. and Dept. of Expt.Psychology, Head of Department  Contact

Group Lead

Dr. Sabine Bahn Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Research, Institute of Biotechnology; Practising Clinical Psychiatris  Contact

Institute Presentation

UCAM will be the academic leader of WP02, will contribute substantially to WP3 and WP8. The laboratory of Professor Robbins will contribute to WP2 by devising and validation behavioural test batteries for rats and mice for assaying effects of drugs on cognition. Together with Drs TJ Bussey and L Saksida, this UCAM team will utilise touch-screen technology where appropriate and validate tests where necessary in neural terms before testing candidate cognitive enhancers. This team will recommend a test battery suitable for testing rats and mice, and also participate in the subsequent modelling of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia in collaboration with industrial partners.

The Robbins/Bussey/Saksida labs are part of the Dept. of Expt. Psychology and the Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (funded by the MRC and Wellcome Trust). It has purpose built animal house facilities capable of housing 1000 rodents and with 20 test rooms containing about 120 operant or touch screen test chambers. The Robbins and Bussey/Saksida labs are currently funded by grants approximating 2 million euros from charitable organizations, including the Wellcome Trust, and industry.

The Bahn lab is part of The Institute of Biotechnology department within the Institute of Biotechnology of the University of Cambridge and is the only part of the University dedicated solely to biotechnology. The Bahn lab has been funded through the Stanley Foundation (>10 years) and has pioneered the application of profiling techniques in psychiatric diseases. There are more than 25 scientists currently in the laboratory applying molecular profiling techniques to furthering our understanding of psychiatric disorders.