Acquired brain injury

Brain injury can be acquired in situations we all commonly find ourselves in – while commuting in traffic, while playing sports, or even while on a night out with friends.

Although the circumstances may be seemingly innocuous, the lasting effects can be devastating and debilitating.

Our research addresses those who have acquired brain injury in the full range of scenarios – from a developmental disorder in infancy, to spinal cord injuries or cranial trauma, to stroke.

Understanding how and why these incidents affect function in terms of behaviour, speaking, reading and writing are just some of the areas being explored.

Other aspects of research focus more specifically on changes at a molecular level, or how the brain is sculpted by the immune system, ensuring a full 360-degree consideration of the condition.

Acquired Brain Injury in Children

Our goal is to improve the lives of children with a brain injury. Brain imaging technologies help us to understand how a child’s behaviour and function relate to brain function and recovery after an injury.

Stroke and Adult Brain Injury

The mission of the O'Sullivan lab is to identify ways to improve recovery after brain injury, through an understanding of the neuroscience of resilience to injury and restoration of function.

Stroke and aphasia

The Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) is dedicated to optimising the lives of people living with aphasia through research, service, and partnerships. It is the first of its kind in Australia.

Cognitive and clinical neuropsychology

The Robinson Group is focused on both theoretical questions about brain-behaviour relationships like the crucial mechanisms for the executive control of language, and clinical questions regarding cognitive assessment and management of various pathologies.

Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre

Improving health outcomes for children with cerebral palsy and acquired brain injury.

Child and Youth Mental Health Research Group

Aims to improve outcomes for families with children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders.

Functional neuroimaging and brain injury

The Nasrallah Group aims to harness multimodality methods to identify and comprehend the fundamental mechanisms triggered following traumatic brain injury.

Neuroimmunology and cognition

The Vukovic Group Investigates how brain function is sculpted and influenced by the immune system.

Central nervous system injury and inflammation

The Ruitenberg Group works at the interface between the nervous and immune system, investigating the role of inflammation in complex neurological conditions such as spinal cord injury.

Associate Professor Andrew Wong

As the director of a large hospital acute stroke unit, he have a particular interest in research involving the first few hours and days after stroke onset, though he is also interested in all aspects of stroke management.

Explore our groups

Researcher spotlight