An Australian first: next-generation neuroimaging scanner launched at University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne officially launched a cutting-edge instrument to capture high temporal resolution brain activity in a new facility that is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

The new optically pumped magnetometer magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) facility, hosted by the Melbourne Brain Centre Imaging Unit (MBCIU) at the University of Melbourne marks a “major milestone for brain imaging and neuroscience research”.

OPM-MEG instruments are non-invasive technology that can accommodate movement during scanning, opening research possibilities further for studying children, psychiatric and neurological disorders, or real-world activities that are unsuited to traditional scanning methods such as movement, speech or sensory tasks. Further to this, they can be applied to the development of innovative new brain–computer interfaces.

“With the OPM-MEG at MBCIU, researchers have access to an unparalleled suite of imaging technology for structural and functional brain research – and all within a single, world-class facility,” says Prof Leigh Johnston (Director, MBCIU).

The facility, accessible by researchers across Australia, was funded through an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grant. Its procurement and installation in 2024 was led by Prof Marta Garrido.

The instrument can continuously record brain activity at millisecond-level time resolution using lightweight sensors close to the scalp, “increasing signal strength and spatial resolution in ambient conditions,” explains Prof Garrido.

The grant was supported by the University of Melbourne together with partner institutions including Monash University, the University of Newcastle, Macquarie University, Western Sydney University, The University of Queensland and Swinburne University of Technology.

This launch was first publicised via MBCIU News.