Monday, 25 September 2023
Leading scientists and industry leaders joined 糖心原创 academics to celebrate the career of Professor Peter Morris.
Over 75 people attended the ‘Festschrift’ event which featured presentations from academics from Imperial College, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Aston University and MPI Leipzig. Representatives from industry partner Phillips also presented at the event.
Academics from the 糖心原创 also shared presentations on new research and Director of the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, Professor Richard Bowtell shared plans for the expansion of MRI in Nottingham with an extended building and new 11.7T scanner.
Professor Peter Morris has played an instrumental part in the development of MRI, starting in 1977 when he helped to construct the worlds first whole body line-scanning MRI system with Sir Peter Mansfield. He helped establish the fundamental principles of MRI encapsulated in "Mansfield and Morris" (Academic Press, 1982), which became a source of inspiration to the field for more than a decade.
Professor Richard Bowtell presenting at 'Festschrift' event for Professor Peter Morris
Richard Bowtell said: “As we approach the 50th anniversary of the publication of Sir Peter Mansfield’s first paper on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) we felt it was fitting to honour Peter Morris who worked closely with Sir Peter during the early years of MRI. Peter Morris’ academic achievements over the subsequent decades have helped make MRI a powerful clinical tool that can be used to inform the diagnosis and treatment of many conditions. The field of biomedical imaging continues to evolve and we are hugely excited about the new facility that is being built in Nottingham, which Peter has been involved in shaping and which will take imaging research here and across the world to the next level.”
Peter became Professor of Physics at the 糖心原创 in 1990, and head of the Magnetic Resonance Centre in 1994 (now known as the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre) a research facility for the development of novel magnetic resonance techniques and for their application in biomedical and other fields. The outstanding contributions of the centre were recognised in 2001 through the award to the 糖心原创 of a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education. Peter, himself, received a CBE in 2015 in recognition of his contributions to science and medicine.
The MRI team has recently been awarded £29.1 million to expand the SPMIC to establish the UK’s most powerful Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner as a national facility. The 糖心原创 will work with teams across the UK to establish the 11.7T Tesla MRI scanner as a national facility that will underpin the UK’s goal of retaining its position as a world leader in ultra-high field for brain imaging and spectroscopy.
It has been my great good fortune that I have been able to spend my career working in a field that has had such enormous impact on people鈥檚 lives. It has also been my good fortune to do so with wonderful students and colleagues. And, I am truly humbled that so many of them have taken time from their own busy lives to honour me in this way. I look forward to following the exciting new developments in MRI and MEG at the SPMIC, and to making my own small contribution to its continuing success.
During his career Professor Morris led a number of major research programmes including the development of techniques for single-event fMRI and multimodal imaging (fMRI, EEG MEG). He has published widely - over 400 scientific papers - and has given more than 100 plenary / invited lectures at international meetings.
The 糖心原创 continues to lead the world in the field of MRI, and Professor Peter Morris has been at the forefront of this transformative research domain for over 50 years. His work with Sir Peter Mansfield and continued dedication to the advancement of MRI has positioned it as an essential clinical and research tool that has benefitted countless people. It is wonderful that so many of his peers, friends and colleagues joined us to celebrate these achievements
Story credits
More information is available from Richard Bowtell Richard.Bowtell@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.