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Dr Alexander Shaw

Dr Alexander Shaw

Lecturer

 Washington Singer 

 

Washington Singer Laboratories, University of Exeter, Perry Road, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK

 Office hours:

Monday from 10:30 at Washington Singer Laboratories, Rm 112.

Wednesday from 10:30 online or at Psychopharmacology labs, St Lukes Campus.

Overview

I'm an academic in the Department of Psychology at Exeter. My background training and research spans neurobiology, computational, imaging and theoretical neurosciences, psychiatry and psychedelics.

Fundamentally, my research aims to unpick the pathophysiology of psychiatric disease using multimodal imaging (M/EEG, MRI, PET), pharmaco-imaging, psychedelic and anaesthetic drugs, machine learning, and computational modelling.

Practially, this means (1) running "pharmaco-M/EEG" studies examining the effects of drug - mostly psychedelics and anaesthetics - on neuronal function in people living with psychiatric disease. It also means (2) working on the mathematical problem of developing sufficiently detailed, neurophysiologically-inspired generative models of the brain - and optimisation routines that estimate the (synaptic) parameters of such models in light of the empirical data we measure. 

I truely believe that this multi-scale and multi-modal approach is the key to developing new and effective treatments for psychiatry.

Besides research, I am also co-director of Business Enagagement and Innovation, MRI liaison and a personal tutor. I also host UG and PGT / PGR in my group.

Alongside Wellcome and MRC funding, I hold some industry collaborations across biotech, medtech and drinks industries.

 

We currently have several job opportunities in the group! See below.

1) We are currently advertising for a postdoc (Research Associate) in computational neuroscience (2023):
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DBR856/postdoctoral-research-associate

There are currently TWO fully funded PhD studentship available in the group (2023):

2) As part of the MRC programme grant, CONVERGE in collaboration with Cardiff, Bristol and UCL:

https://gw4biomed.ac.uk/developing-computational-models-of-psychosis-to-explore-the-impact-of-schizophrenia-associated-cnvs-on-cortical-microcircuitry/

3) And one in collaboration with Caroyln McNabb in Cardiff, using advanced neuroimaging, MEG and modelling to look at the pathophysiology of Schizophrenia (2023):

https://gw4biomed.ac.uk/a-multimodal-investigation-of-brain-structure-and-function-in-schizophrenia/

 

We will soon be recuiting further PhD and postdoctoral team mates!

 

Links

Research group links

Research

Research interests

My research aims to unpick the pathophysiology of psychiatric disease using multimodal imaging (M/EEG, MRI, PET), pharmaco-imaging, psychedelic and anaesthetic drugs, machine learning, and computational modelling.

Practially, this means (1) running "pharmaco-M/EEG" studies examining the effects of drug - mostly psychedelics - on neuronal function in people living through psychiatric disease. It also means (2) working on the mathematical problem of developing sufficiently detailed, neurophysiologically-inspired models of the brain - and optimisation routines that estimate the (synaptic) parameters of such models in light of the empirical data we measure.

 

Research projects

I work on a number of projects across computational psychiatry, including clinical neuroimaging (M/EEG, MRI, PET), neuropharmacology and computational neurroscience.

Example projects we're currently working on:

  • Modelling thalamo-cortical dynamics under psychedelics (Joy Krecke).
  • EEG study examining changes in synaptic plasticity and oscillations in gambling addicts before and after ketamine administration (with Prof Celia Morgan and PARC).
    https://psychology.exeter.ac.uk/bamstudy/
  • Modelling fronto-pareital networks as targets of ketamine therapy in acute depression (with Drs Rachael Sumner, Suresh Muthukumaraswamy in Auckland).
  • Parameter estimation and identifiability in neural masses (with Dr Marc Goodfellow)
  • Reconciling neuronal circuits, symptomology and the free energy principcal in psychosis.
  • CONVERGE: Developing computational models of psychosis to explore the impact of schizophrenia-associated CNVs on cortical microcircuitry [MRC] (with Profs Jeremy Hall, Krish Singh, Marianne van den Bree, Cardiff & Prof Matt Jones, Bristol & Prof Karl Friston, UCL).
  • The Sleep Detectives: Sleep stratification in young people at high risk of psychosis [Wellcome] (with Prof Matt Jones, Bristol et al).
  • Using EEG and neuronal modelling to in-silico assay GABAergic receptor dynamics under alcohol and an alcohol-like botanical GABA drink.

Research networks

I work with a number of collaborators in Exeter, across the UK and the world.

UK:

  • Prof Celia Morgan, Exeter Psychology
  • Dr Marc Goodfellow, Exeter Maths
  • Prof Krish Singh, CUBRIC Cardiff
  • Prof Matt Jones, Bristol Neuroscience
  • Prof Jeremy Hall, Cardiff Medicine
  • Prof Rosalyn Moran, KCL
  • Prof David Nutt, Imperial
  • Dr Meg Spriggs, Imperial
  • Prof James Rowe, Cambridge
  • Prof Karl Friston, UCL

International:

  • Dr Rachael Sumner, Auckland
  • A Prof Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Auckland

Research grants

  • 2022 Wellcome Trust
    Improving Cognitive and Functional Outcomes in People Experiencing, or at Risk of Psychosis. £1M.
  • 2022 GABALabs
    Industry match funding from GABALabs
  • 2021 MRC
    Convergent endophenotypes derived from psychiatric genetics. £3.5M.
  • 0 BBSRC
    Our vision is to form a new partnership across mathematics and psychology to significantly advance the mathematical and computational tools that are available to understand the brain dynamics of cognition. £200k.

Links


Publications

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Key publications


Adams NE, Hughes LE, Rouse MA, Phillips HN, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Street D, et al (2021). GABAergic cortical network physiology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Brain, 144(7), 2135-2145. Abstract.
Sumner RL, Spriggs MJ, Shaw AD (2021). Modelling thalamocortical circuitry shows that visually induced LTP changes laminar connectivity in human visual cortex. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(1), e1008414-e1008414. Abstract.
Adams NE, Hughes LE, Phillips HN, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Nesbitt D, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Rowe JB, et al (2020). GABA-ergic Dynamics in Human Frontotemporal Networks Confirmed by Pharmaco-Magnetoencephalography. The Journal of Neuroscience, 40(8), 1640-1649. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Saxena N, Sumner RL, Adams NE, Moran RJ, Singh KD (2020). Generative modelling of the thalamo-cortical circuit mechanisms underlying the neurophysiological effects of ketamine. NeuroImage, 221, 117189-117189.
Shaw AD, Hughes LE, Moran R, Coyle-Gilchrist I, Rittman T, Rowe JB (2019). In Vivo Assay of Cortical Microcircuitry in Frontotemporal Dementia: a Platform for Experimental Medicine Studies. Cerebral Cortex, 31(3), 1837-1847. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Knight L, Freeman TCA, Williams GM, Moran RJ, Friston KJ, Walters JTR, Singh KD (2019). Oscillatory, Computational, and Behavioral Evidence for Impaired GABAergic Inhibition in Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin

Publications by category


Journal articles

Saxena N, Shaw AD, Richmond L, Babic A, Singh KD, Hall JE, Wise RG, Muthukumaraswamy SD (In Press). A comparison of GABA-ergic (propofol) and non-GABA-ergic (dexmedetomidine) sedation on visual and motor cortical oscillations, using magnetoencephalography.  Abstract.
Shaw AD, Chandler HL, Hamandi K, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Hammers A, Singh KD (In Press). GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor mapping in human using non-invasive electrophysiology.  Abstract.
Shaw AD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Saxena N, Sumner RL, Adams N, Moran RJ, Singh KD (In Press). Generative modelling of the thalamo-cortical circuit mechanisms underlying the neurophysiological effects of ketamine.  Abstract.
Sumner RL, Spriggs MJ, Shaw AD (In Press). Modelling thalamocortical circuitry shows visually induced LTP changes laminar connectivity in human visual cortex.  Abstract.
Stone E, Alshakhouri M, Shaw A, Muthukumaraswamy S, Sumner RL (2023). Changes in Visual Long-Term Potentiation Show Preserved Cyclicity in Human Females Taking Combined Oral Contraceptives. Neuroendocrinology, 113(8), 859-874. Abstract.
Adams NE, Hughes LE, Rouse MA, Phillips HN, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Street D, et al (2021). GABAergic cortical network physiology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Brain, 144(7), 2135-2145. Abstract.
Sumner RL, Spriggs MJ, Shaw AD (2021). Modelling thalamocortical circuitry shows that visually induced LTP changes laminar connectivity in human visual cortex. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(1), e1008414-e1008414. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Chandler HL, Hamandi K, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Hammers A, Singh KD (2021). Tiagabine induced modulation of oscillatory connectivity and activity match PET-derived, canonical GABA-A receptor distributions. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 50, 34-45.
Adams NE, Hughes LE, Phillips HN, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Nesbitt D, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Rowe JB, et al (2020). GABA-ergic Dynamics in Human Frontotemporal Networks Confirmed by Pharmaco-Magnetoencephalography. The Journal of Neuroscience, 40(8), 1640-1649. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Saxena N, Sumner RL, Adams NE, Moran RJ, Singh KD (2020). Generative modelling of the thalamo-cortical circuit mechanisms underlying the neurophysiological effects of ketamine. NeuroImage, 221, 117189-117189.
Routley B, Shaw A, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Singh KD, Hamandi K (2020). Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy shows increased posterior theta, and reduced sensorimotor beta resting connectivity. Epilepsy Research, 163, 106324-106324.
Shaw AD, Hughes LE, Moran R, Coyle-Gilchrist I, Rittman T, Rowe JB (2019). In Vivo Assay of Cortical Microcircuitry in Frontotemporal Dementia: a Platform for Experimental Medicine Studies. Cerebral Cortex, 31(3), 1837-1847. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Knight L, Freeman TCA, Williams GM, Moran RJ, Friston KJ, Walters JTR, Singh KD (2019). Oscillatory, Computational, and Behavioral Evidence for Impaired GABAergic Inhibition in Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin
Sumner RL, McMillan RL, Shaw AD, Singh KD, Sundram F, Muthukumaraswamy SD (2018). Peak visual gamma frequency is modified across the healthy menstrual cycle. Human Brain Mapping, 39(8), 3187-3202. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Moran RJ, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Brealy J, Linden DE, Friston KJ, Singh KD (2017). Neurophysiologically-informed markers of individual variability and pharmacological manipulation of human cortical gamma. NeuroImage, 161, 19-31.
Muthukumaraswamy SD, Shaw AD, Jackson LE, Hall J, Moran R, Saxena N (2015). Evidence that subanesthetic doses of ketamine cause sustained disruptions of NMDA and AMPA-mediated frontoparietal connectivity in humans. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(33), 11694-11706. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Saxena N, E. Jackson L, Hall JE, Singh KD, Muthukumaraswamy SD (2015). Ketamine amplifies induced gamma frequency oscillations in the human cerebral cortex. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 25(8), 1136-1146.
Robson SE, Muthukumarawswamy SD, John Evans C, Shaw A, Brealy J, Davis B, McNamara G, Perry G, Singh KD (2015). Structural and neurochemical correlates of individual differences in gamma frequency oscillations in human visual cortex. Journal of Anatomy, 227(4), 409-417.
Brealy JA, Shaw A, Richardson H, Singh KD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Keedwell PA (2014). Increased visual gamma power in schizoaffective bipolar disorder. Psychological Medicine, 45(4), 783-794. Abstract.
Shaw A, Brealy J, Richardson H, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Edden RA, John Evans C, Puts NAJ, Singh KD, Keedwell PA (2013). Marked Reductions in Visual Evoked Responses But Not γ-Aminobutyric Acid Concentrations or γ-Band Measures in Remitted Depression. Biological Psychiatry, 73(7), 691-698.

Publications by year


In Press

Saxena N, Shaw AD, Richmond L, Babic A, Singh KD, Hall JE, Wise RG, Muthukumaraswamy SD (In Press). A comparison of GABA-ergic (propofol) and non-GABA-ergic (dexmedetomidine) sedation on visual and motor cortical oscillations, using magnetoencephalography.  Abstract.
Shaw AD, Chandler HL, Hamandi K, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Hammers A, Singh KD (In Press). GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor mapping in human using non-invasive electrophysiology.  Abstract.
Shaw AD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Saxena N, Sumner RL, Adams N, Moran RJ, Singh KD (In Press). Generative modelling of the thalamo-cortical circuit mechanisms underlying the neurophysiological effects of ketamine.  Abstract.
Sumner RL, Spriggs MJ, Shaw AD (In Press). Modelling thalamocortical circuitry shows visually induced LTP changes laminar connectivity in human visual cortex.  Abstract.
Adams NE, Jafarian A, Perry A, Rouse MA, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Street D, et al (In Press). Neurophysiological consequences of synapse loss in progressive supranuclear palsy.  Abstract.

2023

Stone E, Alshakhouri M, Shaw A, Muthukumaraswamy S, Sumner RL (2023). Changes in Visual Long-Term Potentiation Show Preserved Cyclicity in Human Females Taking Combined Oral Contraceptives. Neuroendocrinology, 113(8), 859-874. Abstract.

2021

Adams NE, Hughes LE, Rouse MA, Phillips HN, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Street D, et al (2021). GABAergic cortical network physiology in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Brain, 144(7), 2135-2145. Abstract.
Sumner RL, Spriggs MJ, Shaw AD (2021). Modelling thalamocortical circuitry shows that visually induced LTP changes laminar connectivity in human visual cortex. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(1), e1008414-e1008414. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Chandler HL, Hamandi K, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Hammers A, Singh KD (2021). Tiagabine induced modulation of oscillatory connectivity and activity match PET-derived, canonical GABA-A receptor distributions. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 50, 34-45.

2020

Adams NE, Hughes LE, Phillips HN, Shaw AD, Murley AG, Nesbitt D, Cope TE, Bevan-Jones WR, Passamonti L, Rowe JB, et al (2020). GABA-ergic Dynamics in Human Frontotemporal Networks Confirmed by Pharmaco-Magnetoencephalography. The Journal of Neuroscience, 40(8), 1640-1649. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Saxena N, Sumner RL, Adams NE, Moran RJ, Singh KD (2020). Generative modelling of the thalamo-cortical circuit mechanisms underlying the neurophysiological effects of ketamine. NeuroImage, 221, 117189-117189.
Routley B, Shaw A, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Singh KD, Hamandi K (2020). Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy shows increased posterior theta, and reduced sensorimotor beta resting connectivity. Epilepsy Research, 163, 106324-106324.

2019

Shaw AD, Hughes LE, Moran R, Coyle-Gilchrist I, Rittman T, Rowe JB (2019). In Vivo Assay of Cortical Microcircuitry in Frontotemporal Dementia: a Platform for Experimental Medicine Studies. Cerebral Cortex, 31(3), 1837-1847. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Knight L, Freeman TCA, Williams GM, Moran RJ, Friston KJ, Walters JTR, Singh KD (2019). Oscillatory, Computational, and Behavioral Evidence for Impaired GABAergic Inhibition in Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin

2018

Sumner RL, McMillan RL, Shaw AD, Singh KD, Sundram F, Muthukumaraswamy SD (2018). Peak visual gamma frequency is modified across the healthy menstrual cycle. Human Brain Mapping, 39(8), 3187-3202. Abstract.

2017

Shaw AD, Moran RJ, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Brealy J, Linden DE, Friston KJ, Singh KD (2017). Neurophysiologically-informed markers of individual variability and pharmacological manipulation of human cortical gamma. NeuroImage, 161, 19-31.

2015

Muthukumaraswamy SD, Shaw AD, Jackson LE, Hall J, Moran R, Saxena N (2015). Evidence that subanesthetic doses of ketamine cause sustained disruptions of NMDA and AMPA-mediated frontoparietal connectivity in humans. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(33), 11694-11706. Abstract.
Shaw AD, Saxena N, E. Jackson L, Hall JE, Singh KD, Muthukumaraswamy SD (2015). Ketamine amplifies induced gamma frequency oscillations in the human cerebral cortex. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 25(8), 1136-1146.
Robson SE, Muthukumarawswamy SD, John Evans C, Shaw A, Brealy J, Davis B, McNamara G, Perry G, Singh KD (2015). Structural and neurochemical correlates of individual differences in gamma frequency oscillations in human visual cortex. Journal of Anatomy, 227(4), 409-417.

2014

Brealy JA, Shaw A, Richardson H, Singh KD, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Keedwell PA (2014). Increased visual gamma power in schizoaffective bipolar disorder. Psychological Medicine, 45(4), 783-794. Abstract.

2013

Shaw A, Brealy J, Richardson H, Muthukumaraswamy SD, Edden RA, John Evans C, Puts NAJ, Singh KD, Keedwell PA (2013). Marked Reductions in Visual Evoked Responses But Not γ-Aminobutyric Acid Concentrations or γ-Band Measures in Remitted Depression. Biological Psychiatry, 73(7), 691-698.

Alex_Shaw Details from cache as at 2023-10-02 09:33:11

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Teaching

  • I currently co-teach on the second year module PSY2209 Cognition Practical 1, where I supervise projects in the area of inhibition.
  • I teach and convene the third year module PSY3451 Clinical Neuroscience: Brains, Drugs and Psychiatry.

 

Modules

2023/24


Supervision / Group

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