Dr Sana Hannan
Lecturer in NeuroscienceResearch Overview
My research is dedicated to advancing our understanding of neural dynamics in the human brain, in both health and disease. I am interested in how patterns of activity across brain networks support normal brain function, and how these dynamics are disrupted in neurological disorders – with a particular focus on the complex interactions between epilepsy, sleep, memory, dementia, and brain ageing.
I use both invasive and non-invasive neurophysiological methods, including high-density and intracranial EEG, alongside advanced analytical tools to study brain activity at millisecond-level resolution. My work is inherently interdisciplinary, sitting at the intersection of neurophysiology, cognitive neuroscience, and biomedical engineering.
Overall, my research aims to translate fundamental insights about brain function into clinically relevant applications, with important implications for addressing the growing burden of brain health disorders linked to global population ageing.
For more information and latest news, please visit my lab website:
Network Electrophysiology, Oscillations and Neurobiology (NEON) Lab
PhD Supervision Interests
I am happy to hear from prospective PhD and MSc by Research students interested in areas including: (a) sleep and memory processing, (b) sleep-epilepsy interactions, and (c) epilepsy and the ageing brain. For initial enquiries, please email me your CV along with a brief outline of your research interests.
-
Uncovering the spatiotemporal neural dynamics of sleep-dependent memory processing
01/08/2025 → 31/07/2027
Research
In2STEM
School Engagement
ERI Research Summit 2026
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
JSR Sleep Biomedicine (Journal)
Editorial activity
Mentor for BNA Scholars Programme
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Navigator Symposium on Late-Onset Epilepsy
Symposium
British Applied Mathematics Colloquium (BAMC) 2026
Invited talk
Edwin M Robertson
Hosting an academic visitor
Internal Examiner: MSc by Research Viva
Examination
Computational Neurology, Neuroscience & Psychiatry (CNNP) Lab, Newcastle University
Invited talk
External Examiner: PhD Viva
Examination
Vojtěch Trávníček
Hosting an academic visitor
Jacques and Gloria Gossweiler (JGGF) Foundation Grant Review
Review of Award Applications
Internal Examiner: MSc by Research Viva
Examination
Confidence through Comedy - The Comedy School
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
EU COST Action 'EEG101: Fundamentals of Open & Rigorous EEG Science' (CA24148) (External organisation)
Member of Advisory Panel
World Sleep Congress 2025
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
The Royal Society Science Comedy Performance
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
CLOVER Research Priority Setting Workshop II
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Oscillations in Multi-Modal EEG Research Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
The Epilepsy Research Institute Conference 2025: Reviewer
Other
ERI Mortality, Morbidity & Risk Workshop: Cardiovascular Risk and Epilepsy
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
CLOVER Research Priority Setting Workshop I
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
MARS Mathematics in the Life Sciences Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
ILAE YES Spotlight Series: Early Career Voices in Epilepsy
Other
CLOVER - Collaboration for Late-Onset and Vascular Epilepsy Research - PPI Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
ERI Networking for Networks Meeting
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Duke Comprehensive Epilepsy Centre (DCEC) Seminar Series
Invited talk
BLS - Biomedical and Life Sciences - Seminar Series
Invited talk
NeuRAL - Neuroscience Research at Lancaster - Seminar Series
Invited talk
Surrey Sleep Research Centre Seminar Series
Invited talk
16th Conference of the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association
Invited talk
'Using EEG to Unravel the Complex Links between Epilepsy and the Sleeping Brain'
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Vilnius University (Lithuania)
Visiting an external academic institution
PPI Workshop on Epilepsy and Alzheimer's Disease
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Bright Club Stand-Up Comedy Set
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
ERIUK Scientific Advisory Committee: ECR Observer (Grant Round 2024-25)
Other
Epilepsy Research Institute UK (ERIUK) Task Force: 'Morbidity, Mortality & Risk' (External organisation)
Member of Advisory Panel
ILAE British Branch Annual Scientific Meeting 2024
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
ILAE YES 'Bench to Bedside: Translational Research in Epilepsy' Meeting
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
15th European Epilepsy Congress
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
In2STEM Mentoring Group
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy
Visiting an external academic institution
Perturbations in Epilepsy Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Centre for Ageing Research (C4AR) Meeting
Invited talk
Oxford Masterclass in Epileptology: Epilepsy and Sleep
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Manchester Epilepsy Research Network (MERN) Meeting 2024
Invited talk
International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) British Branch (External organisation)
Membership of committee
MSCA NeuroInsight Programme Grant Review
Review of Award Applications
North West Epilepsy Group (NWEG) Meeting 2023
Invited talk
Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine (SMQB) Seminar Series, University of Birmingham
Invited talk
Psychology Seminar Series, Lancaster University
Invited talk
ILAE British Branch Annual Scientific Meeting 2023
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Heliyon (Journal)
Editorial activity
- Ageing and Neuroscience