Blog

In my previous blog post, I discussed how we can identify a modular structure within the brain using the Hierarchical Spectral Merger (HSM) algorithm. In this post, we present an application of the HSM method to genuine EEG data recorded during an epileptic seizure. EEG Data The data used throughout this post consists of EEG recordings at 21 channels. 19 channels are from electrodes placed on the scalp, and the remaining two (denoted SP1 and… Read More »Spectral Synchronicity in the Human Brain – Part 2

The human brain is arguably one of the most complex structures ever to exist, consisting of around 86 billion neurons on average. Electrical activity in the brain is often the result of highly coordinated responses from a large number of neurons, both locally, within each brain region, and globally, across different regions. In this blog post, we investigate brain activity using Electroencephalograms (EEGs), which capture the oscillations produced by the coordinated activity of neurons. An… Read More »Spectral Synchronicity in the Human Brain – Part 1

As part of the STOR-i MRes programme, I have been taking part in a series of masterclasses which have covered a wide range of modern topics in both statistics and operational research. The first masterclass of the year was given by Professor Marian Scott from Glasgow University, who presented a series of talks on Digital Earth, data and analytic challenges for earth systems. This masterclass focussed on some of the statistical and data analytic challenges… Read More »Are Hawaiian Honeycreepers at Risk of Extinction?

The vast majority of cancer centres worldwide use commercial systems based on single objective optimisation methods to formulate treatment plans for radiotherapy patients. In my last blog post, I discussed how data envelopment analysis could be used in conjunction with expert opinion from skilled radiologists to assess the quality of such plans, before they were approved for use. However, in an ideal world, the planning process would involve specialised computer systems based on multi-objective optimisation… Read More »Beam Angle Optimisation in Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

It is thought that around one in two people in the UK will get cancer at some point during their lifetime, and around two thirds of all those who get cancer are likely to undergo a course of radiotherapy as part of their treatment. Technological advances in recent years have enabled the customisation of treatment plans for individual patients based on their unique anatomy and cancer type. However, one particular challenge that remains in the… Read More »Evaluating the Quality of Radiotherapy Treatment Plans

I recently spent the weekend back in Edinburgh (my home town). Whilst I was there, I went to see the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) in concert at the Usher Hall. The night was in honour of John Williams who  has composed some of the most popular, recognizable, and critically acclaimed film scores in cinematic history. I can’t quite describe the feeling of hearing live music on this scale after a long 2 years. With scores like Star… Read More »Great Music and the Fibonacci Sequence

It may or may not come as a surprise to you that the majority of banknotes in the UK have traces of cocaine on them. Contamination on this scale makes it difficult to determine whether cash can be associated with drug dealing or not. In particular, discriminating between traces of cocaine found on banknotes used in general circulation compared with those used in illegal drug activity is a key area of interest. The purpose of… Read More »Drug Money