Monday, 25 September 2023
Leading scientists and industry leaders joined University of Nottingham 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 University of Nottingham 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 University of Nottingham 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 University of Nottingham 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 University of Nottingham 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’s 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 University of Nottingham 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 University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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