OPMEG Workshop Event Recap
On Tuesday July 1st, the Cognitive Neuroscience Hub hosted its OPMEG Workshop, a half-day event focused on sharing good practices in data acquisition and analysis using Optically Pumped Magnetoencephalography (OPMEG). Held at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus, the workshop attracted a full house of researchers, students, and clinicians from across the country, as well as international attendees joining via Zoom.
The event marked a major moment for the research community: the launch of the first whole-head OPMEG lab in the Southern Hemisphere. This facility, the result of over two years of planning and $2 million in funding and co-investment, is now operational at the University of Melbourne. It was built to support high-resolution, movement-tolerant neuroimaging and enable a wide range of experimental and clinical applications that traditional MEG systems often struggle to accommodate.
The afternoon opened with a welcome and keynote presentation by Professor Marta Garrido, who shared the long journey from early conversations in London in 2015 to the installation of a custom-built Magnetic Shielded Room in July 2024 and sensor integration in August. Marta reflected on the collaborative effort behind the project, which included a 133-page grant application, support from 13 chief investigators across seven institutions, and contributions from engineering, infrastructure, IT, and commercial teams to bring the lab to life.
Following this, Dr Sophie Lin led a live demonstration showcasing good practices for working with OPMEG data, covering everything from sensor calibration and participant setup to real-time recording. This session was followed by hands-on practical demonstrations, which were fully booked and gave attendees the chance to see the technology in action.
Later in the afternoon, we were joined by two expert international speakers. Holly Schofield (University of Nottingham) presented on the development of next-generation OPMEG hardware, drawing on her dual role as a researcher and product developer at Cerca Magnetics Ltd. Her talk focused on recent advances in building high-density neuroimaging arrays using quantum-enabled magnetic field sensors. Dr Tim Tierney (University College London) then spoke about the software tools and pipelines needed to get the most out of OPMEG data, with an emphasis on analysis strategies tailored to this new and evolving modality.
The day concluded with a reception of drinks and canapés, where attendees continued their discussions in a more informal setting. It was a great opportunity for researchers across disciplines to connect, share ideas, and imagine the possibilities now open with wearable MEG in Melbourne.
We’d like to thank all of our speakers, organisers, and attendees for making the event such a success. With the new OPMEG system now available for collaborative projects, we look forward to seeing a wave of new research unfold in the months ahead.