van Swinderen

The unsolved science of general anaesthesia

Professor Bruno van Swinderen began studying general anaesthesia using the tiny worm C.elegans in the 1990s. Now in his lab at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Bruno and Dr Drew Cylinder are studying general anaesthesia reversal agents, which could shorten patients’ recovery time.

Young brain power on display: Highlights from the 2025 Brain Bee Challenge

In late July 2025, Queensland Brain Bee Challenge competitors filled UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) with their energy, curiosity, and know-how.

QBI research secures $2.7 million ARC funding

Published on: 3 November 2023

Researchers from the Queensland Brain Institute have secured more than $2.7 million in Australian Research Council (ARC), 2024 Discovery Projects Scheme.

Fulbright scholar to discover more about anaesthesia

Published on: 24 March 2022

A Queensland Brain Institute researcher will be heading to the US after their work into how anaesthesia disrupts brain function was awarded a Fulbright scholarship.

Webinar: Brain Health For Mental Health

We all know diet, sleep and exercise are important for our health. But just how important are they for our mental health?

anaesthetist holding oxygen mask above patient in surgery room

Corals and fruit flies aid understanding of anaesthesia

Published on: 3 June 2021

Using light-emitting corals, fruit flies and powerful microscopy, QBI researchers are researching the effects of anaesthesia on the brain.

Fruit flies could open new avenues to better understanding attention and sleep.

Fruit fly offers new insights into attention and sleep

Published on: 27 November 2020

The ability to study sleep and attention in fruit flies could lead to a greater understanding of these potentially related phenomena in humans.

Flies sleep like babies

Evolution has guided us to spend hours every night in our most vulnerable state – unconscious and unaware. It’s an easy question to ask: what’s the point?

A new discovery made by University of Queensland researchers has led to deeper understanding of the differences in how easily individuals fall asleep.

Trouble falling asleep? Your sleep switch may be to blame

Published on: 4 September 2018

According to new research from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, a particular area in the brain has neurons that act like a sleep switch.

While you were sleeping: the dreaming and waking brain

Is daydreaming the same as night dreaming? Why do we sleep, and what can sleep tell us about our conscious minds? What would happen if we never slept? Associate Professor Bruno van Swinderen answers.