MBCIU OPM-MEG Facility Launched at UoM

The Melbourne Brain Centre Imaging Unit (MBCIU) has officially launched its new Optically Pumped Magnetometer Magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) facility, marking a major milestone for brain imaging and neuroscience research.

The new facility is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and is equipped with an advanced array of optically pumped magnetometer sensors capable of capturing high‑resolution brain activity at room temperature. This cutting‑edge technology significantly expands the scope of neuroscience research by enabling more flexible and naturalistic experimental paradigms.

OPM-MEG is particularly well suited to studies involving movement, making it ideal for research with children, clinical populations, and investigations of real‑world cognitive tasks that are difficult to conduct using conventional neuroimaging approaches. View OPM-MEG equipment details.

The OPM-MEG system was procured through a successful ARC LIEF (Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities) grant, led by Professor Marta Garrido and Professor Leigh Johnston (Director of MBCIU). The grant was supported by The University of Melbourne together with partner institutions including Monash University, the University of Newcastle, Macquarie University, Western Sydney University, and the University of Queensland, with additional collaboration from Swinburne University of Technology.

The launch event, held at the Ian Potter Auditorium in the Kenneth Myer Building at the University of Melbourne, featured an overview of OPM-MEG technology and its research capabilities. This was followed by morning tea, where attendees engaged in discussions about future research directions and potential applications.

The MBCIU thanks and acknowledges support from the University of Melbourne and the National Imaging Facility.

For further information please contact the team at:  mbc-iu@unimelb.edu.au