Dr Michael Spence will serve for a second term as UCL’s President & Provost. The University’s Council unanimously approved an extension of the tenure of the University’s Provost & President to August 2031. 👉 Find out more here:

UCL ranks 1st in the UK, 3rd in Europe & 5th globally in the 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings. With a score of 98.6/100, this recognition highlights UCL’s leadership in tackling global environmental, social & governance challenges. 👉 Find out more here:

Short-term cognitive boost from exercise may last for 24 hours: The short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day, suggests a new study led by UCL PALS researchers. 👉 Read more in the Guardian here:

The world's first International Centre for NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign was launched in partnership with RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden. Prof Hugo Spiers from UCL PALS is a Founder and Director of the new Centre. 👉 Find out more here:

A study by Dr Ken Luo from UCL PALS finds that large language models can predict the results of proposed neuroscience studies more accurately than human experts. 👉 Find out more here:

People with dementia are more likely to have suicidal thoughts but are not necessarily more likely to attempt or die by suicide than the general population, finds a new study led by Dr Roopal Desai from UCL PALS. 👉 Find out more here:

AI can predict survey results better than human experts: Large language models, a type of AI that analyses text, can predict the results of neuroscience studies more accurately than human experts, finds a new study by UCL PALS researchers. 👉 More here:

Infants whose mothers regularly use language to describe what their child is thinking or feeling, have higher levels of the hormone oxytocin, finds a new study led by UCL PALS researchers. 👉 Find out more here:

Switch off this Christmas: Pledge to switch off by 20 December and help reduce UCL’s energy use – and be in with a chance to win our Christmas Giveaway Bundle. The hall or department with the most pledges also wins £50! 👉 Find out more here:

Merry #PALSXMAS24! 🎄🎥 For a Festive Christmas Chuckle, watch Ebenezer Draper as Scrooge in this year's PALS Christmas video. Ghostly visits from PALS Professors turn him into a festive, sparkly spirit!

If you're on the hunt for special gifts this festive season, our thriving entrepreneurial community, have got you covered. From calming algae plants to AI protection badges – discover the presents you won’t find in the shops! 👉 Find out more here:

Congrats to the many UCL PALS academics who have been featured in Clarivate’s annual ‘Highly Cited Researchers List’ 2024, recognising authors of the most influential research papers around the world. 👉 Find out more here:

Winter break 2024–25: UCL’s winter break takes place from 5:30pm on Fri 20 Dec 2024 until 8am on Thurs 2 Jan 2025. Please read our guidance on closing workspaces and notifying Security about any out-of-hours access requirements. 👉 Find out more here:

Congratulations to Dr Miriam Fornells-Ambrojo from UCL PALS who has been awarded a NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Grant of £250k to study "Narrative Exposure Therapy in Early Intervention in Psychosis".

One of the UK’s largest philanthropic foundations has extended its support for the Neurogenetic Therapies Programme at UCL until 2029, enabling researchers to further advance treatments for neurodegenerative and dementia-causing diseases.  👉More here:

🏆 Congrats to UCL PALS students Al-Haitham Miah & Saki Stait for making the shortlist in the UCL Transition Mentor Programme Awards! Join us in celebrating their achievements at the Awards Evening on 12 Dec @ Bidborough House. 🎟️More info & tickets here:

Find out about work to simplify services by bringing alignment, consistency and coherence for a better working environment, including what has been progressed so far and priorities for the year ahead. 👉 Find out more here:

Writing in The Conversation, Dr Eva Sprecher from UCL PALS reflects on the play 'Flock' that she saw at the Soho Theatre in London, a story of children and young people living in care. 👉 Read here:

The UCL PALS Green Impact Team recently went on a day trip to RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, a stunning 240-acre garden renowned for its rich history & diverse plant collections. 👉 Find out more here: #GreenUCLPALS

Celebrate 2024 with festive events on campus! Come join us at this year's Winter Festival, and enjoy some festive performances, music and seasonal food and drink on our Bloomsbury campus in December. 👉 Find out more here: