Funding for Project Investigating why People Stutter

The Academy of Medical Sciences has awarded funding from a £6.7 million pot to an up-and-coming researcher from Bangor University who is investigating why people stutter.

Dr Charlie Wiltshire’s pioneering neuroscience research, which combines advanced brain imaging with detailed behavioural analysis, aims to better understand the causes of stuttering and inform future treatment options.

Though developmental stuttering affects millions worldwide, its biological basis remains poorly understood, while current therapies for stuttering are limited.

The funding comprises £125,000 over two years including the appointment of a postdoctoral researcher and £21,000 to support brain scanning at the Bangor Imaging Unit.

Delivered through the Academy of Medical Sciences’ flagship Springboard programme, the grant recognises both the scientific importance and the translational potential of Dr Wiltshire’s work.

Now in its eleventh year, Springboard supports researchers at a critical point in their careers, when many are establishing laboratories for the first time and need the freedom to explore ambitious questions.

"Around 8% of people will stutter at some point in their lives, and for many, understanding its causes and finding effective treatments remains a top priority,” said Dr Wiltshire, Lecturer in Psychology at Bangor University’s Department of Psychology.

“This award will support our research using advanced magnetic resonance brain imaging and measures of brain chemistry to understand how speech production is controlled and how these processes differ in people who stutter. I’m incredibly grateful to the Academy of Medical Sciences for their support, which is helping me grow my lab and work in partnership with people who stutter to deepen our understanding of the neuroscience of stuttering.”

Pictured: Dr Charlie Wiltshire Lecturer in Psychology at Bangor University’s Department of Psychology