Exquisitely designed for function, our hands enable a vast array and complexity of actions, bringing to life our experience of touch, temperature, and pain, and allowing us to literally reshape and redefine our world. When brain or bodily injury impairs our ability to use our hands, their pivotal role in upholding our independence and quality of life is made painfully clear. My group is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the neuroscience of human hand function for the purpose of harnessing this knowledge to improve patient rehabilitation.

Lab Web: https://sites.google.com/site/kfvalyear/

355 Brigantia Building
Office: 01248 382623
E-mail: k.valyear@bangor.ac.uk
Web: https://sites.google.com/site/kfvalyear/
  • PhD: Neuroscience
    Western University, Ontario, 2011
  • BSc: Physiology and Psychology
    Western University, Ontario, 2002

I teach rehabilitation neuroscience, brain stimulation, clinical and applied neuroscience, and methods in cognitive neuroscience. I supervise BSc, MSc and PhD student dissertations.

My lab is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the neuroscience of human hand function for the purpose of harnessing this knowledge to improve patient rehabilitation.

We use a wide array of methods, including functional MRI and brain stimulation.  

Our current research targets two major clinical problems: (1) peripheral nerve injury, and (2) stroke.

Current project topics include: (1) Peripheral nerve injury; (2) Upper-limb prosthesis control; (3) Action planning and selection. Primary lab methods include: fMRI; TMS; motion capture; clinical assessments of hand function. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact me: k.valyear@bangor.ac.uk

2025

2023

2022

2020

2019

2018

  • PublishedRepresenting Visual Information in Motor Terms for Grasp Control
    Valyear, K., Sept 2018, Reach-to-grasp behavior: Brain, Behavior and Modelling Across the Life Span. Corbetta, D. & Santello, M. (eds.). Routledge Taylor & Francis
    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

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2007

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2005

2003

  • Mapping the consequences of peripheral nerve transection and repair on brain organisation and hand function

    01/12/2019 – 30/07/2024 (Finished)

    Layman's description

    When a nerve of the hand is cut, the signalling between the hand and brain is disrupted, and as a consequence, the brain changes. These injuries are extremely common, with significant and longstanding personal and societal costs. Better understanding the links between brain changes and functional recovery holds promise for improving patient outcomes, and reducing these costs. This is the purpose of the proposed research. We will investigate the clinical significance of nerve-trauma-related brain changes in patients who have undergone surgical repairs of the nerve(s) of the hand. Using our established functional MRI and behavioural methods, we expect to identify brain changes in patients that predict poor sensory performance of the injured hand. This research will significantly advance our understanding of the functional consequences of brain changes following nerve damage to the hand, and set the stage for the development of new rehabilitation therapies designed to help reverse these changes.

  • Improving child prostheses and rehabilitation of peripheral nerve injuries, using movement science

    01/08/2019 – 01/08/2022 (Finished)

    Description

    This research aims to (i) develop upper-limb prostheses for young children that work better and are easier to use, and (ii) better understand the real-world consequences of peripheral nerve injury to the hand, and associated brain changes. This requires high-precision recording of natural hand movements. Support from the Welsh Government Ser Cymru III Enhancing Competitiveness Infrastructure Award was used to purchase a state-of-the-art motion-capture system to enable this research.

  • Using paried-pulse TMS to investigate cortical mechanisms…

    01/08/2015 – 01/08/2022 (Finished)

    Links:

Research Grants

Welsh Government Ser Cymru III Enhancing Competitiveness Infrastructure Award

Improving child prostheses, and rehabilitation of peripheral nerve injuries, using movement science. 

Principal Investigators: Ken Valyear; Simon Watt

March 2020 

£64,472

Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Science (215186/Z/19/Z)

Mapping the consequences of peripheral nerve transection and repair on brain organisation and hand function.

Principal Investigator: Ken Valyear

December 2019 – May 2022

£94,063

Knowledge Exchange Skills Scholarships (KESS) II: PhD Studentship

The sensory and motor consequences of using an injured hand

Principal Investigators: Ken Valyear; Simon Watt; Edwin Jesudason

PhD candidate: Michela Paroli

June 2017 – 2020

£69300

Royal Society Research Grant (RG150098)

Specifying possible actions with objects: Paired-pulse TMS investigations of the underlying neural mechanisms

Principal Investigator: Ken Valyear

Co-investigator: Cosimo Urgesi

December 2015 – 2016

£15000