Recognising the importance and impact of Imaging Scientists: Global guidelines for establishing career paths within core facilities.

In the dynamic landscape of scientific research, imaging core facilities are vital hubs propelling collaboration and innovation at the technology development and dissemination frontier. Here, we present a collaborative effort led by Global BioImaging (GBI), introducing international recommendations geared towards elevating the careers of Imaging Scientists in core facilities. Despite the critical role of Imaging Scientists in modern research ecosystems, challenges persist in recognising their value, aligning performance metrics and providing avenues for career progression and job security. The challenges encompass a mismatch between classic academic career paths and service-oriented roles, resulting in a lack of understanding regarding the value and impact of Imaging Scientists and core facilities and how to evaluate them properly. They further include challenges around sustainability, dedicated training opportunities and the recruitment and retention of talent. Structured across these interrelated sections, the recommendations within this publication aim to propose globally applicable solutions to navigate these challenges. These recommendations apply equally to colleagues working in other core facilities and research institutions through which access to technologies is facilitated and supported. This publication emphasises the pivotal role of Imaging Scientists in advancing research programs and presents a blueprint for fostering their career progression within institutions all around the world.

Reward Learning as a Potential Mechanism for Improvement in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Following Cognitive Remediation: Protocol for a Clinical, Nonrandomized, Pre-Post Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is common with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Cognitive remediation (CR) is effective in improving global cognition, but not all individuals benefit from this type of intervention. A better understanding of the potential mechanism of action of CR is needed. One proposed mechanism is reward learning (RL), the cognitive processes responsible for adapting behavior following positive or negative feedback. It is proposed that the structure of CR enhances RL and motivation to engage in increasingly challenging tasks, and this is a potential mechanism by which CR improves cognitive functioning in schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE: Our primary objective is to examine reward processing in individuals with schizophrenia before and after completing CR and to compare this with a group of matched clinical controls. We will assess whether RL mediates the relationship between CR and improved cognitive function and reduced negative symptoms. Potential differences in social RL and nonsocial RL in individuals with schizophrenia will also be investigated and compared with a healthy matched control group. METHODS: We propose a clinical, nonrandomized, pre-post pilot study comparing the impact of CR on RL and neurocognitive outcomes. The study will use a combination of objective and subjective measures to assess neurocognitive, psychiatric symptoms, and neurophysiological domains. A total of 40 individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (aged 18-35 years) will receive 12 weeks of CR therapy (n=20) or treatment as usual (n=20). Reward processing will be evaluated using a reinforcement learning task with 2 conditions (social reward vs nonsocial reward) at baseline and the 12-week follow-up. Functional magnetic resonance imaging responses will be measured during this task. To validate the reinforcement learning task, RL will also be assessed in 20 healthy controls, matched for age, sex, and premorbid functioning. Mixed-factorial ANOVAs will be conducted to evaluate treatment group differences. For the functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis, computational modeling will allow the estimation of learning parameters at each point in time, during each task condition, for each participant. We will use a variational Bayesian framework to measure how learning occurred during the experimental task and the subprocesses that underlie this learning. Second-level group analyses will examine how learning in patients differs from that observed in control participants and how CR alters learning efficiency and the underlying neural activity. RESULTS: As of September 2023, this study has enrolled 15 participants in the CR group, 1 participant in the treatment-as-usual group, and 11 participants in the healthy control group. Recruitment is expected to be completed by September 2024. Data analysis is expected to be completed and published in early 2025. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study will contribute to the knowledge of CR and RL processes in severe mental illness and the understanding of the systems that impact negative symptoms and cognitive impairments within this population. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/52505.