Normal brain function requires an ever-changing supply of blood in order to deliver oxygen and glucose to neural tissue in a timely and localized fashion. This is triggered by the neural activity which is produced via the communication of neurons in the brain. The delicate balance by which changes in neuronal activity regulate local cerebral blood perfusion is referred to as neurovascular coupling (NVC). Currently, it is unknown whether NVC in the brain varies from region to region, or how it is affected by disease. The Canada Research Chair in NVC will use safe, non-invasive tools to image both the neural and vascular components of human brain function. State of the art analysis techniques will pinpoint variations in NVC from healthy individuals, which will then be compared to that obtained in patients with brain tumours. These NVC studies are expected to result in new, non-invasive methods for improving the diagnosis and treatment of tumours.