Dr Craig McAllister PhD

Dr Craig McAllister

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Lecturer in Motor Control

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 414 4125
Email
c.j.mcallister@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dr Craig McAllister has a passionate interest in understanding the neural mechanisms of human movement in both healthy and disease states. His current research utilises a combination of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques and neuroimaging methods to understand the role of rhythmic brain activity in motor and cognitive processes.

Qualifications

  • MSci - Physiology, Sport Science and Nutrition (University of Glasgow)
  • PhD - School of Sport & Exercise Sciences (University of Birmingham)

Biography

Dr McAllister completed his PhD, which investigated the anticipatory control of forearm posture, in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Birmingham with Dr Martin McDonagh. He subsequently worked at Manchester Metropolitan University as a research associate where he investigated the neural correlates of action observation using non-invasive brain stimulation methods with Prof Paul Holmes. Following this, he moved to Aston University as a research fellow on a BBSRC funded project with Dr Steven Hall and became interested in the use of MEG methods to investigate the oscillatory control of movement. Dr McAllister joined the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences in April 2014.

Teaching

Dr McAllister teaches on the ‘Anatomy and Biomechanics’ module, available to first year undergraduate students studying the BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences degree.

Postgraduate supervision

Dr McAllister is currently advertising a PhD in The functional role of the human mirror system in action priming.

Prospective PhD students should visit: http://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=54268

In addition, Dr McAllister welcomes applications from potential post-graduate researchers in the research areas outlined below. Potential postgraduate students should get in contact via email me to discuss funding opportunities.

PhD opportunities

Research

  • Human movement,
  • Oscillatory brain activity;
  • Non-invasive brain stimulation;
  • Neuroimaging;
  • Perception-action coupling;

Publications

McAllister CJ, Rönnqvist KC, Woodhall GL, Stanford IM, Furlong PL & Hall SD (2013). Oscillatory Beta Activity Mediates Neuroplastic Effects of Motor Cortex Stimulation in Humans. Journal of Neuroscience, 33, 7919- 7927.

Loporto M, Wright DJ, Williams J, Holmes PS & McAllister CJ (2013). Reflecting on mirror mechanisms: motor resonance effects during action observation are only present with low intensity transcranial magnetic stimulation. PLoS ONE 8(5): e64911.

Rönnqvist KC, McAllister CJ, Woodhall GL Stanford IM Furlong, PL & Hall SD (2013). A Multimodal perspective on the composition of cortical oscillations. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 7:132.

Hardwick RM, McAllister CJ, Holmes P and Edwards MG (2012) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation reveals corticospinal inhibition while observing with the intention to imitate. European Journal of Neuroscience, 35: 1475-1480.

Loporto M, McAllister CJ, Edwards MG, Wright DJ, Holmes PS. (2012) Prior action execution has no effect on corticospinal facilitation during action observation. Behavioural Brain Research, 231: 124-129.

Loporto M, McAllister C, Williams J, Hardwick R, and Holmes P (2011). Investigating central mechanisms underlying the effects of action observation and imagery through transcranial magnetic stimulation. Journal of Motor Behavior, 43, 361 - 373.

Hall SD, Stanford IM, Yamawaki N, McAllister CJ, Rönnqvist KC, Woodhall GL and Furlong PL. (2011) The role of GABAergic modulation in motor function related neuronal network activity. Neuroimage, 56: 1506-1510.

Balslev D, Braet W, McAllister C, Miall RC. (2007) Inter-individual variability in optimal coil orientation for transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 162: 309-313

Gill JM, Caslake MJ, McAllister C, Tsofliou F, Ferrell WR, Packard CJ, Malkova D. (2003) Effects of short-term detraining on postprandial metabolism, endothelial function, and inflammation in endurance-trained men: dissociation between changes in triglyceride metabolism and endothelial function. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 88:4328-35.

View all publications in research portal