In This Circular: President’s Message | Annual Report | IBRO2023 | Webinars | Journals | Regional Committees | Open Calls | IBRO & YOU | Community News
Message from the IBRO President
Dear IBRO Community,
I hope that you are all doing well and keeping safe and healthy. After a year and a half, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect lives worldwide. Faced with the evolving challenges, I have been inspired by the resilience of the IBRO community and the work that is still being achieved. I therefore take this opportunity to thank you all for your dedication to IBRO’s mission, core values and activities.
Since the last circular in March, IBRO leadership has embraced its commitment to increase communication and interaction across regions. The Officers held meetings with all of the Regional Committees in April and May, and ran the first of two Executive Committee meetings this year as well as the annual Publications Committee meeting last week. We also kicked off the 2023 IBRO World Congress planning in meetings with the host society, the Spanish Society of Neuroscience (SENC). I am excited to announce that the dates of the next Congress have been confirmed as 9-13 September 2023 (in Granada, Spain), so please mark your calendars!
Finally, I am delighted to announce that the first ever IBRO Annual Report for the year 2020 has been completed. The Report sets an important precedent to increase transparency and accountability for the organization. It also provides an annual opportunity to feature and celebrate the achievements of IBRO’s global neuroscience community. I hope you enjoy reading it!
Tracy L. Bale
IBRO President
IBRO Annual Report 2020
IBRO’s first ever Annual Report for the year 2020 has been published. It highlights IBRO’s foundational components (its vision, mission, core values and strategic plan), governance structure, journals, finances, Regional Committees and Young IBRO.
It also includes impact stories and metrics which reflect the significant effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic that has created a ‘new norm’ of working and living for everyone.
IBRO leadership, member societies and their representatives, as well as the members of the secretariat are listed at the end.
The images (including the cover) that run throughout the report were generously provided by Greg Dunn, a neuroscientist and artist who has fused science and art together in his paintings and micro-etchings. The graphic design company who helped to create it was multipleStudio based in Madrid, Spain.
The IBRO Global Neuroscience Horizons Webinar Series was launched in order to adapt to ongoing global COVID-19 conditions and increase IBRO’s online presence, engagement and support of the global neuroscience community. The first webinar on 21 April featured the Editors-in-Chief of the IBRO journals, Juan Lerma (Neuroscience) and Y.S. Chan (IBRO Neuroscience Reports), as well as two IBRO alumni, James Olopade (Nigeria) and Angeles Salles (Argentina), who had both published in the journals. Jerome Sanes, IBRO Treasurer and Associate Editor of Neuroscience, acted as webinar host and facilitated the Q&A sessions. Recording here
The second webinar on 31 May was organized by APRC and featured Profs. Cliff Abraham (New Zealand), Jafri Malin Abdullah (Malaysia), Amy Fu (China), Michisuke Yuzaki (Japan), Yong Shen (China) and Julie Bernhardt (Australia) who talked about neurodegenerative diseases and translational neuroscience. The webinar was chaired by APRC Chair Prof. Pike See Cheah and Dr. Lin Kooi Ong. Recording here
The third webinar on 26 July was organized by PERC and featured three speakers from the Pan-European region: Roxana Carare (UK), Alexei Verkhratsky (UK), and Livio Provenzi (Italy). Their specific topic of discussion was the timely ‘Neuroscience & COVID-19’. The webinar was chaired by PERC Chair Prof. Fabio Blandini. Recording here
In 2021, Young IBRO launched the NextInNeuro Webinar Series. It kicked off with Prof. Tom Baden from the University of Sussex (UK) on 19 March during Brain Awareness Week. He spoke about the ‘Retinal basis of colour vision: from fish to humans.’ Recording here
The second webinar featured Prof. Manuella Kaster from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil). It was held on 7 July and focused on ‘New targets for mood regulation: CD300f immune receptors in mood disorders.’ Recording here
IBRO Journals
We are pleased to report that the Neuroscience impact factor for 2020 has just been released and has risen significantly to 3.59 (19% increase). We are very grateful to all those who have made this improvement possible. Neuroscience continues to publish high quality articles in all branches of brain research. In particular, the journal continues to honor great neuroscientists by publishing special issues commemorating their contributions. In May, a special issue appeared in memory of Masao Ito, a visionary neuroscientist with a passion for the cerebellum, edited by Soichi Nagao, Hirokazu Hirai, Masanobu Kano, and Michisuke Yuzaki. This special issue features a large collection of original articles and reviews written by colleagues, friends and students of Ito. In addition to making pioneering discoveries about the cerebellum and being a role model for many, Masao Ito was president (1980-1986) and honorary president (1986-1995) of IBRO.
Neuroscience intends to continue paying tribute to neuroscientists who have left us by collecting articles commemorating their contributions to modern neuroscience. More special issues featuring important figures are in preparation and will be published soon. We encourage you to stay tuned.
Juan Lerma
Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience
“Small changes in behavior, cognition, and mental state are related to neurobiological and neurophysiological mechanisms, which can be affected by lifestyle. Studies have shown that physical activity, nutrition, and stress resistance stimulate synthesis of several trophic factors and neuromodulators, which promote well-being and mental health.”
Discover this relation in the IBRO Neuroscience Reports Special Issue on Neuroscience & Lifestyle.
IBRO Neuroscience Reports is IBRO’s fully open access journal which publishes papers describing the results of original research on any aspect of the scientific study of the nervous system. It welcomes preliminary, descriptive and small-scale results if they have the potential to stimulate and/or contribute to future research, leading to new insights or hypotheses.
The primary criterion for acceptance is that the work is original, scientifically and technically sound, and valuable to the advancement of neuroscience research. We will also consider for publication any article that is methodologically sound, including negative data. Replication studies and re-analysis of previous datasets, when justified with a scientifically sound rationale, are also welcomed. Come publish your research with us!
Y.S. Chan
Editor-in-Chief, IBRO Neuroscience Reports
Africa Regional Committee
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most ARC activities – including schools, workshops, courses, symposia and conferences – are scheduled to take place from September. The biggest upcoming event that ARC is supporting is the 15th SONA/4th GNS Hybrid Conference from 27-30 October in Accra, Ghana. Postponed since last year, we are looking forward to seeing at least some of you in person this year. The conference will feature distinguished speakers, workshops, IBRO Global engagement and outreach activities, and oral and poster sessions. Registration is open and I encourage you all to participate in the largest biennial gathering of African neuroscientists and the growth of brain research in the region.
Desire Tshala-Katumbay
ARC Chair
Asia/Pacific Regional Committee (APRC)
In the second half of the year 2021, APRC continues to advance neuroscience research and education, and to promote brain awareness. Thirteen IBRO-APRC Associate Schools of Neuroscience are available until December, taking place in Malaysia, Nepal, Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Georgia. Please visit the IBRO website for updates: http://ibro.org/open-grants. Despite various challenges arising from the COVID-19 crisis, APRC continues to offer 18 brain awareness campaigns (virtual or hybrid mode) for community outreach and to engage the general public, policymakers, philanthropists, academicians and neuroscientists. Please visit our social media for updates: https://www.facebook.com/IBROaprc/ and https://twitter.com/ibroSecretariat.
Pike-See CHEAH (Malaysia)
APRC Chair
Latin America Regional Committee (LARC)
LARC would like to invite all to the following events.
Webinar about “Health disparities in Stress and Mental Health”, hosted by the the World Women in Neuroscience (WWN)on October 7th 2021 from 9:00-10:00 AM EST. https://worldwomenneuro.org/
Neurotoxicity Society Opportunity for Junior Faculty and Trainees : The Neurotoxicity Society is organizing a Virtual Meeting 2021, to be held by 22 of October 2021. There is an open a call for proposals for round table discussions. Junior Faculty and Trainees are encouraged to submit a topic to organize a discussion. The application is due for August 20. https://www.neurotoxicitysociety.org/
FALAN committee is organizing a virtual meeting, the “FALAN networking: Bringing Latin-American and Caribbean neuroscience together”, which will be held on September 28-30 on the platform https://falan-ibrolarc.org/networking/. We encourage everyone to register on the FALAN networking platform! The meeting is going to be free of charge but registration is necessary!
We hope to see you there!
Adrian Palacios
LARC Chair
Middle East/North Africa Sub-regional Committee (MENA)
The MENA Committee has been keeping busy in the first half of 2021. It has been able to support the MENA 7th International Mini Symposium and Workshop on Food and Brain Health which took place in Oman in April and it will support an International Conference on Neuroethics at the Jordan University of Science and Technology and an IBRO-MENA/IPDGC-Africa Neuroscience Conference and School at the American University of Cairo in Egypt in August. Finally, a virtual ‘Symposium on Stress and Neurological Manifestation: Resilience and Neurodegeneration’ is being planned for September from Beirut, Lebanon. Please check the IBRO website for updated information.
Firas Kobeissy
MENA Chair
Pan-European Regional Committee (PERC)
PERC organized the third IBRO Global Neuroscience Horizons Webinar on 26 July. The webinar on ‘Neuroscience & COVID-19’ featured three speakers from the Pan-European region: Roxana Carare (UK), Alexei Verkhratsky (UK), and Livio Provenzi (Italy). You can watch the recording of the webinar here here. PERC has also awarded diversity, short stay, soft skills training, meetings support and national society partnership grants since January. We’re also sponsoring the virtual FENS Regional Meeting taking place from 25-27 August. There’s still time to register so don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Fabio Blandini
PERC Chair
US/Canada Regional Committee (USCRC)
With the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), USCRC has been pleased to award five USCRC/MBL fellowships for participation in an MBL Neurobiology course, and four Scholarships to Enhance and Empower Diversity (SEED) Fellowships. The awardees are all from under-represented groups. The committee continues its commitment to serving minority and under-represented communities in Canada and the US, and is exploring ways in which to collaborate with other Regional Committees in order to amplify its resources and impact.
Sam David
USCRC Chair
IBRO/Dana BAW Grants & Global Engagement Seed Grants 2022
Applications are open for TWO types of grants supporting global engagement, outreach and brain awareness activities taking place in 2022.
Deadline: 8 August 2021
IBRO-APRC Associate School on Neuromics: The Yin-Yang Aspect in Translational Neuroscience
This IBRO-APRC Associate School aims to inspire, motivate, and educate Asian researchers at a higher level and at home in Asia, who will then go out to teach in high schools and universities by providing a virtual platform to learn from the experiences of renowned scientists and clinicians in the field of neuroscience.
Deadline: 8 August 2021
Young IBRO Maternity/Parenthood Grants 2021
The Young IBRO Maternity/Parenthood in Neuroscience Grant aims to support early-career Principal Investigators who are approaching parental leave (either via birth or adoption) by providing supplemental funding.
Deadline: 30 August 2021
IBRO sponsored Global Engagement Workshop 2021 on Neurodegenerative Diseases
This free workshop aims to create awareness about various neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease and other memory disorders like Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neuron Disease, Multiple System Atrophy, Cerebral Palsy…
Deadline: 1 September 2021
African Schools & Workshops
IBRO-ARC 13th Teaching Tools Workshop in Africa
The objective of the program is to develop teaching modules on several specific topics, with the hope that the program can continue to form the basis for future efforts on other subjects and to help form a Neuroscience curriculum.
Deadline: 12 August 2021
IBRO-ARC School on Neuropharmacology Research and Drug Development
The objective of the IBRO-ARC School on “Neuropharmacology Research and Drug Development” is to provide the attendees with basic knowledge on pharmacological principles and practices relevant in studying potentially neuroactive compounds.
Deadline: 15 August 2021
IBRO-ARC Workshop on Zebrafish as a Tool for Neuroscience Research in Africa: The Time to Start in Now!
This Workshop aims to introduce African neuroscientists to the utility of zebrafish as an alternate species for neuroscience research.
Deadline: 22 August 2021
IBRO-ARC School on Genome Editing for Neuroscience Research
The aim of this IBRO-ARC school is to provide theoretical and hands-on training in genome editing and genetic research techniques to equip neuroscientists with new knowledge to tackle growing biomedical challenges in Africa.
Deadline: 30 August 2021
IBRO leadership is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic situation as it evolves. Click here to read our COVID-19 policy for 2021 IBRO-funded activities and programs.
We often receive much appreciated feedback from you – our global neuroscience community – in a wide variety of ways. Therefore, we’d like to remind you that a central online format exists, IBRO & YOU, that empowers you to share your ideas, views and comments directly with IBRO leadership to make a positive impact on our activities and in the world of brain and brain-related sciences.
We want to listen, discuss and explore issues together in order to make open and inclusive decisions that can actively respond to as many interests and concerns as possible. We hope that our joint efforts will help to ensure a healthy future for neuroscience and neuroscientists everywhere.
Thank you for your participation and support!
Apply to the ALBA-Elsevier Award Lecture in Brain Sciences!
Launched by the ALBA Network and Elsevier, this award recognizes outstanding research achievements of an active scientist, at any career stage PhD or MD onwards, working at the frontiers of brain research in a country underrepresented among neuroscience publications and conferences. Nominations are open until August 30. Detailed information on the requirements for applicants can be found on the ALBA Network website.
The BNA is excited to launch its new Scholars Programme to support students from under-represented ethnic groups in neuroscience through networking opportunities, bursaries and mentorship. We were overwhelmed by the support from the community and are grateful to our Founding Supporters, including IBRO, who united across the neuroscience sector to support the programme.
We are pleased to announce that the inaugural cohort of Scholars have all been matched with mentors and have had their first meetings.
See here for further information about the programme:
https://www.bna.org.uk/
CAJAL Training Programme Special Event at the virtual FENS Regional Meeting 2021
25 August 2021 4-4:45 pm CEST
The CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme aims to teach basic and fundamental neuroscience concepts as well as state-of-the-art techniques, data analysis and computer skills to train the next generation of neuroscientists. During this event, we will describe the online and on-site training course programme that CAJAL provides. This will be followed by presentations by alumni and venue and course directors who will share their CAJAL course experience. A Q&A will conclude the session.
More information on this event here: http://cajal-training.org/event-frm-2021/
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is excited to invite you to the 14th Canadian Neuroscience Meeting, a virtual event taking place from 23 – 25 August 2021.
We invite you to view the full program here:
https://can-acn.org/meeting-2021/program-2021/
and to register here: https://can-acn.org/meeting-2021/registration-2021/
CNS 2021 is coming!
Visit to learn more: https://www.cns.org.cn/2021/en-index.html
CNS 2021, as the national largest neuroscience meeting, will hold to its commitment to promote the international development of neuroscience through providing a platform for communication among neuroscientists worldwide.
With highlights of plenary lectures including latest accomplishments delivered by distinguished neuroscientists, CNS 2021 also include symposiums of almost 50 particular subjects for free exchange of idea, awards-conferring for young scientists, wall paper presentation and workshop, etc.
The 13th Meeting of the Czech Neuroscience Society will be organized in Prague, November 24-25, 2021. The conference will be held in English and will represent the whole neuroscience field by scientists from the major Czech neuroscience Institutes. The international attendance is welcomed, as the meeting will provide an ideal opportunity to find potential new collaborators in a friendly and cooperative environment. Additional information available at: https://vialain.com/neuroscience2021
Save the date for Brain Innovation Days!
We are excited to announce that the Brain Innovation Days will take place in person on 12-13 October 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.
Under the theme, United for Brain Innovation, the Brain Innovation Days will bring together key opinion leaders and stakeholders from the ever-growing brain innovation ecosystem to create synergies and showcase the importance of brain innovation.
For more information, please visit braininnovationdays.eu
FALAN GENERAL DECLARATION ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION is now in the FALAN webpage. The FALAN is committed to equal opportunities and non-discriminatory procedures and practices throughout its work to promote an inclusive culture among its members and in science in general. The FALAN wants its quadrennial congresses and other meetings to be inclusive and for participants to feel safe and welcome. To support this statement, the FALAN is preparing its Code of Conduct, and formally endorses the ALBA Declaration on Equity and Inclusion, and works to fulfill its goals.
FALAN committee is also organizing a virtual meeting, the “FALAN networking: Bringing Latin-American and Caribbean neuroscience together”, which will be held on September 28-30 on the platform https://falan-ibrolarc.org/networking/. We encourage the LARC-IBRO members to register on the FALAN networking platform! We are currently defining the final program details.
Save the date! The meeting is going to be free of charge but registration is necessary! Details are in the FALAN webpage.
We hope to see you there!
The FRM 2021 features a full programme of 10 plenary lectures, 18 scientific symposia and events and over 300 scientific posters to learn about the latest developments in neuroscience. Jointly organised by the Polish Neuroscience Society and the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association with the support of FENS and IBRO-PERC, the FRM 2021 aims to showcase neuroscience research of the region to the global community.
Register before 13 August: https://fensfrm2021.pl/
The last IBB World Championship was hosted in conjunction with IBRO 2019 in Daegu. This year’s World Championship will be hosted as a virtual event on November 5-8 and will include both 2020 and 2021 national champions. A recent article “The International Brain Bee: Cultivating the next generation of neuroscientists” published in Neuron provides the history of the Brain Bee initiative, the formation of the IBB organisation, and an overview of the World Championship.
As brain research initiatives around the world gather momentum, they are generating heaps of data. But how can researchers within, across and beyond those initiatives make use of all that new data? That question was the focus of a recent data sharing symposium organized by the International Brain Initiative’s Data Standards and Sharing Working Group. An article highlights five takeaways from the event, featuring keynote speakers Kenneth Harris (UCL) and Kristin Harris (UT, Austin). Get more updates with our International Brain Initiative (IBI) newsletter!
Neuroethics conference focused on social justice
The International Neuroethics Society (INS) is excited to announce several topics that will be featured at the online 2021 INS Annual Meeting on November 4-5. These topics include social justice perspectives on: mental health care, AI and neurotechnology, global neuroscience research, environmental neuroethics, and the intersection of neurotechnology and neurolaw. See our preliminary program for details. Registration is open, with IBRO-funded discounts available to those who are from or work in low- or middle-income economies.
Registration is still open for 4 workshops and 1 tutorial, and we’ve just added 2 new workshops! From Aug 23 – Sep 3, take in practical, interactive courses on topics like cloud computing, with interactive and observer tracks. The goal is for all participants to come away with practical knowledge and skills that are directly applicable in their field.
The Mongolian Neuroscience Society is preparing for two upcoming events: the IBRO school and the MNS annual meeting which is the largest umbrella meeting for all professionals in the field and the general public. All information regarding the events is on the websites:
neuroscience.mn and ibroschool.neuroscience.mn.
Neuroscience Society of Nepal (NSN) now doing vigorous advocacy to establish National Institute of
Neuroscience (NINe). In 2015 after establishment of NSN, we had set
five objectives in 5 years. NINe is one. In this regard, with the
generous support from IBRO/ APRC we could able to vibrate Nepali
community. In last 5 years we had invited more than 75 Neuroscientists
and experts from around the globe especially from Japan, India,
Malaysia, Australia, Israel, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Europe. As of our
continuous activities, we are slowly in position toward the
establishment of NINe. NSN now seeking further support in this regard.
To start the establishment of NINe, we are communicating few
universities in Nepal so that we can sustain quite long in term of lab
space and other logistic support by signing MoU with them. Then,
gradually with our own efforts, with the support of International
organizations and Nepali Neuro community from different countries will
definitely help it stand.
Forthcoming events:
1. On 21 and 22 August ,2021: NSN is organizing online training on
Neuroinformatics/ Bioinformatics to 70 people (preferably NSN member)
2. Organizing three plenary talks on Neurogenetics and Neuroscience for
3. On 20-24 August, 2021 NSN organizing 3rd IBRO School Nepal
4. From September 2021, Dr Ajaya Jang Kunwar will take the
responsibility of President of NSN after the decision of NSN executive
committee.
5. Dr Sunil Dhungel, immediate past president (September 2021 onward)
will take the responsibility toward the establishment of NINe.
6. NSN will organize Brain Education Program for High School Children
on October 2021.
7. NSN will organize 2 days online training on communication skills
and grant writing training for NSN member
Neuroscience Society of Sri Lanka (NSSL): was established during a very successful IBRO – VLTP program in 1999. NSSL organized six one week International Neuroscience Workshops and three “Brain Awareness Sessions”. Neuro-BioBank (Brain and DNA) and a free of charge Neuro-Molecular diagnostics established by NSSL at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka, linking the East and West (Lancet Neurol. 2020 Dec;19(12):972)
#RegPep23 in Acapulco Diamante, Mexico. Featuring latest developments in basic, translational and clinical regulatory peptide research. First hybrid Regulatory Peptide meeting ever – anticipate unique & intense scientific and social experience. The program features keynote lectures by and conversations with some of the most extraordinary scholar/researchers of the field, including George Fink, Dick Swaab, Tomas Hokfelt, Greti Aguilera, Carmen Sandi, Valery Grinevich, Gareth Leng, Rick Samson. Discover the full program and social activities at regpep2020.unam.mx
SiNAPSA, Slovenian Neuroscience Association, has opened registration for the international SiNAPSA Neuroscience Conference (SNC’21; http://www.sinapsa.org/SNC21) and the accompanying events supported by IBRO-PERC Partnership Program Award. There is no participation fee, but timely registration is required for attendance. We invite participants from around the Globe to register in time and join us on September 23 – 25, 2021.
The Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias (SAN) is delighted to announce that the XXXVI SAN Annual Meeting will take place on 18-22 October, 2021 in a Virtual Format. After the successful virtual meeting of SAN 2020, we are very enthusiastic to go virtual mode again since it represents a challenging opportunity to discover the latest neuroscience developments in Argentina and exchange scientific data with our talented students. We welcome you to join us!
Get Ready for SfN’s 50th Annual Meeting
Take part in an SfN annual meeting unlike any other. For the first time, Neuroscience 2021 will offer full virtual (November 8–11) and in-person (November 13–16 in Chicago) programs for a single fee. Advance member registration opens Wednesday, August 4, at noon EDT.
The Swiss Society for Neuroscience organizes its next Annual Meeting on January 29, 2022 in Fribourg, Switzerland. The Annual Meeting is preceded by an Early Career Researcher Symposium on January 28th, organized by our young member organization (ySSN). Strengthening its engagement in the public debate on the importance of Animal Experimentation, the SSN has contributed to a NeuroView Article that will be published in the August 4th issue of Neuron (Homberg et al., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.07.015).