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© IBRO International Brain Research Organization

IBRO SPREADS THE WORD

AROUND THE WORLD
Secretary-General Marina Bentivoglio assesses IBRO’s global future
Eyes wide open worldwide and with a global vision, IBRO looks at a rapidly
changing and growing neuroscience community. A protagonist of
cooperation in brain research across all continents, IBRO is unique, and
internationally recognized as such, in its role to develop cooperation in brain
research worldwide. In the last decade, IBRO has obtained remarkable
achievements in this direction, thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of
neuroscientists who collaborate with and work voluntarily for IBRO around
the globe and to their strong belief in neuroscience without barriers.
In this issue:
Enduring and fruitful partnerships in all continents are at the core of IBRO’s Funding 2
activities. In North America, the wonderful relationships with IBRO’s giant member,
the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), are constantly growing. In Europe, the well- Fellows & Alumni 3
3rd IBRO Canadian School, Vancouver, Canada, May 2009, a multi-partner IBRO
established partnership with the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies school for young researchers from across the world Neuroscience News 4-5
(FENS), a giant IBRO member, has led to the organization of successful courses
for young investigators, the joint IBRO-FENS Programme of European All this helps in IBRO’s unique mission for the development of international The Regions 6
Neuroscience Schools (PENS). The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) has recently cooperation, with the focus on networking and capacity-building in world regions Education & Training 7
joined in the PENS venture, which can now foster the participation of North with special needs. IBRO’s eyes are wide open with the focus on the training of
American students. In Asia, the partnership with the Federation of Asian-Oceanian students and the provision of assistance to young scientists in disadvantaged IBRO’S Partnerships 8
Neuroscience Societies (FAONS) has also led to the organization of successful countries of the world. We have IBRO alumni all over, a better and bigger
schools and initiatives in the very vast Asian-Pacific world region. In Latin America, neuroscience community, a global neuroscience community. And international is
IBRO has fostered the birth of the Federation of Neuroscience Associations in
Latin American and the Caribbean (FALAN), founded in April 2009 under IBRO
going intercontinental: IBRO’s initiative of ‘inter-regional’ schools and activities (i.e.
with liaisons between two or more of IBRO’s six world regions) is growing and will
Kemali-IBRO
auspices. In Africa, IBRO has established enduring relationships with the Society be further developed. This is also witnessed by the launching of the series of partnership holds
of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA) since its foundation in 1993: more than 15 Kemali-IBRO Mediterranean Schools: following its agreement with the Kemali
years of support and close association with African neuroscience, which in recent Foundation, signed in April 2008 in Naples, IBRO began in September 2009 a new first school
years has been supported by the UNESCO International Basic Science venture across the continents facing the Mediterranean basin. A partnership between the Dargut and
Programme (IBSP) and the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation. And IBRO Milena Kemali Foundation for Basic
relationships with supranational federations are increasing with the continuing Towards the end of my mandate as IBRO Secretary-General, I wish to express my and Clinical Neurosciences (DMKF) and
direct relationships with IBRO members, comprising societies, associations and deepest gratitude to all IBRO members and to neuroscientists worldwide for IBRO was forged in April 2008.
groups, in a steadily growing number of world countries. having given me the opportunity to participate in this exciting global venture and The collaboration focuses on capacity-
adventure. Witnessing the impact of the communication with the common building in the Mediterranean region, with
language of brain research, despite the diversity of spoken languages and cultural the objective to overcome cultural or
environments, has been and remains a challenge, an emotion, a reward. Thanks a political 'barriers' in this area. The First
lot to IBRO, and let’s keep going! Kemali-IBRO School of Neuroscience was
held at the Stazione Zoologica "Anton
Dohrn" and the Kemali Foundation,
Marina Bentivoglio
Naples, Italy, Sept 21-30, 2009. It
Secretary-General, IBRO
represented the first of a series of schools
to foster networking across borders in
IBRO's Partnerships in the World of countries of the Mediterranean basin and
to embrace the European and African
Neuroscience ... page 8 IBRO Regional Committees.

IBRO Secretary-General Elect sees IBRO in

unique position as worldwide organization
Yun-Quing Li and Marina Bentivoglio (centre) with colleagues, 4th Military Medical
Pierre Magistretti, Professor and Director, Brain Mind Institute, Federal Institute of Technology
University, Xi’an, China
(EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, is to be the next Secretary-General of IBRO. His three-year term of
office begins in January 2010. Echoing the major global goals of IBRO, Pierre Magistretti stated: “I
view IBRO as a real worldwide organization, with a unique position, in this respect, in the
neurosciences. Along theses lines, I see as the main priority for IBRO in the coming years the
expansion and strengthening of its role to stimulate the progress of neuroscience in disadvantaged
countries. Indeed, IBRO's unique niche is to facilitate access to continuing education and training
of the most talented young neuroscientists, especially from such countries. No other society or
organization has this as its main goal. This effort should of course be coordinated with neuroscience
societies and federations in the ‘advantaged’ part of the world (such as Europe, North America,
Japan, Australia). Indeed, while the missions of such organizations are primarily to organize and
support neuroscience activities within their world region, they represent ideal partners for those
IBRO's activities that are focused on the disadvantaged areas of the world, for example by
2nd Regional Teaching Course, facilitating contacts, providing faculties and host laboratories for young neuroscientists. In this
Addis Ababa, Ethiop: a joint regard, federations such as the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) or FAONS
EFNS, WFN, IBRO collaboration (Federation of Asian-Oceanian Neuroscience Societies) and large societies - especially the largest,
Pierre Magistretti the Society for Neuroscience - will be respected partners for such initiatives. Another priority will
be to expand the outreach activities of IBRO worldwide by inspiring and supporting them and by
providing the necessary documentation to facilitate the public understanding of neuroscience. This is an essential activity for
Neuroscience Journal TOCs e-mailed establishing a fruitful dialogue with society, the media and policy-makers. I am particularly committed to these activities in which
I have been personally involved for several years. IBRO should ensure that such materials are available in as many languages as
to all IBRO members possible besides English. Here again, partnerships with national neuroscience societies and with organizations such as the Dana
Alliance for Brain Initiatives will be extremely important.”

w w w. i b r o . i n f o one
 IBRO’S FUNDING
2010 - 2011

Winner of Albert J. Aguayo Symposia &

IBRO welcomes applicants
Fellowship announced Workshops
for 2010-2011 The Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) and the Institute of
Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA) of the Canadian Institutes
recipients
IBRO’s Funding Programme promotes neuroscience,
especially in less well-funded countries, by providing
of Health Research (CIHR) in partnership with IBRO announced the award of the
newly created Albert J. Aguayo Fellowship to Rolando Avilés Reyes of the Cellular
2009
support to high-quality neuroscientists from diverse Biology and Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Buenos Aires University, Africa Region
geographic and scientific areas (US/Canada Region Argentina. The Fellowship, named after Dr Albert J. Aguayo, past President and Ihunwo (South Africa): 17th
excluded). past Secretary-General of IBRO, marks Dr Aguayo's outstanding contribution to Conference of the Int'l Federation of
neuroscience in Quebec, Canada and the world. The purpose of the fellowship is Associations of Anatomists, Aug 2009
to provide the opportunity for young researchers from developing countries Asia Pacific Region
Research Fellowships: support for work abroad in to spend a three-month term in a Quebec laboratory or research centre in order Albright (India): Workshop on
good laboratories to enhance their training and career development in the field of Cognitive Neuroscience, Feb 2009
Central & Eastern Europe Region
Return Home Fellowships: aid for researchers neuroscience research.
Kostovic (Croatia): Neuroimaging and
trained overseas who wish to return to their home Neurogenomics of Developmental
Rolando Avilés Reyes will spend three
countries months in the host laboratory of Dr Phil Disorders, April 2009
Studentships: support for short stays in good Barker, Neurological Institute and
overseas laboratories Hospital, Mc Gill University, Montreal.
Rolando's research interests are in
Travel Grants: support participation at international
sleep apnea and while in Montreal he
neuroscience meetings hopes to learn certain molecular
Symposia & Workshops: partial funding of biology techniques and apply protocols
neuroscience events to encourage research that will answer specific neuroscience
particularly in resource-restricted regions questions. He will also work on the
secondary effects of intermittent
Public Education Events: increase public awareness hypoxia from which sleep apnea Santiago, Chile, workshop, Jan 2009
of the brain worldwide through events related to brain patients suffer. Roland will work in Balaban (Russian Federation): IX East
Roland Avilés Reyes
research and its application to diseases of the brain Montreal from March to June 2010, European Regional Int'l Conference
when he will return to his Buenos Aires laboratory. There he intends to analyse the Simpler Nervous Systems, Sept 2009
NFKB role in sleep apnea, at the same time using the molecular biology techniques Kaczmarek (Poland): Molecular View
All funding information on the IBRO web site he has learned in Montreal. of a Synapse and its Surroundings,
http://funding.ibro.info Sept 2009
Sergeeva (Russian Federation): 2nd

Young scientists reap benefits International Conference on

Neuroimaging and Neurodynamics,

of Return Home Fellowships Sept 2009

Brain Research Organization
Executive Committee
President
Carlos Belmonte (Spain)
Secretary-General
Marina Bentivoglio (Italy)
Treasurer
Steve Redman (Australia)
Regional Committee Chairs
Abdul Mohammed (Africa)
Hitoshi Okamoto (Asia/Pacific)
Ryszard Przewlocki (Central &
Eastern Europe)
Osvaldo Uchitel (Latin America)
Carol Barnes (US/Canada)
Monica Di Luca (Western Europe)
IBRO Secretariat
255 Rue Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris, France
Phone:+33-1-46-47-92-92
Fax: +33-1-46-47-42-50
Executive Director
Stephanie de La Rochefoucauld
ibro3@wanadoo.fr
PENS: Programme of European
Neuroscience Schools
An IBRO-FENS (Federation of Neuroscience Societies) collaboration,
PENS aims to enrich the neuroscience education of students and young
investigators throughout Europe. Faculty from around the world participate.
PENS web site: mars.glia.mdc-berlin.de/pens
Latin America Region
In 2006 and 2007 research neuroscientists Elaine Gavioli (Brazil) and Guillermo
Andrés Coke (Chile): Motivated
Behaviours, Stress and Addiction,
Director of Programmes Lanuza (Argentina) won IBRO Return Home Fellowships to enable them to set up Jan 2009
Robynn Rockstad-Rex labs in their own countries. Segura-Aguilar (Chile): VI
ibro4@wanadoo.fr Neurotoxicity Society Meeting,
Elaine Gavioli returned to Brazil in 2006, having spent two years as a postdoc at April 2009
IBRO Web Site Rotstein (Argentina): Neuron-Glial
the Dept of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Pharmacology,
Webmaster & Head of IT Interactions in Synapse Formation,
Università di Ferrara (Italy), where she worked with Prof. Girolamo Calo’, an expert
Ante Padjen Sept 2009
in in vitro and in vivo
ante.padjen@mcgill.ca Mato (Argentina): School J. A. Balseiro
Senior Editor pharmacological characterization
Modeling in Neuroscience, Oct 2009
Andrée Blakemore of novel peptidergic systems. She
Hernandez-Cruz (Mexico): 15th
andree.blakemore@dpag.ox.ac.uk was appointed professor in the
International Symposium on
'IBRO News' Post-Graduate Programme in
Chromaffin Cell Biology, Nov 2009
Editor in Chief Health Sciences at the Western Europe Region
Andree Blakemore Universidade do Extremo Sul Panzica (Italy): 5th Int'l Meeting on
andree.blakemore@dpag.ox.ac.uk Catarinense (Criciuma, Brazil), has Steroids and Nervous System,
had numerous collaborations, and Feb 2009
has been able to set up her Geula (Cyprus): 5th Int'l Conference of
own lab working in the field Alzheimer's Disease and Related
of neuropeptides. Disorders, May 2009
Elaine (2nd left) and her group)
Kofler (Austria): Neuropeptide Festival
Guillermo Lanuza was working on neuronal development at Martyn Goulding’s lab, 2009, July 2009
Dept of Molecular Neurobiology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA,
USA, when he was awarded a Return
Home Fellowship in 2007. He moved
back to Argentina in April 2008 and
returned to the Fundación Instituto The IBRO
Leloir in Buenos Aires as a junior group
leader. His research is aimed at
answering how distinct types of
Reporter
neurons with specialized functions For the latest
differentiate during development. He neuroscience news and
has recruited two students and one
events e-mailed monthly
postdoc who contribute significantly to
the work. The first instalment of his to all members.
Return Home award was used for Please keep your
setting up the lab, acquiring basic
equipment and consumable reagents.
membership updated at
www.ibro.info
Guillermo Lanuza

two
 NEWS FROM OUR
FELLOWS AND ALUMNI
The IBRO Alumni Programme
Susan Sara, Alumni Programme Chair, reports
IBRO alumni speak at SfN 2008: Three distinguished IBRO alumni who had attended CHSL or MBL neuroscience summer
courses at CSHL or MBL summarized their recent research at the IBRO social during the SfN 2008 meeting in Washington,
DC, November 2008. Their participation at the schools was sponsored by the IAC-USNC/IBRO and each recounted how the
school experience had impacted on her scientific career.
Guang Yang (China) attended the MBL course on Neurobiology in 2003. A
postdoc at New York University, she described her experiments using in vivo
imaging of new spines formed in response to sensory experience. Maria Castello
(Uruguay), attended the MBL course on Neural Systems and Behavior in 2004. Her
subsequent studies in development of sensory-motor neural networks using
weakly electric fish as a model clearly reflect her school experience. Maria de la
Paz Fernandez (Argentina, attended the CSHL course on Neurobiology of
Drosophilia in 2005 and related her current interesting results on gustatory
perception, courtship and aggression in that species.
The IBRO Alumni Committee in collaboration with the IAC-USNC is organizing a
similar event at the SfN 2009 meeting in Chicago. It will be a satellite event that
will combine a mini-symposium with a social reception for all IBRO Alumni and Guang Yang, Maria Castello and
Maria de la Paz Fernandez
faculty, IBRO volunteers and friends of IBRO. Four alumni of CSHL and MBL,
representing four continents, will make a brief presentation their work. This will be
followed by a party with music from the IBRO regions. We are looking forward to welcoming the IBRO community on Sunday,
October 18, 2009 at 6pm. All alumni who are registered on the IBRO Alumni web site will receive an invitation, so please make
sure that your registration is up to date and remind your fellow alumni to register. http://alumni.ibro.info
More alumni events: Neuroscientific societies from Latin America, Caribbean and the Iberian Peninsula assembled together
for the I IBRO-LARC Congress of Neurosciences (I NeuroLatAm), in Buzios, Brazil, September 1-4, 2008. A successful alumni
symposium was held at the Congress; speakers, all IBRO Alumni, were: Emanuel Mora (Cuba), Biodiversity as a useful
neuroethological tool in Latin America; Sebastián Curti (Uruguay), Electrophysiological specializations of primary auditory
afferents to the Mauthner cell; Rui Daniel S. Prediger (Brazil), Role of Cellular Prion
Protein (PrPc) in cognitive function; Magdalena Sanhueza (Chile), Oscillatory
activity in the olfactory amygdala; Ramiro Freudenthal (Argentina), NF-kappaB in
memory consolidation and neural plasticity.
The alumni of the African region will have their opportunity to be heard at the
Society of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA) meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt,
in December 2009. Young scientists who have attended IBRO schools in the ARC
region or have had IBRO fellowships from the region will recount how their IBRO
experience has impacted on their careers and helped them to develop their
Alumni symposium participants teaching and research in their home countries.
(Susan Sara centre), Buzios
IBRO Research Fellow from Poland at
Brain Imaging Research Centre, Scotland
IBRO Fellow for 2007-8, Bartosz Karaszewski worked on metabolic
disturbances in brain ischemic regions at the Medical University of
Gdansk, Poland. He then carried out clinical work on neurological
diseases as well as experimental projects at the Medical University
of Gdansk, the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche
Scientifique (INSERM), Paris, the University of Oslo, and the Brain
Imaging Research Centre for Scotland, Div. of Clinical
Neurosciences, University of Edinburgh, where he took up his
IBRO Research Fellowship. Dr Karaszewski’s work focused on
brain metabolic disturbances following acute ischemic stroke;
magnetic resonance techniques in neurology; administration and in
vivo molecular imaging of stem cells transplanted to brain or
transfused on experimental model of acute ischemic stroke;
qualitative and quantitative neurochemical analysis; brain
chemistry changes in hypoxic stress; and experimental modeling
of brain ischemic/hypoxic injury. Part of his time in Edinburgh
involved the organization of the project: patient recruitment
process; magnetic resonance imaging protocols; blood collection
protocols and material storage; collection of the scientific data and
material from patients in the study; organization of the experimental
sub-study. During his fellowship, Dr Karaszewski gained
experience in human brain imaging techniques and data analysis;
genetic analysis of human samples; stroke management (practice
Bartosz Karaszewski in Scottish clinical stroke system, working with British patients);
transgenic animals preparation techniques, experimental methods
of in vivo neuroimaging, animal brain surgery. Prof. Joanna Wardlaw, Director of the SFC Brain Imaging Research Centre, was
Dr Karaszewski’s main supervisor and he is grateful to Prof. Martin Dennis and Dr Malcolm Macleod for their help with his
research Bartosz Karaszewski while at Edinburgh.
IBRO members: please update your details in the IBRO Members
database for the latest information about IBRO’s activities: www.ibro.info
w w w. i b r o . i n f o
Nigerian Research Fellow
spends year at Penn State
College of Medicine
James O. Olopade, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria reports: I was awarded
an IBRO Research Fellowship in 2007 and I reported to Dr James Connor’s lab,
Dept of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, USA in February 2008 to
work for one year on aspects of vanadium toxicity in the brain. In the year there I
learned about such procedures as immunohistochemistry, atomic absorption
spectrophotometry, cellular oxidative stress analysis, apoptosis assay, myelin
quantification, western blotting and an array of in vivo experiments. My work in
collaboration with other lab members revealed some novel findings, eg: primary
oligodendrocytes were far more sensitive (LD 50 of less than 100uM) to vanadium
when compared to matured oligodendrocytes and astrocytes (LD 50 of 150-
200uM) in cultures; developmental exposure of neonates to vanadium leads to
destruction of oligodendrocytes with concurrent astrogliosis in white matter tracts.
I am now back in Nigeria and have been given lab space as an Assistant Professor
at the Comparative Anatomy, Environmental Toxicology
and Neuroscience Unit, Dept of Veterinary Anatomy,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. I am also
preparing a Fogarty grant with my mentor Dr Connor so
that the research and experience during the IBRO
Research Fellowship can used in Nigeria in collaboration
with the Connor lab. Our focus now is to look at the
interactions between iron deficiency and vanadium
toxicity both experimentally and epidemiologically. James Olopade
CSHL summer course
fellows report
The Joint Society for Neuroscience International Affairs Committee/National Academy
of Sciences Committee to the International Brain Research Organization (IAC-
USNC/IBRO US/Canada) in collaboration with IBRO sponsor students to participate
in courses at the Marine Biology Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, MA, USA and Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA. The students are all
IBRO alumni, having taken part either in IBRO Neuroscience Schools or the Visiting
Lecture Team Programme. Aniko Ludanyi (Hungary) and Claudia M. Garcia-Peña
(Mexico) describe their experiences on courses at CSHL in 2008.
Aniko Ludanyi, Institute of Experminetal Medicine, Hungarian Academy of
Sciences, Budapest, Hungary: In 2008, I had the great honour of participating in the
Advanced Techniques in Molecular Neuroscience course at CSHL, thanks to the
financial support of IBRO. I work on the fine anatomical structure of the
endocannabinoid system in the hippocampus; the methods we use are principally
descriptive. I wanted to gain a more complex view of the endocannabionid system, so
I needed to investigate functional aspects of this system by the help of molecular
manipulations. The course was a great opportunity for me
to learn new skills from experts and to network with a lot
of interesting people. The practical modules of the course
covered up-to-date experimental techniques, like the use
of viral and BAC vectors, RNAi technique and single cell
PCR techniques. Each module was supervised by skilful
and enthusiastic scientists, to whom we could turn if we
needed practical help or had a question to discuss. Based
on my skills from the ATMN course, we have started doing
experiments by which to examine the in vivo localization
and function of proteins of the endocannabinoid system.
The course instructors also gave detailed lectures to
Aniko Ludanyi explain the theoretical background of the methods. The
invited speakers gave fascinating lectures, and listening to
them has not only expanded my scope in neuroscience, but has also inspired me to
aim high and to do unique and valuable work. Finally, I wish to thank IBRO for the
award that enabled me to attend the CSHL course.
Claudia Garcia-Peña, Biomedical Science Program, Neurobiology Institute,
UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, Mexico: Wonderful things happened to me on the
ATMB course in 2008. I learned techniques that allowed me to visualize and record
biological phenomena in vivo, such as cell migration,
cell proliferation, and many other aspects in mouse
embryos, adult mice, tadpoles. The molecular biology
procedures that I learned helped me understand how
to obtain RNA and DNA fragments and how to disrupt
the translation process with interference RNA.
Besides the scientific aspects, I learned about
different cultures, different traditions from different
countries such as Korea, China, India, Italy, Brazil,
Ukraine, Romania, Germany, Serbia and, of course,
the USA. The diversity of people enriched my mind Claudia Garcia-Peña
and my soul. Thanks for everything!
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 NEUROSCIENCE
NEWS FROM IBRO

Women in World THE BRAIN CAMPAIGN

Neuroscience Programme
Increasing public awareness in neuroscience
Judy Illes, Chair of IBRO’s new
Women in World Neuroscience IBRO’s Public Education Committee, chaired by Elspeth
(WWN) Programme, set the pace McLachlan, continues to spread the word by promoting
when she announced the brain events around the world in a bid to increase
Committee’s Position Statement awareness of the brain and the impact of research on
earlier this year: “Women in World neurological disease worldwide. Through the Brain
Neuroscience was formed to Campaign, the committee, in partnership with DABI
enhance opportunities for work and (Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives), SfN (Society for
career development, mentoring, Neuroscience), EDAB (European Dana Alliance for the
and networking for women in Brain) and FENS (Federation of European Neuroscience
neuroscience. Our vision is for an Associations), encourages and supports brain awareness
improved environment for career events. IBRO provides awards in countries outside North
advancement in neuroscience for America and Europe
Women in World Neuroscience at the SfN
women in all regions of the world Meeting, Washington, DC, 2008
represented in its
with special attention to women in African, Asia-Pacific,
developing countries, and in all aspects of the neuroscience endeavor.” The Central and Eastern Demonstrating cells in Mangalore, India
committee met for the first time during the SfN Meeting in Washington, DC, Europe, and Latin
November 2008, when it made a number of recommendations to further its American regions. Most of these events are held during Brain Awareness Week, held each
mission. At the meeting there was significant discussion about how to encourage March, which has evolved into a powerful global initiative with more than 2,000 partners
girls and young women to pursue interests in science, particularly in cultures in from diverse institutions and associations as well as community groups in 76 countries.
which there are social inequities. Notions of what makes a good mentor were
discussed. It was agreed that educating senior scientists and decision-makers in IBRO also funds the organization of local and national Brain Bee competitions, in
the challenges that women face and suggesting actions that can be taken to create preparation for sending national winners to the International Brain Bee competition run
a gender-friendly workplace will be critical in removing obstacles currently facing by Dr Norbert Myslinski (University of Maryland, USA). In addition, IBRO has translated
women in neuroscience. IBRO members from around the world, all keenly aware the booklet Neuroscience: Science of the Brain into 17 widely spoken languages, and
of the need to improve the situation for women scientists, have formed WWN is currently engaged in additional translations. Current projects include translating
subcommittees to cover such issues as development, outreach, awards, needs basic information about neuroscience for the general public in many countries and
assessment, conferences, socials and press. Sharon Hyrnkow, Orly Weinreb and extending the recent SfN initiative to increase the quality and availability of
Brain child, Perth, Australia
Connie Atwell are due special recognition for their extra efforts in helping to shape neuroscience material in Wikipedia through its web sites in languages other than
and lead the initiatives of the Committee. English. Brain Campaign web site: www.braincampaign.org

Animals in Research Committee holds events Carlos Belmonte awarded

around the world Spanish National Prize in
Biomedical Research
Committee Chair Sharon Juliano reports: The Animals in Research Committee held its Second Workshop on the ethical
issues in animal experimentation at the Institute of Biophysics, Yerevan, Armenia, October 22-23, 2008. Lecture topics
Carlos Belmonte, President of IBRO,
included the fundamentals of animal care, the scale of invasiveness in experimental procedures, and implementation of
Professor in the University Miguel
European directives. The Armenian scientific community received strong support from IBRO on its way to modernizing
Hernandez and founder of centres of
Armenian science. At the end of June 2009, committee member Pedro Maldonado participated in the Ege Biennial
excellence for the study of
International Neuroscience Graduate Summer School, Izmir, Turkey and gave a plenary lecture, Good Conduct of
neurosciences, was awarded the
Experimental Research: New Perspectives, Codes and Practices in Animal Research. He also presented a workshop National Prize in Biomedical Research
during the school. In October 2009, another of our team, Sarah Pallas, participated in the Ricardo Miledi Neuroscience by the Spanish Government in March
Training Program to be presented in Queretaro, Mexico, accompanied by the Director of AAALAC International this year. The National Prize in
(Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care). After an impressive workshop last year in Biomedical Research “Gregorio
Queretaro, Mexico, the team was invited back to give a larger presentation within the structure of the Miledi Training Marañon” was created by the Spanish
Program and in conjunction with the Instituta Neurobiologica, UNAM, Queretaro. They presented a two-day workshop for Government in 2001 together with
the Miledi students and members of the university. In December 2009, the Committee will coordinate a symposium at the similar Prizes in other scientific fields,
Society of Neuroscience in Africa (SONA) Congress in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The symposium will discuss animal and including Biology, Physics and Earth
human ethics (The Value of Ethics in Conducting Research). Sciences, Mathematics, Chemistry,
Natural Resources, Engineering, Carlos Belmonte
Technology, Humanities, and Law and Economics. The Prizes are awarded every
IBRO congratulates Rita Levi- two years to Spanish scientists “who have performed outstanding research of
international relevance and contributed to the advancement of Science,
Montalcini on her 100th year technology transfer and progress of humankind.” Professor Belmonte was
honoured for “his brilliant scientific work and his significant contribution towards
the promotion of biomedical research in Spain and in the international arena.”
Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel laureate, celebrated her 100th birthday in April this
Carlos Belmonte founded and directed the Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante
year. Promoter of science in Italy and supporter of women in science, in 1986 and served as director for over 20 years. The Institute has become the
Rita Levi-Montalcini achieved a career of distinction. In 1986 she was main neuroscience research centre in Spain, where more than 280 people work.
awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, shared with Professor Belmonte is a member the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, the
her colleague Stanley Cohen for the discovery of Nerve Growth Factor. In 2002 Academia Europea, and the Academy of Sciences and Literature, Mainz.
IBRO received a generous donation from the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation to
create two fellowships for young women neuroscientists from Africa. The
Foundation, established by Rita Levi-Montalcini and her late sister Paola, is IBRO to assist WHO in revision of
committed to the education of African girls and young women.
The fellowships are ongoing and have been most successful. Diseases of the Nervous System
Rita Levi- Montalcini once said: "It is imperative to help the young, especially
The World Health Organization (WHO) has started the procedure for revision of the
women, working in places where there is little support for science." International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 Chapter VI: Diseases of the
Rita Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen,
Nervous System. IBRO has been requested to participate and has nominated
Rome, April 22, 2009
Krister Kristensson (WERC member) to represent IBRO. Suggestions for inclusion
in the coming ICD-11 of entries that may be lacking or insufficiently dealt with in
the present edition are welcome. For such suggestions, send a title and a short (2-
3 sentence) definition to the IBRO representative in the International Advisory
Group: Krister Kristensson, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (e-mail:
krister.kristensson@ki.se).

four
 NEUROSCIENCE
NEWS FROM IBRO

8th IBRO World Congress of

Neuroscience, Florence, Italy, Increase in IBRO’s affiliated
July 14-19, 2011 organizations
Young Investigator Visiting Program
Pakistan Society of Basic and Applied
Neuroscience is IBRO’s 84th affiliated member
The Organizing Committee of the 8th IBRO World Congress of
Neuroscience, to be held in Florence, Italy, July 14-19, 2011, is to launch a The Pakistan Society of Basic and Applied Neuroscience (PSBAN) is IBRO’s
Training Program for selected young investigators from countries with latest affiliated organization (AO), bringing the total number of AOs to 84.
limited resources. The Program will arrange, on the occasion of the 8th The Society is represented by Prof. Dr. Kaneez Fatima Shad, Secretary of
IBRO World Congress, one-month stays in European laboratories, which the Society. PSBAN was launched at the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular
will allow guest young investigators to meet senior and junior scientists and Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and
become familiar with the laboratory’s environment, facilities and techniques
Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan in 2007 and registered
in different fields of brain research, and to favour future exchanges and
in May 2008.
networking. Lodging expenses and travel fare to or from Florence (before
or after the Congress) will be covered by the Young Investigator Visiting
Program. The application will be launched in 2009, and the call for
applications and application forms will be available on the Congress web
site www.ibro2011.org and on the IBRO web site www.ibro.info. For more
information contact the Chair of the Young Investigator Visiting Program
Committee, Micaela Morelli: morelli@unica.it

Honours for distinguished neuroscientists

and IBRO members
George Paxinos, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, was
admitted to the Australian Academy of Science (AAS) in May this year. Prof. Paxinos is Chair of IBRO’s World Congress and
Regional Meetings Committee. He is distinguished as a neuroscientist on construction of brain and spinal cord atlases.
As quoted from the Australian Academy of Science: “Election to the Fellowship recognises a career that has significantly
advanced the world's store of scientific knowledge.”

Ying Shing Chan, University of Hong Kong and Chair, IBRO Asia Pacific Regional Committee, 2002-8, was awarded the first
Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS) Medallion at a ceremony at the SfN meeting in Washington, DC, 2008. The Medallion
was awarded in appreciation of Prof. Chan's services to neuroscience in the Asia Pacific region of the world. ANS President
David Vaney stated: "The Society appreciates the seminal contributions that YS has made to the Asia Pacific Regional
Committee of IBRO … we also appreciate his long service to the Executive Committee of the Federation of Asian-Oceanian
Neuroscience Societies (FAONS).” IBRO Information Systems
The purpose of IBRO Information Systems is to support of IBRO’s
Sten Grillner, Nobel Institute for Neurophysiology, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, was awarded the Kavli Prize for Neuroscience fundamental mission - to serve more than 45000 IBRO members through
in September 2008 in Oslo, Norway. He was one of three scientists who won the neuroscience prize: the other two were Pasko more than 20 programmes guided by some 300 committee members, the
Rakic, Yale University School of Medicine, US and Thomas Jessell, Columbia University, US. Sten Grillner is Chair of IBRO's Governing Council representing 85 affiliated organizations, and the core
Memberships and Partnerships Committee and is also President-Elect of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies administration. The major areas of support include:
(FENS). The Kavli Prizes are awarded in the research fields of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. Their founder is
the Norwegian-American businessman and philanthropist Fred Kavli. • Identifying, coordinating and securing the distribution of information and
services to the IBRO community, in particular, the maintenance of web sites,
all interactive data collection for IBRO schools and funding programmes, a
helpline for members at large (help@ibro.info) and the analysis of data
Neuroscience the journal helping the IBRO governance to understand the numerous activities of
IBRO.
• Maintaining the secure, state-of-the-art and cost-effective infrastructure
A message from the Chief Editor with a continuous pursuit for the best choices for growth.
• Establishing strategic development planning within the budgetary and
Ole Petter Ottersen reports: A primary goal of any science journal is to attract the best manuscripts from the leading human resource constraint taking into consideration the lifecycle of
laboratories and to improve further these manuscripts through a fair and competent peer review process. We know that products and services.
the physical appearance of the journal is important, as is the quality of the publishing services and the reviewing and
editorial procedures are important. Neuroscience scores high on these counts, as judged by authors' satisfaction IBRO members: please update your details in the IBRO Members database
for the latest information about IBRO’s activities.
surveys. But even more critical is the speed by which the manuscripts are handled. Every scientist would like to see
that a decision is made as swiftly as possible. Thus a short time to first decision represents a major competitive
advantage for any journal. Neuroscience decided in 2005 that a primary goal of the journal was to cut down the time
to first decision to 30 days. This goal was reached in 2006 and the time to first decision has remained under 30 days
ever since. In 2007 Neuroscience launched a new category of paper: Neuroscience Forefront Reviews. They are by
invitation only and will be written by leading scientists who have introduced new concepts, models or methods in
neurobiology. We hope that the Forefront Reviews will emerge as reference papers in the respective fields. The Forefront
Reviews will be an addition to the regular reviews.

Imaging team win Neuroscience Cover Competition

The winning cover of IBRO’s annual Neuroscience cover competition for 2008 is from an article by F. Luo, T.R.
Seifert, R. Edalji, R.W. Loebbert, V.P. Hradil, J. Harlan, M. Schmidt, V. Nimmrich, B.F. Cox, and G.B. Fox, of the
Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL , USA. The article, 'Non-invasive characterization of -amyloid1-40 vasoactivity
by functional magnetic resonance imaging in mice', published in Neuroscience, Vol. 155, Issue 1 (2008), 263-269.
Co-author Dr Gerard Fox described the research: "The main objective of our Experimental Imaging team, located
within Advanced Technology at Abbott Laboratories, is to develop, apply and translate non-invasive in vivo imaging
in a focused manner to directly impact and de-risk preclinical drug discovery programs, and to effectively translate
these capabilities to clinical programs across our pharmaceutical division. This paper represents an application of
fMRI that allows us to assess the functional effects of exogenous amyloid beta administration and it is this point that
we attempted to convey on the cover image.”

w w w. i b r o . i n f o five
 NEWS FROM THE
REGIONS 2008-2009
IBRO’s Regions continue to develop and expand their neuroscience networks
IBRO is able through its six Regions to give neuroscientists in different parts
of the world a direct voice in defining their needs and priorities in research
and science education. The Regional Committees identify and prioritize
specific activities relevant to their individual Region.
Africa Regional Committee (ARC): Chair Abdul Mohammed. A
Neuroimmunology School was held at the College of Medicine of the Suez
Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, Nov 24-Dec 3, 2008 (organizers: Yasser
Wazir, Nilesh Patel and Krister Kristensson) and supported by UNESCO and
ARC IBRO. The main topic was infectious diseases of the brain, highly
prevalent in the African continent. An
Advanced Behavioural Neuroscience
School (organizers: A. Mohammed and
N. Patel) was held at ICIPE (International
Centre of Insect Physiology and
Ecology), Nairobi, Kenya, Dec 13-20,
2008. The focus was to provide detailed
information on methodology and running
experiments, collect and analyse data,
and present the results of their
experiments. A highlight of the students’
presentation was the talk by Rita Levi-
Montalcini Fellow 2008, Catherine
Gatome, on Neurogenesis in Fruit-eating
Bats. The Association pour la Promotion Rita Levi-Montalcini Fellow
des Neurosciences (APRONES) held its Catherine Gatome speaks
2nd International Congress in in Nairobi
Kinshasa, DR Congo, May 25-26, 2009, in collaboration with the Congolese
League against Epilepsy and the League against Hypertension. The congress
with the themes Epilepsy and Stroke was organized under the auspices of
President Joseph Kabila (organizers: P.M.K. Luabeya and T. Kayembe). A
symposium Environmental Toxicant-induced Neurodegeneration was held
in Kinshasa (DR Congo), May 28, 2009, organized by the Neuroscience
Education Forum (NEF) and sponsored by IBRO. The organizers also received
substantial financial support from the Center for Research on Occupational
and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) at the Oregon Health and Sciences
University. The symposium brought together an international team of
speakers; participants included 15 young doctoral candidates from Congolese
universities and research centres. The 2nd Regional Teaching Course (RTC)
in the Neurological Sciences in Sub-Saharan Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
June 24-27, 2009, was a joint collaboration between EFNS, WFN and IBRO
and hosted by the Neurology Dept (G. Zenebe), Addis Ababa University (AAU)
and the Association of Neurological Sciences of Ethiopia at the Black Lion
Hospital in Addis. European and African faculty members shared their
knowledge and experience, encouraging neurologists in training to excellence
in practice and research. An IBRO school Infections and Brain Dysfunction:
Sleep, Epilepsy and Behaviour took place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, August
25-30, 2009 (organizers: A.K. Njamnshi and K. Kristensson). A neuroscience
school focusing on Clinical Neurophysiology and Diseases of the Nervous
System was organized at the Nemba Hospital Training Centre, Gakenke
District, Rwanda, August 31-Sept 5, 2009 (organizers: P.M.K. Luabeya, D.
Katumbay-Tshiala and R. Kalaria).
Asia Pacific Regional Committee (APRC): Chair Hitoshi Okamoto. (A)
Schools: Our structured 3-tier programmes provide different learning
platforms for young neuroscientists at different stages of their career. 1.
Associate Schools: 5-day, lectures, group discussion (on relevant journal
articles) and demonstration of selected techniques. a) 12th Associate School
(Shanghai, China), June 16–21, 2008. Co-sponsored by International Society
for Neurochemistry and Asia-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (organizer:
Yi-Zhun Zhu, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, China). 27 students were
from Bangladesh, China, India, Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Students also attended the 8th Biennial Scientific Meeting of the Asian-Pacific
Society for Neurochemistry. 2. Schools: 2-week school, lectures, tutorials and
well-defined lab projects (25 students). a) 10th IBRO School of
Neuroscience (Kolkata, India), Dec 29, 2008-Jan 8, 2009 (organizer:
Kochupurackal P Mohanakumar, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology). b) 11th
IBRO School of Neuroscience (Hong Kong, China), Jan 7-17, 2009 (organizer:
Prof. Wing-Ho Yung, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Prof. Ken K.L.
Yung, Hong Kong Baptist University). Twenty-four participants also presented
their own research work at the 6th Asian Biophysics Association Symposium
cum Annual Scientific Conference of the Hong Kong Society of Neurosciences
(Hong Kong, Jan 12-15, 2009). 3. Advanced Schools: Emphasis on problem-
based learning in the design of research projects using state-of-the-art
technology of the host institute. a) 3rd IBRO Advanced School of
Neuroscience (Osaka, Japan), July 14–25, 2008. Co-sponsored by Global
Center of Excellence Summer School, Osaka University (organizer: Izumi
Ohzawa, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University). Some
participants attended RIKEN BSI Summer School after the school. b) ANS-
IBRO Australasian-Asia-Pacific Summer School on Neuroethology (ANU
Kioloa Coastal Campus, Australia), Jan 20-27, 2009 (organizer: Jan M. Hemmi
and Jochen Zeil, Australia National University); co-sponsored by the Australian
Neuroscience Society. Participants had a chance to present their own
research work at the ANS Annual Conference held in Canberra (Jan 27-30,
2009). (B) Exchange Fellowship Scheme: Four candidates (from China,
Hong Kong and India) were awarded fellowships.
Central and Eastern Europe Regional Committee (CEERC): Chair Ryszard
Przewlocki. Our committee continues to encourage and support educational
programmes within the region with special emphasis on empowering
networking between young neuroscientists. To facilitate access to region-
specific information, a new CEERC site was created within the IBRO web site
and is maintained by committee members. The committee has supported
six
meetings of the national neuroscience societies with international participation
from the region, e.g. the 12th Meeting of the Hungarian Neuroscience
Society, Budapest, Hungary, Jan 22-24, 2009. We supported international
conferences and symposia organized in the region: an international symposium
Neuroimaging of Developmental Disorders, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sept 12-
16, 2008, with scientists from more than 14 countries; an IBRO/UNESCO
Workshop: Animal Issues in Scientific Research, Yerevan, Armenia, Oct 22-23,
2008; and a large conference on Mechanisms of the Neuronal and
Neuroendocrine Regulations, Moscow, Nov 24-26, 2008, organized by the
Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS, the Pavlov Russian
Physiology Society and the Dept of Biological Sciences of the Russian
Academy of Sciences. We supported the Slovenian SiNAPSA Neuroscience
Conference with an Educational Workshop on Memory, Ljubljana, Sept 26-
29, 2009; the 9th International Congress of the Polish Neuroscience
Society, Wierzba, Poland, Sept 1-6, 2009, the first FENS Featured Regional
Meeting; and Sleep as a Window to the World of Wakefulness, Rostov-on-
Don, Sept 21-22, 2009, organized by the Russian Somnological Society (RSS)
and sponsored by the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation (RHSF).
CEERC also supported students from the CEERC Mediterranean region to
participate in the First Kemali-IBRO Mediterranean School of
Neuroscience on the neuroscience of synapse, Naples, Italy, Sept 21-30,
2009. A collaborative effort between CEERC and WERC has resulted in
establishing a successful PENS schools programme. The co-operation should
be further strengthened by activation of interregional networking and mobility
of young scientists. This aim could be achieved by promoting short research
goal-directed visits between labs. The programme will allow young scientists
to carry out collaborative studies, learn new techniques, and write joint papers
and grant applications. One of the programme objectives is to attract young
investigators from the WERC region to visit and work in CEERC labs.
Latin America Regional Committee (LARC): Chair Osvaldo Uchitel. (1)
Schools: IV IBRO School of Neuroscience, Brazil, Aug. 25-Sept. 11, 2008,
focused on stem cells, developmental neuroscience and plasticity, and
cognitive neuroscience, carried out in connection with NEUROLATAM (see
below). The 5th Latin American IBRO-LARC Annual School of Neuroscience,
Argentina, Dec. 1-15, 2008, focused on protein folding and aggregation in
neurons: from development to disease. The now traditional regional 14th Latin
American School of Neurosciences, Uruguay, March 16-April 3, 2009, focused
on several aspects of neuroscience. (2) Courses, workshops and symposia:
Fifteen events were carried out in connection with NEUROLATAM. The
following events were approved for the second semester of 2009: Motivated
Behavior, Stress and Addiction: From Molecules to Behavior (Chile); Molecular
& Cellular Mechanisms of Neuronal Damage: Therapeutic Approaches (Chile);
Molecular Basis of Neurodegeneration (Cuba); Psychotropic, Recreative and
Therapeutic Drugs (Argentina); 15th International Symposium on Chromaffin
Cell Biology (Mexico); Mother-Child Relationships (Uruguay); and New Trends
in Motor Learning and Brain Plasticity (Argentina). (3) Intraregional exchange
awards: This programme supports travel of students and postdocs to regional
meetings or to research/training stays in other labs within the region. In the
second semester of 2008, out of 155 applications 82 were approved for
attendance to NEUROLATAM with extra funds from IBRO Central to LARC
and three were approved for research/training lab stays. In 2009, 18 awards
for attendance to meetings and six for research/training stays were granted.
(4) NEUROLATAM: The 1st Neuroscience Congress of Latin America, the
Caribbean and the Iberian Peninsula (NEUROLATAM) was held in Buzios,
Brazil, Sept. 1-4, 2008 with great success. Much of LARC funding normally
allocated to activities throughout the year was awarded to activities in
connection with NEUROLATAM. IBRO Central also made a special
contribution to this congress. (5) FALAN: Following a decision taken at
Foundation of FALAN
NEUROLATAM, representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela founded the Federation of
Neuroscience Societies of Latin America and the Caribbean (FALAN) in
Montevideo, Uruguay, April 2, 2009, during the 14th Latin American School of
Neurosciences, with special support from IBRO Central. The first elected
President of FALAN is Rommy von Bernhardi (Chile). (6) LARC: The annual
LARC committee meeting was held at the same time in Uruguay. New
members joined the committee, which now comprises Osvaldo Uchitel (Chair),
Horacio Vanegas (Vice-Chair), Mario Guido (Treasurer), Alonso Fernandez-
Guasti, Dora Fix Ventura, Luiz Carlos de Lima Silveira, Alejandro Munera and
Fernando Torrealba.
US/Canada Regional Committee (IAC-USNC): Chair Carol Barnes. The
Society for Neuroscience (SfN), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the
Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN) and the Canadian Institute of
Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA) of the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) worked with the IAC-USNC on a number
of activities to further IBRO’s objectives. Financial support for the committee’s
activities is provided by the National Institutes of Health Neuroscience
Blueprint and SfN, as well as IBRO and specific activity supporters. Courses
and workshops in other regions: The IAC-USNC supported the 5th Ege
Biennial International Neuroscience Graduate Summer School, Neuro-Glial
Interactions from Womb to Tomb in Health & Disease, Izmir, Turkey, June 29-
July 3, 2009. The course was targeted at junior scientists and aimed to
advance the knowledge and technical skills of neuroscientists from Turkey,
the Balkans, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Turkic States, and the
Black Sea Region. The next Teaching Tools Workshop will be held in Egypt in
December 2009 in conjunction with the SONA conference. As in past years,
the Grass Foundation and SfN will continue to support the Ricardo Miledi
Program. A course entitled Miledi's Contributions to Translational Science:
Basic Neurobiology and Clinical Aspects will be held at Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Queretaro, Sept 14-Oct 9, 2009. IBRO North
American Schools: The committee worked with IBRO’s Board of Schools
and the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory (CSHL) to identify highly qualified research trainees (IBRO alumni)
to participate in summer neuroscience courses there. Eight students from
Hungary, India, Latin America and South Africa were awarded funds. The 3rd
Canadian IBRO School in Neurodegeneration and Regeneration was held in
Vancouver, May 24-June 3, 2009. Twelve students from seven different
countries attended the course, with students from the Asia Pacific region
enrolling for the first time since the school began. Travel Fellowships: In
addition to the CSHL, MBL and Ricardo Miledi travel fellowships, SfN
supported 30 students from resource-restricted countries to present their
research at SfN 2009, Chicago, IL. Committee Realignment: The IAC-USNC
(International Affairs Committee-US National Committee for IBRO) has
separated into two committees. The programmes and activities supported by
the IAC-USNC are continuing, but will be carried out by either the Society for
Neuroscience’s International Affairs Committee or by IBRO’s US-Canada
Regional Committee. Each committee remains dedicated to the dissemination
of knowledge to the world's neuroscientists, the promotion of research and
professional training activities across international borders, and the
enhancement of public awareness of neuroscience worldwide.
Western Europe Regional Committee (WERC): Chair Monica Di Luca. The
WERC aims to foster neuroscience in Western European countries, promoting
mobility in and out of Europe and sustaining educational programmes. In 2009
many initiatives, conferences and schools were supported to generate a
European platform for exchanges for our young colleagues. We supported
the 3rd Edition of the Official Master Program on Neurosciences and
Behavioral Biology, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain, organized by
José Delgado García. The school provides Spanish-speaking postgraduate
students with adequate training to obtain a PhD in Neuroscience and
Behavioral Biology. The Pablo de Olavide University also provides the whole
legal framework necessary to extend validation of the corresponding official
degrees to all the foreign universities and institutions collaborating with the
program. We awarded travel grants to PhD students and young postdocs
attending the 5th International Meeting Steroids and Nervous System,
Torino, Italy, Feb 14-18, 2009, organized by R. Melcangi and G. C. Panzica,
and the symposium New Frontiers in Neurophotonics, Bordeaux, France,
Oct 20-23, 2008, organized by Daniel Choquet, a new programme covering
non-linear optics for neuroscience, new probes for imaging, high-resolution
imaging of neuronal structures and functions, and nanoscale organization of
the synapse. New initiatives launched in 2009: The InEUROPE (IntraEuropean
Mobility Project) funds study visits to European institutions by researchers
working in Europe to acquire new methods or specific techniques that are
necessary for their work. This project is a close collaboration between CEERC
and WERC and will be open soon for application. WERC supported a
programme for training and short visits of young investigators from countries
with limited resources in European laboratories; this will take effect at the
IBRO Congress 2011 in Florence, Italy. WERC helped the committee (M.
Morelli and M. Pizzi, Italian Society of Neuroscience, and L. Fagni, French
Society of Neurosciences) to create a network of European Institutions
offering training for young investigators and to disseminate the initiatives in
research and academic institutions in less well-funded countries. Finally,
WERC continued its cooperation with CEERC and FENS (Federation of
European Neuroscience Societies) on the PENS (Programme of European
Neuroscience Schools) committee, whose primary goal under the guidance of
Roberto Caminiti is to organize the PENS schools.
Official Master Program, Seville, Spain
 EDUCATION & TRAINING
2008-2009
Expansion of Neuroscience Schools around the World
IBRO has unique expertise and experience in training programmes
that focus on fostering international contacts in brain research. Since
1999, IBRO has run a Neuroscience Schools Programme, organized
by the committees of the IBRO’s six Regions of the world and aimed
at creating interactive networks among students and teachers during
training courses. Twenty-nine schools are planned for 2009; a
selection of reports for 2008-09 follows.
Africa Region
Workshop on Chronobiology and Sleep: Ouarzazate, Morocco,
Oct 20-27, 2008. The school was a joint venture between IBRO,
UNESCO IBRO-IBSP (International Basic Sciences Programme) and
the International Society of Neurochemistry (ISN) and was also in
partnership with the Province of Ouarzazate. Students were from
Egypt, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, DRC, Kenya, Senegal and
South Africa. The workshop included two days of lectures open to
the public at the Palais des Congrès, Ourzazate, with wide
participation of school students. Afternoons were devoted to
technical workshops on video track recording of the study of animal
activity and behaviour and neuronal stimulation using The Nerve
Network Software (Dr Sernagor), and workshops on experiment
design, statistical analysis and setting up a lab in Africa. A three-
hour session was spent on 10-min presentations by each student.
A 90-min session dealt with resources available to students in Africa
from IBRO and ISN programmes.
Ouarzazate workshop
Neuroimmunology of Disease Course: Ismailia, Egypt, Nov 24-
Dec 3, 2008. Thirty students came from South Africa, Kenya,
Nigeria, Sudan, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Egypt. The first part of
the school was devoted to basic immunology covering the
fundamentals of innate and adaptive immune responses,
cytokines/chemokines and signalling molecules in immune defence.
Lab work included ELISA, immunofluorescence and immune fixation
techniques for selection of monoclonal bands. The second part
presented an overview of the basics of the nervous system and its
interaction with the immune system in health and disease, including
the immune-mediated disorders of the nervous system. Lab
demonstrations involved perfusion and brain dissection,
immunohistochemistry of brain sections, culture of nervous tissues,
and ionic channel analyses. A UNESCO IBRO-IBSP partnership.
School on Behavioural Neuroscience: Nairobi, Kenya, Dec 13-20,
2008. Students from Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda,
Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Cameroon attended the school which
covered the principles and use of different lab techniques and
methodology in quantitative studies in behaviour. The
appropriateness of the different methods in assessing different
behavioural and emotional states were included as well as
experimental design, relevant statistical analysis, paper writing,
publication process, and elements of proposal writing. The students
ran experiments, collected and analysed data and presented the
results. An INMHA/UNESCO IBRO-IBSP partnership.
w w w. i b r o . i n f o
Asia Pacific Region
IBRO School of Neuroscience: Hong Kong, Jan 6-17, 2009. The
Hong Kong Society of Neuroscience hosted an IBRO School of
Neuroscience with the purpose of providing a platform for senior
PhD students and junior postdoctoral fellows in the Asia Pacific
region to meet in an environment where they could acquire
knowledge of both theoretical and technological advances in key
areas of neuroscience research. Attending were 23 participants from
six countries in the Asia Pacific region.
IBRO-ANS (Australian Neuroscience Society) Advanced
Neuroscience School on Neuroethology: Australian National
University, Canberra, Australia, Jan 20-27, 2009, in conjunction with
the 2009 ANS Meeting in Canberra, Jan 27-30, 2009.
Neuroethologists seek to understand biodiversity from the
perspective of neural systems and behaviour. The IBRO-ANS School
aimed to provide a forum for the next generation of neuroscientists
from across the Australasian and Asia Pacific region to meet and
interact with established neuroethologists from around the world and
to get an overview of current neuroethological research in Australia.
Advanced School on Neuroethology, Canberra
Latin America Region
5th Latin American IBRO/LARC-INMHA Annual School of
Neurosciences: Protein Folding and Aggregation in Neurons: From
Development to Disease, Córdoba y Rosario, Argentina, Dec 3-17,
2008. In the last few years, a growing body of evidence has emerged
that points to protein misfolding, aggregation and accumulation as
key pathogenic events common to most (if not all)
neurodegenerative diseases. Scientists from America and Europe
focused their teaching on the molecular mechanisms of
neurodegenerative disorders using a multidisciplinary approach. Up-
to-date scientific information and state of the art technologies were
presented in the context of protein misfolding and neuronal
dysfunction. The course included intense theoretical and practical
sessions and interaction between scientists and students was
encouraged in all academic activities as well as in other daily
activities that were organized for all participants, such as a session
for students’ presentations and round tables.
Latin American Advanced School of Neuroscience: Montevideo,
Uruguay, March 16-April 3, 2009. The school was directed by
Federico Dajas and Omar Macadar; participants included 28
graduate students from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba,
Peru, Venezuela, Spain and Uruguay and 40 lecturers. The school
encompassed the field of neuroscience from cellular and synaptic
physiology to systems and behaviour. The lectures included: basic
neurophysiology, development and neurogenesis, glia-neuron
interactions, neurodegeneration and neuroprotection, neural
systems underlying behaviour, and neuroethology. Students carried
out hands-on work and learned different techniques: intracellular
recording, patch clamp, extracellular field recording, cell culture,
microdialysis, molecular analysis, immunohistochemistry, hypoxia-
ischemia models, behavioural experiments, and modeling. Other
activities included specialized scientific meetings with local and
invited scientists; round tables on animal care and how to develop
a scientific career in Latin America; two mini-symposia ‘Neural
Codes and Plasticity’ and ‘Neurodegeneration and
Neuroprotection’. The school was sponsored by the International
Society for Neurochemistry (ISN), Agencia Nacional de Investigación
e Innovación (ANII), International Society for Neuroethology (ISN),
Programa de Desarrollo de Ciencias Básicas (PEDECIBA), Comisión
Sectorial de Investigación Científica (CSIC-UdelaR), Labimed SA,
Sociedad de Neurociencias del Uruguay (SNU), and Sociedad
Uruguaya de Biociencias (SUB).
Montevideo School
US/Canada
3rd Canadian IBRO School of Neuroscience: Neurodegeneration
and Regeneration, Vancouver, Canada, May 24-June 3, 2009.
Twelve students from Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, China, India,
Morocco, Kenya and Cuba enrolled in the school. There was a
strong emphasis on teaching comparative strategies most efficiently
to model neuro-degeneration and apply combinatorial regenerative
strategies. Students were encouraged at each stage to consider
humanistic and ethical principles into their training. The faculty
comprised a team of neuroscientists/clinician-scientists bridging
between basic science and clinical medicine; they emphasized the
power of collaboration in advancing understanding of
neurodegenerative disease pathology and designing novel repair
strategies. A variety of clinical (PET, MRI) and scientific (confocal, 2-
photon) imaging approaches were taught and demonstrated. The
course included intense theoretical and practical sessions, and
interaction between scientists and students was promoted in all
academic activities as well as in other daily activities, such as a
session for students’ presentations and round tables. National and
international sponsors were IBRO, Montreal Neurological Institute,
Canadian Association of Neurosciences (CAN), INMHA (Canada),
IAC-USNC (North American IBRO Regional Committee).
Western Europe and Central & Eastern Europe Regions
The Western Europe Regional Committee (WERC), the Central &
Eastern Regional Committee (CEERC) and the Federation of
European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) continue their
successful collaboration in the organization of the Programme of
European Neuroscience Schools (PENS). There were seven
schools planned for 2009: Training in Sleep Research and Sleep
Medicine, Bertinoro, Italy, May 8-13, 2009; European Pain
School, Siena, Italy, June 13-20, 2009; Stress, Drug Addiction
and Eating Disorders, Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 21-28, 2009;
Metabolic Aspects of Chronic Brain Diseases, Günzburg,
Germany, July 9-5, 2009; Advanced Course in Computational
Neuroscience, Freiburg, Germany, August 3-28, 2009;
Neurodevelopmental Programming and Phenotypic Plasticity,
Rhodes, Greece, Sept 6-13, 2009; Synaptic Mechanisms and
Synaptopathies, Bordeaux, France, Sept 13-Oct 2, 2009
Visiting and Lecture Team Programme
The Visiting Lecture Team Programme (VLTP) runs lecture courses
for young neuroscience students in less well-funded, often remote
parts of the world. The programme is run by a team of international
neuroscientists and organized in collaboration with local and
regional neuroscience associations. The Grass Foundation has been
the major partner in funding VLTP courses since 2003.
San José, Costa Rica, July 30-August 6, 2008. Eighty students
from eight Caribbean countries attended the lecture course that
aimed to expose them to modern techniques and multidisciplinary
approaches to study the brain. There were 30 international faculty.
The course followed the usual VLTP format: daily one-hour small-
group sessions, each group led by one of the VLTP lecturers.
Lecturers led a daily 1-2 hour tutorial on how to present 10-min talks
for international meetings.
Asunción, Paraguay, Sept 3-5, 2008. The 40 students participating
were in the third, fourth and fifth years of medical school and were
keen to learn about modern research on the nervous system. Each
morning there were three lectures, with the aim of showing students
how to carry out experiments with limited resources as well as
presenting interesting advances in neurobiology. Each day lecturers
met with three or four groups and carried out experiments.
The lecturers discussed the concept of double-blind experiments,
how to evaluate data, how to plan the next experiments.
seven

Neuroscience
networking in
Latin America
The foundation of the Federation of
Neuroscience Societies of Latin
America and the Caribbean (FALAN) in
Montevideo, Uruguay on April 2, 2009
was witnessed by IBRO Secretary-
General Marina Bentivoglio and marked
the beginning of a new liaison between
the Federation and IBRO. Osvaldo
Uchitel, Latin America Regional
Committee (LARC) Chair, predicts:
“FALAN will soon play a prominent role
in the development of the
neurosciences in Latin America by
becoming an international voice to
increase awareness on the subject.
FALAN’s main goals are focused in
fostering the interaction between the
scientific communities in our continent
by creating networks and organizing
meetings with significant participation
of students and young scientists.”
Rommy von Bernhardi, President of
FALAN, commented: “IBRO’s knowhow
and administrative organization will be
very valuable for the establishment of
FALAN’s structure and initial activities.
IBRO will also be needed partially to
support some activities, especially
those oriented to the empowerment of
the smaller neuroscience communities
that lack resources. FALAN expects to
promote development of neuroscience
in the underrepresented countries by
organizing regional thematic advanced
courses taught by neuroscientists from
the region."
IBRO in continuing
collaboration with
EFNS and WFN
Raj Kalaria, former Africa Regional
Committee (ARC) Chair, reports on a
healthy clinical-basic partnership:
“IBRO Africa has been forging strong
links with the major neurological
federations to promote clinical
n e u ro s c i e n c e s i n A f r i c a . O u r
collaboration with the World Federation
of Neurology (WFN) and the European
Federation of Neurological Societies
(EFNS) continues to thrive. An initiative
led by EFNS President Jacques De
Reuck (Belgium) reached another
milestone in June 2009 with the 2nd
Regional Teaching Course (RTC) in the
Neurological Sciences with the themes
Stroke and Epilepsy in Sub-Saharan
Africa, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
June 24-27, 2009; it was a joint co-
operation between EFNS, WFN and
IBRO and hosted by the Neurology
Dept (G. Zenebe), Addis Ababa
University (AAU) and the Association of
Neurological Sciences of Ethiopia at
the Black Lion Hospital in Addis.
European and African faculty members
s h a re d t h e i r k n o w l e d g e a n d
experience, encouraging neurologists
in training towards excellence in
practice and research. IBRO ARC-
SONA has also renewed links with
PAANS (Pan African Association of
Neurological Sciences) with the intent
of making the African Journal of
Neurological Sciences a more robust
publication. The event was made
possible by generous contributions
from UNESCO and IBRO.”
eight
IBRO’S PARTNERSHIPS
IN THE WORLD OF NEUROSCIENCE
UNESCO IBSP-IBRO in Africa, 2008-2010 PENS, FENS
A partnership between UNESCO’s International Basic
and Europe
Sciences Programme (IBSP) and IBRO was formed a year ago
with the aim of developing and sustaining brain research
Across Europe there is a large networking
factor emerging. PENS (Programme of
across the African continent. In March 2009 in Paris, the European Neuroscience Schools) is a joint
UNESCO Director General published a report, The IBRO/FENS (Federation of European
Development and Outcomes of the International Basic Neuroscience Societies) programme that
Sciences Programme, in which is described “the development not only trains students and young
of the IBRO/UNESCO African Neuroscience Network that investigators throughout Europe, but also
seeks to establish effective research collaboration between assists the development of neuroscience
national institutions, increase the quantity and quality of outside Europe by training promising
neuroscience training in Africa, facilitate the access of African students who intend to return to their home
trainees to schools and courses organized in other regions countries. FENS President Helmut
and encourage and support the return to their home country Kettenman says: “FENS sees itself as part
and partner of IBRO. Our common
of well-trained African researchers.” The enterprise, Ismailia School: IBRO Secretary-General Marina
initiative, the PENS schools, is a
sometimes also involving other partners (European Federation Bentivoglio centre at table
continuous success and a highlight of
of Neurological Societies, World Federation of Neurology, Society for Neuroscience, Institute of Neurosciences, Mental FENS activities.” The Western Europe
Health and Addiction) has proved to be highly successful with schools and workshops being held across Africa, from Regional Committee (WERC) and Central &
Senegal to Morocco, Rwanda to Ghana, DR Congo to Egypt. Eastern Europe Committee (WERC) work
with FENS in the running of the PENS
schools; the successful collaboration
continues. CEERC Chair Ryszard
Przewlocki says of this collaborative effort
SfN and IBRO work together in (CEERC/WERC) that “the co-operation
should be further strengthened by
commitment to disadvantaged countries activation of interregional networking and
mobility of young scientists. This could be
achieved by promoting short research visits
As part of the group working with the IBRO US/Canada Regional Committee (IAC-USNC), the Society for Neuroscience between labs.” In her report on WERC
(SfN) has been involved in a number of activities over the last year, including the 1st Teaching Tools School and activities (see p. 6), Monica Di Luca
describes the new project InEUROPE
Neuroscience Workshop, Saly, Senegal, June 2008; the 2nd Teaching Tools School and Neuroscience Workshop,
(IntraEuropean Mobility Project), which
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Dec, 2009; 2nd Canadian IBRO School, Montreal, Canada, May, 2008; and the 3rd IBRO funds study visits to European institutions
Canadian School, Vancouver, Canada, May 2009. SfN Travel Grants were awarded to IBRO alumni to participate in the by European researchers to acquire new
SfN Annual Meeting 2008 as well as MBL (Marine Biology Laboratory) and CSHL (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) techniques, as “a close collaboration
summer courses. SfN also contributed funding for one IBRO Return Home Fellowship. between CEERC and WERC.”
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) has
Carol Barnes, Past President and Chair, International Affairs Committee, Society for Neuroscience, commented: “The
recently joined the European network: SfN,
IAC-USNC and SfN are pleased with the results of another year of successful collaboration with IBRO in support of
FENS (Federation of European
our common goal of advancing neuroscience in developing countries. With the recent enhancements to SfN’s Neuroscience Societies), IBRO and PENS
international strategy and changes to committee structure, we look forward to a new phase in SfN’s ongoing close are organizing the first joint PENS-SfN
collaboration with IBRO, one that maximizes our organizations’ unique and complementary strengths in pursuit of our School in Naples, Italy, March 2010:
respective missions.” http://mars.glia.mdc-berlin.de/pens
Asia Pacific energy in brain research
On her visit to Japan, Korea and China in July, Secretary-General Marina
Bentivoglio met many distinguished neuroscientists and experienced firsthand the
impressive development of neuroscience in those countries. At RIKEN Institute,
near Tokyo, Japan, Prof. Bentivoglio met Tadaharu Tsumoto, President of the
Japan Neuroscience Society (JNS), who expressed a highly positive view of IBRO’s
worldwide activities. Prof. Tsumoto represents JNS, a distinguished member of
IBRO, on the IBRO Governing Council. IBRO congratulates JNS for its growth,
welcomes its plans to promote internationalization and collaboration.
With a large number of academic institutions having set neuroscience as a priority
in the life sciences, and with very active exchanges between Japanese and
Chinese neuroscience communities, brain research is flourishing in South Korea.
In Seoul Marina Bentivoglio met Prof. Yoo-Hun Suh, Director, the Neuroscience
Research Institute, the Cognitive Science Institute, and the National Creative Kyungjin Kim, Marina Bentivoglio
and Yoo-Hun Suh, Seoul, Korea
Research Institute Center for Alzheimer’s Dementia, also a member of IBRO’s Asia
Pacific Regional Committee, and Prof. Kyungjin Kim, Director of a nationwide
research program, the 21st Frontier Program in Neuroscience. President of the
Korean Society for Brain and Neural Science, an affiliated member of IBRO. Open
to collaboration, Korean neuroscience will strengthen its ties with IBRO in
international initiatives. In addition to the Korean Society for Brain and Neural
Science, the Societies for Brain Imaging and for Neurodegenerative Diseases (Prof.
Yoo-Hun Sun is President of the latter) have been founded in South Korea in recent
years, bridging the basic and translational neurosciences. IBRO looks with Marina Bentivoglio with Qunyuan Xu, Capital
Medical University, Beijing, China
admiration and high expectations at the growing Korean neuroscience community,
with which joint ventures will increasingly be established. Masao Ito (RIKEN) and Hitoshi plays an increasing role in IBRO activities in
Okamoto (APRC Chair), Tokyo, Japan the pursuit for worldwide cooperation in brain
The rapidly expanding neuroscience community in China is becoming a “Dragon” research. She also received a warm welcome from colleagues of the Taiwanese
of Chinese science and maintains strong ties with IBRO, with whom it has been a
Society for Neuroscience, with fruitful discussions about the present and future
close partner since IBRO’s foundation. Ever keen to strengthen international work on brain research in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Tainan.
cooperation, China has hosted many IBRO activities (especially IBRO schools)
both on the mainland and in Hong Kong. Emerging onto the Asian and global stage Former APRC Chair Ying Shing Chan describes the importance of partnership:
of brain research, Chinese institutions are now recruiting Chinese investigators “IBRO-APRC has through its schools created learning platforms for training young
trained abroad (Europe, USA, Japan) as well as foreign scientists. In Beijing, Xi’an, neuroscientists; it also maintains a close interaction with the Federation of Asian-
Hangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong, where centres of excellence have been Oceanian Neuroscience Societies (FAONS). IBRO’s role in our region has escalated
established, Prof. Bentivoglio met many Chinese neuroscientists who play leading steadily thanks to the enthusiasm of newly elected leaders of national
roles in Chinese neuroscience. IBRO will stand close by the “Neuro-Dragon” as it neuroscience societies in the region.”