IBRO News 2002

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PERGAMONElsevier Science,The Boulevard, Langford Lane,Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK

© IBRO VOLUME 30 2002

International Brain Research Organizationwww.ibro.orgINSIDE: FUNDING NEWS … TOP RESEARCH FELLOWS ANNOUNCED … NEUROSCIENCE

SCHOOLS … GRANTS TO RETURN HOME … TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The Congress Committee hopes that as members of IBRO you are already making yourplans to attend the Sixth IBRO World Congressof Neuroscience, which will be held in Prague,capital of the Czech Republic and one of themost beautiful cities in Europe, 10-15 July 2003.

By the 15 December 2001 deadline, we werepleased to receive a total of 199 symposiumproposals, over 70 plenary lecture proposals, anda number of proposals for workshops and satellite symposia.The range of topics represented in the proposals and the scientificquality and geographical distribution of the proposed speakers and lecturers ensured thatthe Congress will feature an exciting and timelyscientific program, focusing on the most important topics and ideas in contemporaryneuroscience, discussed by leaders in the field from the international neuroscience community.The 29-member Scientific ProgramCommittee had a very difficult job of evaluation and selection, as the constraints of theCongress scheduleallow for 67 symposia and 9 plenary lectures tobe included in thefinal Congress program,Thus onlyone-third of the symposium proposals and one-sixth of the plenary lecture proposals could be selected for the Congress.The final decisions

were made at a meeting of the ProgramCommittee held in Prague in March 2002.Full details of the scientific program can be foundat the Congress website www.IBRO2003.cz.Although space precludes a complete listing ofthe 67 accepted symposia here, we are pleased toreport that the Congress plenary lectures will begiven by:Yehezkel Ben-Ari (France), Linda Buck(USA), Elena Cattaneo (Italy), Pietro De Camilli(USA), Uta Frith (UK),Ann Graybiel (USA), MichelLazdunski (France), Freda Miller (Canada) andYasushi Miyashita (Japan).The Presidential Lecturewill be given by Jan Bures (Czech Rep.).There willbe two pre-Congress satellite symposia: CentralAuditory Processing and Plasticity, organized byJ. Syka (Czech Rep.) and M. Merzenich (USA), and

Neural Stem Cells and Brain Repair, organized by F. Gage (USA),A. Bjorklund (Sweden) and E.Sykova (Czech Rep.).There will be a post-Congress satellite symposium Brain

Communication, organized by E. Sykova(Czech Rep.), K. Fuxe (Sweden), C.

Nicholson (USA) and E. S.Vizi(Hungary), as well as a

post-Congress meeting heldin Warsaw, Poland,Integrative Activity of theBrain: Jerzy KonorskiMemorial Symposium,organized by L.Kaczmarek (Poland), K.Zielinski (Poland) and B.

Zernicki (Poland).

Distribution of the FinalCongress Announcement and

Call for Abstracts has begun.Thedeadline for abstract submission and

early registration is 31 January 2003.Complete information and forms for abstract

submission, registration and accommodationreservations are available online at the Congresswebsite, www.IBRO2003.cz. which gives complete details of the Congress program andthe satellite events, and to submit your abstractand registration prior to the 31 January 2003 deadline.

We welcome you to Prague in 2003 for a memorable scientific and cultural experience.

Jan Bures, Congress Honorary PresidentJosef Syka, Congress PresidentEva Syková, Congress Secretary General

With the development of many new programmes and projects over the last 12 months, and with the number of its Member Societies at 61, IBRO isable to see its role in world neuroscience, to enhance the skills and resources of neuroscientists around the world, come closer to fruition.The division of IBRO into 6 semi-autonomous Regions in 1999 (Africa,Asian-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America,Western Europe,US/Canada) has brought about a more balanced setting in which neuroscientists can identify their own needs and priorities.The Regional Committees are responsible for their own regional activities and thus are aware of local aspirations. IBRO can help meet these needsthrough its funding and education and training programmes.

IBRO'S SERVICE TO NEUROSCIENCE EXPANDS

IBRO's funding programmes have multiplied, among them a majorresource section, Neuro-grants Info, the Levi Montalcini fellowshipsspecifically for young African women scientists, Grants to Return Home.The expansion of IBRO's training and education programmes will helpdevelop and reinforce the skills of young neuroscientists by guiding themalong the paths to acquiring the skills necessary to achieve a successfulcareer in neuroscience research. 'Map & Compass' on the IBRO weboffers a variety of skills; 'IBRO-Edu', an educational resource project,identifies organized access to educational material in neurosciencealready available on the web. Go to www.ibro.org for all informationabout IBRO's programmes.Secretary-General Albert Aguayo, the force behind many of the newprogrammes, has always recognized the extensive gap between neuroscience resources in privileged and less privileged countries.Through IBRO he continues to attempt to bridge that gap.

Albert Aguayo, Nouria Lakhdar-Ghazal, Raj Kalaria at the IBRO Neuroscience School, Rabat, April 2002. Report p. 5

IBRO'S AFFILIATEDSOCIETIES

At the time of going to press, IBRO was welcoming the Kenya Neurosciences Societyas its 62nd Member Society. One of IBRO'spriorities is to expand its collaboration with

its Affiliated Societies so that they may benefit from the many programmes and services IBRO has to offer. IBRO aims to

increase its interactions with them throughbetter communication, the ongoing

expansion of its programmes and the sharingof didactic and scientific material that it is

being generated around the world.

IBRO is pleased to announce the Federations of European NeuroscienceSocieties' (FENS) decision on 16 July to reaffirm its membership in IBRO and topoint out that 7 neuroscience societiesacquired IBRO membership between

November 2001 and July 2002.

All Affiliated Societies automatically becomemembers of the IBRO Governing Council

and thus have direct input into IBRO's activities. Over the past year there has beenan interchange of press releases between theIBRO web site and the societies' web sites,

yet another way of disseminating the world'sneuroscience news and events.

Check www.ibro.org for a full list ofAssociated Societies.

WELCOME TO PRAGUE 2003!

Thabelo Khoboko (Lesotho) (top) and Amina El Ayadi (Morocco) (bottom right). Report p. 3

Neuroscientists Awarded New Levi Montalcini Fellowships

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INTERNATIONALBRAIN RESEARCHORGANIZATION

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PresidentTorsten Wiesel (USA)

Secretary-GeneralAlbert Aguayo (Canada)

TreasurerPiergiorgio Strata (Italy)

By InvitationJennifer Lund (USA)Steve Redman (Australia)Chairs of the IBRO Regional CommitteesR. N. Kalaria (African)Y.S. Chan (Asian-Pacific)T. F. Freund (Central and Eastern Europe)O. Macadar (Latin America)D. Choi (US/Canada)G. Di Chiara (Western Europe)

IBRO SECRETARIAT

Executive DirectorOlga Popoff

Assistant Executive DirectorStephanie de La Rochefoucauld51, Bd. de Montmorency,75016 Paris, FrancePhone: +33-1-46-47-92-92Fax: +33-1-45-20-60-06E-mail:[email protected]: www.ibro.org

IBRO NEWS

EditorAndrée BlakemoreOffice of IBRO NewsUniversity Laboratory of PhysiologyParks Road,Oxford OX1 3PT, UKFax: +44-1865-430982E-mail: [email protected]

IBRO SYMPOSIA &WORKSHOPSFUNDINGPROGRAMMEIBRO invites requests for partial funding ofSymposia and Workshops on important topicsin neuroscience with the aim of encouragingneuroscience research and scholarship inregions of the world with limited funds for science. Participants should represent theinternational neuroscience community as wellas regional interests. Meetings should have aclear focus on a particular topic. Preferencewill be given to activities that include youngerscientists and offer training for scientists fromless privileged countries.Applicants are encouraged to include a component available publicly on the web thatcould involve participant discussion eitherbefore or after a symposium or workshop.Such discussions might, for example, includeopportunities for students and others to askquestions, make suggestions and provide relevant information.Symposia should deal with topics of key interest, specialized or broad, with background

talks to help those unfamiliar with the material,as well as accounts of current research.Workshops are more technical and practicalin orientation.A major portion of the programme should involve discussion, practicalteaching of techniques, and the presentation ofconcepts and controls necessary for experimental work.Workshops that bring useful techniques and donate permanent equipment to poorly funded countries areencouraged.Deadlines: Proposals will be reviewed twice ayear. Deadlines for receiving proposals are 1 February and 1 September.Proposals will be reviewed by the FundingProgramme Committee, which will make funding recommendations to IBRO's ExecutiveCommittee.A decision on funding will be madein April for applications submitted for the 1February deadline and in November for applications submitted for the 1 Septemberdeadline.Guidelines for Applicants: There is no official form for proposals. For applicationdetails, go to the IBRO web sitehttp://ibro.org/secondary/about/p/symposia.htm Proposals should be sent by email [email protected] to expedite processing.Include "SWFP Application" in the Subject heading and use attachments in .pdf or .rtf format.For information about the Symposia &Workshop Programme and awards go to:

ibro.org/secondary/about/p/symposia.htm

FUNDING AND RESOURCES

IBRO RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS 2004IBRO Research Fellowships for neuroscientists from developing countries under the age of 45 to work for one month to one year abroad.INSERM/IBRO Research Fellowship for a neuroscientist under the age of 45 to work for one year in France in an INSERM-sponsored laboratory.Application forms and attachments for both fellowships should preferably be submitted electronically to the IBRO Secretariat at [email protected] by1 April 2003.Application forms and more information can be found on the IBRO web site www.ibro.org. Hard copy of the following are requiredand to be sent by regular mail or courier (no fax) to the IBRO Secretariat, 51 Bd de Montmorency, 75016 Paris, France by 1 April 2003: a) Acceptancefrom host scientist b) Reference from present supervisor c) If available, evidence or offer that you will have a position to return to in your homecountry after the fellowship.The awards will be announced by the end of June 2003.

Nine IBRO Research Fellows were chosenfor the year 2003.They are from 7 countries- Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, China, Nigeria,Russia and Ukraine.The Fellows are all ofhigh calibre and are prepared to return totheir home countries to continue neuroscience research there.

'Outstanding Fellows' Announced

Two of the awardees were nominated'Outstanding Fellows': Dr Francisco Capanifrom Argentina and Dr Yong Li from China.This is the first time this category of fellowship has been introduced in recognitionof scientists with extraordinary potential andcapability for further development in the areaof neuroscience research.They are selectedfrom amongst all the top-ranking Fellowsfrom all regions.

Francisco Capani, 33, is at present working at the Instituto de Biologia Celular y Neurosciencias Profesor E. De Robertis, School of Medicine,University of Buenos Aires,Argentina, studying the ultrastructural, biochemical plastic changes in rat brain synapses following injury.With his IBROFellowship he hopes to work at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden with Professor Oleg Shupliakov, and study the coupling between the endocytosis and actin-based transport of vesicles.

Yong Li, a 34-year-old neuroscientist from China, is currently a Ph.D. student at the Department of Neurobiology & Biophysics, University of Scienceand Technology of China in Anhui Province, is expecting to graduate in early 2003. His research foci are in the cellular and molecular mechanisms ofcross-inhibition between GABAA and glycine receptors, of ischemic insult and its prevention and cure, and of tyrosine phosphorylation of NMDAreceptor after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. He hopes that his Fellowship will support his training at Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, Francewhere he will work with Dr P. Legendre to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between glycine and GABAAreceptors using a combination of electrophysiological and molecular biological approaches.

Kwok-Fai SoChair, IBRO Fellowships and Travel Grants Committee

Francisco Capani (Argentina) Yong Li (China)

OCTOBER 2003-MARCH 2004IBRO offers Travel Grants to high-quality neuroscientists from less developed and lesswell-funded countries to participate at international neuroscience meetings. Priority willbe given to those who have not obtained anIBRO Travel Grant in the last 3 years.The awardswill be announced by the end of June 2003.

Application forms and more information abouttravel grants can be found on the IBRO web sitewww.ibro.org.Application forms should be submitted, preferably electronically, [email protected] by 1 April 2003. Hard copiesto be sent by regular mail or courier (no fax) tothe IBRO Secretariat, 51 Bd de Montmorency,75016 Paris, France by 1 April 2003.

TRAVEL GRANTS 2004

Animals in Research Sharon Juliano (USA) [email protected]

Board of Neuroscience SchoolsJohn G. Hildebrand (USA) [email protected]

Bylaws and ProceduresKeir Pearson (Canada) [email protected]

Fellowships and Travel GrantsKwok-Fai So (Hong Kong)[email protected]

FinancePiergorgio Strata (Italy)[email protected]

Neuroscience HistoryCharles G. Gross (USA)[email protected]

IBRO-EduAnte L. Padjen (Canada) [email protected]

IBRO on the WebAndree Blakemore (UK) (Senior Editor)[email protected]

Membership and PartnershipsSten Grillner (Sweden)[email protected]

Neuro-GrantsA Bulloch (Canada) [email protected]

Neuroscience LibrariesRoger Butterworth (Canada) [email protected]

Nominating CommitteeAnnica Dahlström (Sweden)[email protected]

PublicationsJennifer S. Lund (USA)[email protected]

Symposia and WorkshopsKenneth J. Muller (USA) [email protected]

World CongressEva Sykova (Czechoslovakia) [email protected]

IBRO'S COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS

Send your news and events announcements for the IBRO web site to [email protected]

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FUNDING AND RESOURCES

GRANTS TO RETURNHOMEA large proportion of postdoctoral traineesare not returning to their native lands afterstudying in the US and other countries wherecareer opportunities and science support provide them with a strong incentive to stay.Conversely, IBRO President Torsten Wieselindicated that 'newly minted US PhDs havebecome more and more reluctant to do theirpostdoc training abroad, despite the presenceof many excellent laboratories in other partsof the world . . . thus weakening researchefforts in both developed and developingnations' ('Balancing Biomedicine's PostdocExchange Rate', Science, vol. 298, p. 867).

Changing this growing imbalance will dependlargely on how strongly committed public andprivate agencies and governments are to creating an environment in which young scientists will be attracted back to their homecountries so that they can contribute to economic progress, knowledge and theimprovement of human health. IBRO hopes towork with Member Societies to raise awareness of the impact of this imbalance onneuroscience worldwide. Its multinationalmembership is an invaluable source of guidanceand communication, critical to IBRO's effortsto help build neuroscience worldwide bymeans of programmes that support educationand scientific exchange. IBRO has started topost on its web site, in the section 'Neuro-grants Info', a list of funding sources forresearch and travel available in the differentcontinents.

A new page has been added to the web site'ssection 'Funding Options' entitled 'Support forTrainees Wanting to Return Home'.The sectioncontains news, comments, programmes and adatabase of grants of interest to trainees wishing to return to their home countries.

THE IBRO LIBRARIES INITIATIVEOne of the major impediments to the advancement of teaching and research in the neurosciencesin developing countries is the inaccessibility of specialist journals and textbooks. The mission ofthe IBRO Libraries Committee is to assist neuroscientists and the institutions to which they are affiliated to improve this situation.The last twelve months have seen many exciting new developments in this area.

In what was described by the Director–General of the World Health Organizaiton as 'the biggeststep ever taken towards reducing the health information gap between rich and poor countries',WHO, together with the Health Internetwork:Access to Research Initiative (HINARI), have puttogether a proposal to provide access to biomedical information in developing countries.Accredited universities, medical schools and hospital-based research centres in developing countries will be awarded free or 'substantially reduced-cost' access to hundreds of biomedicaljournals including a large number in the neurosciences. Further information can be found on theWHO Health Initiative website www.healthinternetwork.net.A list of qualifying countries canbe found at www.who.int/library/reference/temp/Eligible_countries.pdf.

In addition, the IBRO Libraries Committee, working in collaboration with the Society ofNeuroscientists of Africa (SONA) and the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN), has initiated a pilot programme 'Libraries for Africa'. Goals of the programme are to respond to theneeds of neuroscientists in African countries where specialist (neuroscience) journals and textbooks are unavailable due to lack of resources.The programme will identify institutions with acritical mass of individuals whose teaching and/or research is curtailed by inadequate library facilities. Subsequently, guided by scientists in these institutions and, in consultation with SONA,efforts will be made to provide the necessary resources via donations from partner institutions indeveloped countries as well as from professional organizations and publishers. Designated Africanlibraries have agreed to act as coordination and dissemination centres for their region and tomake neuroscience journal articles and books available to other institutions and individuals viatheir inter-library loans programmes. Institutional libraries so far nominated include the MedicalLibrary, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Main Library, Imo State University,Owerri-Imo State, Nigeria; College of Biological and Physical Sciences, University of Nairobi,Nairobi, Kenya; Dept. Library of Biology, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, Morocco,Bibliothèque Centrale, l'Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar-Fann, Senegal. Donations oftextbooks to this programme have already been promised by several organizations, including ISNand the Human Frontier Science Program. Building upon the experience gained from this 'Librariesfor Africa' pilot project, it is the intention of the IBRO Libraries Committee to extend the programme to institutions in other developing countries.

As this issue was going to press, the Committee were pleased to announce that the first set ofbooks and a free subscription to the electronic version of Science had been delivered to the fiveabove-mentioned libraries selected by the African Regional Committee and SONA.TheCommittee also announced that the Libraries project would be extended to Eastern Europe.

Roger F. ButterworthChair, IBRO Committee on Libraries

H.H. JASPER AND J.-P.CORDEAU POSTDOCTORALFELLOWSHIPSThe H. H. Jasper Postdoctoral ResearchFellowship in Neuroscience and the J.-P. CordeauPostdoctoral Fellowship (funded in part by ServierCanada Inc.) are now available.These fellowshipsare intended for recent doctoral graduates whowant to continue their training in neuroscienceresearch. Each position provides one year of financial support ($CAD30,000) plus movingcosts, and offers the use of the exceptionalresearch facilities of the Center for Research inNeurological Sciences of the Université deMontréal.The recipients work closely with theinvestigator of choice within a large active groupof neuroscientists, who are examining a widerange of topics in vertebrate neuroanatomy,neurochemistry, neuropharmacology,neurophysiology and neuropsychology.Applicationforms (please do not send cv) may be obtainedfrom the Fellowship Committee, Centre derecherche en sciences neurologiques, Faculté demédecine, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ.Centre-ville, Montréal (Québec) Canada H3C 3J7.Deadline for receipt of completed applications: 31December 2002.Fellowship awards to be announced in early spring2003. Phone: +1-514-343-6366. Fax: +1-514-343-6113.E-mail: CRSN@ physio.umontreal.ca Web:www.crsn.umontreal.ca/bourses_JC.html

HSFP OFFERS NEW PARADIGM FOR RESEARCHTRAININGIn view of reports indicating that the science pipeline isdrying up, the Human Frontier Science Program andthe European Science Foundation brought heads ofresearch funding organizations to Strasbourg inNovember 2001 to develop strategies to make scienceand science careers more attractive.The traditional view of a narrow impermeable pipelinewhose goal is the replication of the research professorno longer reflects the needs of the scientific endeavorof our increasingly technologically based societies.Thenew, more organic paradigm developed at the meetingis visualized as a tree with a highly permeable network of roots and branches that reflect the broadrange of inputs into the science pipeline and the widerange of opportunities for those who receive trainingin science (HFSP,The Pipeline and the Tree:Towards aNew Paradigm for Education,Training, and CareerPaths in the Natural Sciences).The model emphasizes awider range of valued career outcomes, some of whichare directly involved in scientific research while othersmay be associated with science in varying degrees. Italso stresses the importance of integrating scientificknowledge in society as a whole.The most talentedyoung investigators should have opportunities to develop independent research programs early in theircareers and institutions are encouraged to developfamily-friendly infrastructures in order to attract,retain, and support their best talent, especially women.New HFSP programs support young scientists at different stages in their career development promotinginnovation and independence.The meeting report andinformation about HFSP are on the IBRO(www.ibro.org) and HFSP (www.hfsp.org) web sites.

LEVI MONTALCINI FOUNDATION DONATES FUNDS TO CREATE FELLOWSHIPS FOR WOMEN SCIENTISTS IN AFRICATowards the end of 2001, the Levi Montalcini Foundation, established by Rita Levi Montalcini (1986 Nobel Laureate in Medicinefor her work on growth factors) and her sister Paola, made IBRO a generous donation for the purpose of financing scholarshipsfor two young African women for two years.The Foundation is committed to the education of African girls and young women,based on the strong belief that women can play a key role in the future of the African continent.The Foundation supportsschooling for young girls, professional education for young women (for example, to become nurses) and is, above all, committedto the cultural and professional improvement of African women.

The Foundation will award two fellowships: 1) to a researcher for a two-year training period at a university abroad; 2) to aresearcher to spend two years at an African university, not in their own country. Professor Levi Montalcini's gesture will have animportant impact in both the African and the world community of IBRO neuroscientists. She says: 'It is imperative to help the young, especially women, working in places where there is little support for science.'

IBRO President, Nobel Laureate Torsten Wiesel, is Chair of the Awards Committee for the Levi Montalcini fellowships.

The African fellowship for 2002-2003 has been awarded to Thabelo Khoboko, 26, from Lesotho, to pursue a higher degree at theDept. of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently developing a researchprotocol for her studies to investigate the physiology of neural networks of the subthalmic nucleus as an effective therapy inrelieving Parkinsonian symptoms, e.g. akinesia and bradykinesia.

Amina E l Ayadi, 32, of the Laboratory of Neuropharmacology,Abdelmalek Essaadi University,Tetouan, Morocco has been awarded the overseas fellowship 2002-2003. She works on the pharmacology of voltage-dependent calcium channel antagonists that are used in the treatment of neurological and cardiovascular diseases. She is also interested in the effects of metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists on locomotor and rearing activities, neurotransmitter release and activation of early gene expression (cfos) in the nucleus accumbens of the hyperammonemic rat model. She is to take up the fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Rita Levi Montalcini

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GIBRO’S EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

With the Neuroscience Schools and Visiting Lecture Team Programmes firmly established, IBRO is reviewing and maximizing its efforts towards the advancement of neuroscience worldwide by expanding its training

and education programmes.

VLTP…SCHOOLS … 'IBRO-EDU' … INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING … 'MAP & COMPASS'

IBRO's Visiting Lecture Team Programme organizeslecture tours in less privileged countries,in collaboration with local neuroscience associations. Excerpts from reports filed by VLTPChair John Nicholls show what can be achieved.

HANOI,VIETNAM: VLTP members DenisBaylor, Hugo Arechiga, Ken Muller, JackMcMahan and I set off for Hanoi in mid-December 2001.The VLTP course tookplace at the Hanoi University of Science, 5-13December 2001 and was run by ProfessorTrinh Huu Hang, who arranged everything fromaccommodation, well-equipped lecture theatres, to lecture notes and timetables.

Each day there were five lectures on topicsranging from the molecular biology of development, biophysics and transduction tohigher functions, perception and circadianrhythms.As usual in VLTP courses, all lecturerswent to all lectures and gave daily conferences,where students could raise questions aboutthe lectures, aspects of neuroscience not covered in the lectures, and any matters ofconcern, such as how to find a position abroad.Volunteer students were taught how to prepare a 10-minute talk for presentation onthe last day.Time was also spent in open discussion with students and faculty about howto select an adviser abroad, the advantages ofdoing a PhD in the USA, Mexico or Europe,funding and chances of being accepted.

Denis Baylor (Stanford, USA) talked about howsingle photons are trapped by rods, HugoArechiga (UNAM, Mexico) about molecularmechanisms underlying circadian rhythms, KenMuller (University of Miami, USA), I spokeabout regeneration at the cellular level, andJack McMahan (Stanford, USA) revealed themolecular structure of the active zone atsynapses. In each case, the emphasis was onexperiments and how they are carried out.Each of the instructors pointed out clinicalapplications and indicated the types of experiments that could be carried out with avery limited supply of money and equipment.

Professor Trinh Huu Hang selected a marvellous group of students from many different disciplines and from many differentuniversities.What impressed all of us was theirtremendous interest in neuroscience, theirhunger for information and their keen desireto do research in spite of all the difficulties.In most VLTP courses we aim to show the students how interesting the nervous system is by spanning the range from fundamental concepts to advanced research.

TEHRAN, IRAN: There were five in theteam that gave the Tehran course: HugoArechiga from Mexico, Susanna Blackshaw fromOxford,Alasdair Gibb from London, JackMcMahan from Stanford and John Nichollsfrom Italy. Each day there were five lectures, asmall group conference and a tutorial devotedto teaching students how to give a 10-minutepresentation at an international meeting.

Dr Fereshteh Motamedi, a leading neurobiologist at the Neuroscience ResearchCenter, Shaheed Beheshti University of MedicalSciences,Tehran, was the local organizer of thecourse. More than 50 students attended, withthe numbers actually increasing during the

course.The enthusiasm of the students, theireager participation, their love of neuroscienceand their warmth towards us were far morerewarding than we could ever have expected.Moreover, the level of sophistication of the students, the faculty and research being donewas exceptional as judged by standards foundin Europe or the United States.

On the last day of the course a number of students gave 10-minute presentations.Thetopics included: How does the spatio-temporalvisual illusion known as 'flash-lag' arise? (MehdiSanaye, Isfahan Medical School); Reversal oflong-term potentiation in hippocampalslices(Azar Omrani,Tarbiat ModarresUniversity); Simple and complex circuits governing locomotor performance (ShamilaEslambolchi,Tarbiat Modarres University);Determining the level in the visual pathway atwhich 'motion induced blindness' occurs (AminZandvakili, Iran Institute of Physics and Math);Effect of LTP induction on gamma band frequency train-evoked field potentials in hippocampus and cortex of freely moving rats(Babak Tahvildari,Tarbiat Modarres University).

During the course we formed the impressionthat Iran constitutes a country in which first-rate and innovative experiments are beingcarried out with up-to-date equipment.Themain problems Iranians have concern visas andtravel. Nevertheless the professors and students we spoke to publish their papers inhigh-quality US and European journals.One can hope that IBRO may help in thefuture development of neuroscience in such apromising environment with such first-rate universities and foster interchanges of facultyand students.

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY: The format ofthese short IBRO courses differed from thenormal style of those given previously in othercountries.Thus, during one day, 15 April 2002,in Montevideo, Jack McMahan and JohnNicholls gave two research lectures each and aconference to students and faculty of theEstable Institute headed by Omar Macadar.About 40 scientists, graduate students andundergraduates took part.We had originallyplanned to take part in the IBRO course that isgiven in February each year, but since the datesconflicted with other commitments, we tookadvantage of the Argentina trip to make adetour.A fringe benefit of this visit was theopportunity to discuss further collaborationbetween SISSA, Mexico and the EstableInstitute. In addition, during the informal discussions about neurobiology and aboutcareer planning, we were able to help studentsand postdoctoral fellows to make useful plansfor the future.

CORDOBA,ARGENTINA: The course inCordoba lasted for two days, 16-17 April 2002,with lectures and conferences by Larry Cohen(Yale), Jack McMahan (Stanford) and JohnNicholls (SISSA).The students in Cordoba,more than 60, were far more advanced in theirknowledge of neurobiology than those encountered in many other courses that wehave given. In part this is due to the excellentinfrastructure for neuroscience provided byoutstanding and energetic research workerslike Osvaldo Uchitel and Diego Golombek whoorganized the course, as well as first-rate

people like Lidia Sczcupak and PanchoBarrantes who have been responsible for training numerous students. In part the sophistication of students we met in Cordobawas due to the selection procedure: they hadbeen picked to present papers at a NationalCongress being held immediately after ourcourse.As a result of their high interest andbroad knowledge, our talks and discussionsattained a professional level in which searchingquestions were posed during and after the lectures. It goes without saying that students inArgentina now face a ghastly situation withregard to the funding of science and indeed tothe funding of the needs for their very existence. In the face of those awful problemsthe enthusiasm and joy that we saw was inspiring. Particularly nice for me was to seepeople such as Lidia Sczcupak whom I had firsttaught years ago when they were just beginningas graduate students who have now developedinto leading research workers and teachers.

WROCLAW, POLAND: 56 students participated in the VLTP course held inWroclaw, 10-18 July 2002. Most of the studentswere from a variety of universities in Poland,but some came from Slovenia,Yugoslavia, CzechRepublic, Serbia, Lithuania and Ukraine.Theorganization of the course by our colleagueJurek Mozrzymas was efficient and perfect inevery respect. He understood full well theneed for coffee breaks, meals together withstudents, time for informal discussion and get-togethers in the evenings.We all felt at theend that we had got to know the students andthat they had become our friends.

Jack McMahan spoke about the structure ofsynapses, the way in which they form and themicro-structures associated with release sitesin the pre-synaptic terminal. Hugo Arechigagave a series of lectures on biological and circadian rhythms, which he illustrated withexamples ranging from Drosophila and thecrayfish up to human beings, with techniquesranging from molecular to animal behaviourand clinical conditions. Enrico Cherubini dealtwith mechanisms of synaptic transmission andplasticity, including essential new work on long-term potentiation and silent synapses.Mathew Diamond described principles of sensory physiology, cortical mechanisms andtheir relations to perception. I gave introductory lectures on signalling and thenconcentrated on the development of the nervous system and regeneration.

During conferences the students were alert,interested, intelligent and highly motivated.They came from very different backgroundsranging from plant physiology through biophysics and animal physiology to clinicalneurology. Local organizer Jurek Mozrzymasadded a new dimension to this course. In addition to splitting the students up intogroups for informal discussions with the visitinglecturers, he arranged that one group each dayshould see a live demonstration of patch clampin his laboratory.

As is the custom in our VLTP courses, on thelast day students presented talks that they hadrehearsed with the lecturers intensively duringthe previous week day by day. In the afternoonof the last day local faculty at WroclawUniversity School of Medicine gave talks

about their research.The lecture by JurekMozrzymas on his research was outstanding inthe quality of work and in the elegance of thepresentation.

In my opinion the success of the VLTP coursesdepends on the structure and the hard workdone by students, teachers and organizers:lectures are systematic, but not arranged thematically; they tell stories that run from thebeginning to the end of the course with everylecturer attending every talk.Thus, the studentssee that the lecturers have come to work hardfor them, and the lecturers are humbled by thedevotion and passion of thestudents for neurobiology.

John Nicholls (SISSA,Trieste, Italy) retired inSeptember 2002 from the VLTP, which he chairedand ran with enormous success since 1994. JackMcMahan (Stanford, USA) succeeds him

4

INTERNATIONALREGISTRY OF

NEUROSCIENCETRAINING

PROGRAMMES

IBRO recognizes the need for a worldwideregistry of neuroscience training pro-

grammes and invites all neuroscience soci-eties to help create such a registry.The reg-istry's availability on the Internet would helpstudents choose where to train and provideinformation about existing programmes. It is

clear that if the imbalance in the flow oftrainees is going to be changed at all, we

must generate more information on trainingopportunities worldwide.

Initially the focus would be on identifyingavailable links to Internet-posted nationaland regional programmes at PhD level or

equivalent.To optimize coordination of thiseffort IBRO asks all interested organizations

to contact IBRO directly or via the appropriate IBRO Regional Committee.

'IBRO-EDU'PROVIDES

EDUCATIONRESOURCES

'IBRO-Edu' (see www.ibro.org) providesresources in neuroscience education.The

project’s short-term goal is to provideorganized access to neuroscience

educational material already available on theInternet. In a later phase, Editor Ante Padjen(McGill University, Canada) aims to expand

this resource by inviting authors of educational material to send their web site

URLs for inclusion in 'IBRO-Edu'.

VLTP TRAVELS THE GLOBE

ED

UC

AT

ION

&T

RA

ININ

G

5

Developed by IBRO and its Regional Committees,and run in conjunction with national and international organizations, the NeuroscienceSchools aim to provide neuroscience trainingaround the world. Former Secretary-General CarlosBelmonte recently retired as Chair of the IBROSchools Board, where he has played a significantrole in the successful running of the Schools overthe past few years. John G. Hildebrand is the newSchools Board Chair, with Sigismund Huck remaining as Board Secretary. Over the last yearthe Schools have continued around the world, fromSulejow and Queretaro, to Rabat and Hong Kong.The following reports filed by the organizersdemonstrate the wide-ranging scope of the Schools programme.

IBRO/FENS Summer School, Sulejow,Poland, July 2001: Receptor Activationand Beyond. The major goal of the schoolwas to show fundamental similarities and specific differences among various receptorsand receptor-related signal transduction pathways, including second messengers, kinases,transcription factors, etc., in brain physiologyand pathology.The topics selected as mostexemplary were: glutamate receptors - characterization, role in neural plasticity andneurodegeneration; G-protein-coupled receptors (control of intracellular signallingpathways and importance in psychopharmacology);opioid receptors (characterization, role in complexity of addition processes); involvementof signalling via mitogen-activated proteinkinases in processing of sensoral information,learning, and in processes underlying cell deathand survival; the importance of estrogens andtheir ERa and ERb receptors in neuronal plasticity and neuroprotection

L. Kaczmarek

Trieste, Italy, July-August 2001:EU Advanced Course in ComputationalNeuroscience. The EU Advanced Course inComputational Neuroscience was establishedin 1996 as a European counterpart to the highly successful Woods Hole course 'Methodsin Computational Neuroscience'. Its goal is totrain experimental neurobiologists and medicaldoctors together with researchers from mathematics and from the engineering fields inan interdisciplinary area, which has becomeincreasingly important for the understanding ofbrain functions.

Today, experimental neurobiologists - in particular from the area of systems neurobiology - also need a broad knowledge in statistical data analysis, mathematical techniques and computational modelling inorder to design experiments and to interpret their results fully.At the same time,researchers from the engineering fields - inparticular computer science - have becomeinterested in aspects of information processingin the brain in order to learn more efficientways of computing from nature, and needtraining in neurobiology.

The course combines lectures and computer

classes with supervised research on a topic

chosen by the student. Each week has a

thematic focus, but all modelling techniques are

covered to some extent in order to provide a

solid methodological basis for all of the student

projects in time. Lectures are given by faculty

whose work covers the state of the art in

computational neuroscience, and students have

hands-on experience with the computational

techniques and the mathematical models in the

specifically designed PC-laboratory.

K. Obermayer

Tihany, Hungary,August 2001: IBROSummer School 'Neuronal Transmission:Microphysiology of Synaptic Currentsand Receptor Function'. In the second yearof the Tihany Schools, a total of 40 hours oflectures were given on the electrophysiologicalaspects of neuronal transmission, including different transmitter systems, receptors,regulation of ionic homeostasis, glial functions,second messenger systems at the level of singlechannels, single cells and basic networks.Practical afternoon demonstrations includedextracellular field and intracellular recordingsfrom mammalian and invertebrate neurons,channel physiology and biophysics, data analysis,intracellular labelling techniques, mRNAexpression in oocytes followed by recording,pharmacology and biochemistry of secondmessenger systems.

Queretaro, Mexico, October 2001:Latin American School of Neuroscience.The Neuroscience School in Queretaro included the seventh symposium onHormones, Growth Factors and BrainDevelopment, followed by a two-week practicalcourse Cellular and Molecular Biology ofNeural Development. Jorge Hernandez coordinated the two-day symposium, in whichearly embryogenesis, gene expression, neuriteoutgrowth, synapse formation, axonal pathfinding, development of electrical activity,glial development, neuronal plasticity and celldeath were addressed.The symposium wasattended by 200 students and faculty.

The two-week practical course was organizedby Alfredo Varela and Francisco F. de Miguel.Eight Mexican students, each from a differentInstitution, two more from Cuba, one from

Brazil and one from Peru, received hands-ontraining in a selected range of methodologiesusing invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems.A series of already proven experiments in diverse preparations wereselected and a laboratory was fully set-up forthe course.All of the students performed eachexperiment and obtained individual results.Every day the course started with a discussionof the results from the day before followed byan explanation of the experiments to be doneduring the day. In the afternoon there was aresearch talk related to the experiments of the day.

F. F. De-Miguel, A.Varela

Hong Kong, PRC, December 2001:IBRO School of Neuroscience. The two-week School covered lectures, seminarsand a variety of laboratory projects and wascentred on five technique-oriented areas:imaging techniques for the study of neuronsand glia and localization of neurochemicals andreceptors, electrophysiological analysis of central neurons, functional genomics, axongrowth and pathfinding during development,modulation of peripheral neurotransmission.Students chose one of the five areas andattended hands-on workshops in the universities involved: University of Hong Kong,Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongUniversity of Science & Technology. Differentlaboratories were used for each area so thatstudents could benefit from the range ofresearch facilities provided. Mini-projects wereintroduced in each of the five areas to link thepractical session in different laboratories.Atthe end of the School there was a half-daypresentation session when students presentedtheir results of the projects. During the firstweek of the course the participants attendedthe 21st Scientific Meeting of the Hong KongSociety of Neurosciences.

Y. S. Chan

Montevideo, Uruguay, March 2002:VII Latin-American School of NeuroscienceThe Clemente Estable Institute hosted, for the

seventh consecutive year, theSchool of Neuroscience.This year 14 foreign scientistsand 31 Uruguayan researchersparticipated in the course. Fortystudents (twenty from abroad)attended the conferences andworked (in groups of 6) in theexperimental seminars.The maintopics were: synaptic plasticity;central pattern generators:developmental models,biological/artificial circuits; Priondiseases; Memory: cortical networks, molecular aspects,brain anatomy.

F. R. Morales, F. Dajas

Rabat, Morocco,April 2002:Second IBRO African Regional Neuroscience

School IBRO's Africa Regional Committee

(ARC) oversaw the second Neuroscience

School to be held in Africa.The 28 students

came from 11 different African countries,

including Morocco,Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia,

Nigeria, Kenya,Tanzania, Malawi, Congo,

Zimbabwe and South Africa.A total of 17

instructors, including 9 African and 4 local

faculty from Morocco, shared in the teaching

programme.The experienced faculty included a

SONA international advisory group,ARC

members, a special lecturer from the French

Neuroscience Society (A. Calas, Paris) and

IBRO's Secretary-General (A.Aguayo).The

course was co-ordinated by the Rabat school

committee comprising Roger Butterworth

(Montreal), Marina Bentivoglio (Verona) and

Nouria Lakhdar-Ghazal. Beth Fisher and

Michael Zigmond (Pittsburgh) organized the

well-received professional skills sessions.

Based on the previous 'Pietersburg' model,this second course covered basic and clinicalneuroscience topics as well as highly interactivesessions on communication skills. Didactic lectures were also given on the origins of neuroscience, CNS development, basic neuroanatomy, transmitters, receptors, cell signalling mechanisms and brain plasticity.The disease-oriented curriculum with appropriate African flavour covered learningand memory, brain ageing, dementia,Parkinsonism, thiamine deficiency and ataxias.The scientific programme was interspersedwith journal clubs and sessions on communication skills involving lectures on how to communicate, and prepare abstracts andmanuscripts. In addition, small groups were

held for students to exhibit their skills in oral communication and poster presentation.As previously this was deemed one of the bestlearning activities of the week.Time was alsoset aside for one-to-one instruction betweenstudents and instructors.The afternoon laboratory sessions provided opportunity to gain hands-on experience in immunohistochemical and in situ PCR andhybridization methods.

R. Kalaria

IBRO’S EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

Latin American School of Neuroscience, Queretaro

In the lab, Rabat

'MAP & COMPASS' A SURVIVAL

PROGRAMME FORYOUNG

NEUROSCIENTISTS'Map & Compass' was established by IBRO

as a source of survival skills for young neuroscientists. It guides them along thepaths to acquire the skills necessary to

achieve a successful career in neuroscienceresearch. It covers essential areas like how

to give a 10-minute talk, grant-writing,poster-making, tips for teachers.

The first of the individual series entitledMap & Compass has, over 16 instalments,

dealt with writing a scientific paper.All information can be found on the IBRO

web site www.ibro.org

THE NEUROSCIENCESCHOOLS, 2001-2002

AFRICA: The ARC has had a rewarding yearwith several exciting developments.Throughthe help of organizations like UNESCO andICSU, and private donors, IBRO has increasedits operating budget particularly to help youngmen and women scientists in developing countries to embrace a career in neuroscience.In Africa, these profound efforts have enabledus to expand our Neuroscience Schools programme and open up new fellowshipschemes for African women. Members of theARC oversaw several activities this year.

One of the highlights was the Second IBROAfrican Neuroscience School held in Rabat,20-27 April 2002.Twenty-nine students from 11African countries were selected for the 8-daycourse instructed by an international team.TheFirst SONA Neuroscience workshop was heldin Ile-Ife, Nigeria, 4–7 April 2002 and organizedby SONA chairman Polycarp Nwoha.Theworkshop was a great success and attended by122 faculty and students.

The ARC has also guided a project to bringneuroscience journals and books to 5 AfricanLibraries.The IBRO Committee on Librarieswas formed in May 2001. Led by RogerButterworth (Canada, chair), its general mandate is to support the development ofneuroscience resources in libraries around theworld.The 5 African centres to benefit initiallyare Imo State University and Federal MedicalCentre Owerri, Nigeria; University of CapeTown, South Africa; Mohammed V University,Rabat, Morocco; Chrome Campus Library,University of Nairobi; and University of Dakar,Senegal.Agreements are being secured fromNeuroscion (Elsevier Journals), Journal ofNeurochemistry, Science and the HumanFrontier Science Program.

In September this year the ARC organized theThird IBRO Neuroscience School in Africa.It was the second school to be held in sub-Saharan Africa and was held in Nairobi,Kenya, 1–8 September. Once again the professional skills were a feature of the curriculum along with general neuroscienceand current hot topics.The school coincidedwith other science activities at the Universityof Nairobi.The ARC also co-ordinated a 3-dayregional neuroscience meeting in Congo in lateSeptember, opening up a new region in Africa.The meeting was organized by ARC memberPierre Luabeya.

ARC members have also been instrumental inguiding young African women to apply for therecently established Levi Montalcini Fellowshipawards for study abroad or within the continent of Africa.The scheme was establishedthrough generous donations made by ProfessorRita Levi Montalcini to IBRO and will help eligible African women to embark on a careerin neuroscience and actively contribute toAfrican neuroscience.

The ARC has also established plans to involveclinician groups in IBRO activities and win theirco-operation through joint activities.The regular regional IBRO conferences wouldinvolve clinical neuroscientists including neurologists, neurosurgeons and pathologists.In Africa this type of interaction and exchangebetween basic and clinical neuroscientists hasgreat potential and would be very beneficialand would boost neuroscience awareness sufficiently in Africa to develop a pan-Africanorganization of neuroscience.

Through the regional committee elections

co-ordinated by IBRO in late 2001 the ARChas been able to increase its manpower andoversee various neuroscience activities thatwill help young neuroscientists from Africa..Three entirely new members were elected tothe ARC.The current membership of the committee comprises: Raj Kalaria (Chair),Willie Daniels (SA), Nouria Lakhdar-Ghazal(Morocco), Nilesh Patel (Kenya),VivienneRussell (SA),Wail Benjelloun (Morocco), Miladi(Tunisia),Yezekiel Ben-Ari (France/Egypt).In view of their past service and experiencePierre Luabeya (Congo) and Gallo Diop(Senegal) have been retained on the committeefor a temporary period as non-voting members.This was ratified at the last meetingof the committee in Rabat, Morocco in April2002.The ARC also works with SONA members on various tasks in IBRO committees:Wail Benjelloun (Morocco;Membership); Jama Mhlanga (Zimbabwe; foreigncorrespondent); Pierre Luabeya (Congo;Fellowships); Santy Daya (SA; Schools).In addition the ARC continues to co-operatewith the SONA International advisory groupconsisting of Marina Bentivoglio (Italy), RogerButterworth (Canada), Howard Cooper(France), Beth Fisher (USA),André Nieoullon(France), Des Raidoo (South Africa),TerjeSagvolden (Norway), Michael Zigmond (USA).

The ARC looks forward to a busy time as italso plans to help SONA members to organizethe Sixth SONA International Conference inAbuja, Nigeria, 25-30 April 2003.The traditionalneuroscience meeting for all Africa will be heldfor the first time in Nigeria, which boasts thelargest number of neuroscientists in one country. Details of all ARC activities are available on the IBRO web site www.ibro.org.

Raj KalariaChair,African Regional Committee

ASIA-PACIFIC:The APRC's role is to makerecommendations to IBRO about activities inthe region and to determine the distribution ofIBRO support.The great majority of IBROfunding is used to support the annual IBROSchool of Neuroscience held in Hong Kong.The purpose of the School is to provide a platform for senior PhD students and juniorpostdoctoral fellows in the region to meet inan environment where they can acquire knowledge of both theoretical and technological advances in key areas of neuroscience research.Twenty Fellowships areawarded to cover airfares and accommodationfor the two-week course.The 2001 School washeld 4-25 December.The participants alsoattended the 21st Annual Scientific Meeting ofthe Hong Kong Society of Neurosciences,where they presented their own researchwork.Applications for 2002 have recentlyclosed and are being evaluated.Each year support is reserved for the scientificmeetings of the Federation of Asian-OceanianNeuroscience Societies (FAONS), particularlythe Congresses held every four years. FAONShas 14 member societies, from Japan to NewZealand and Iran to Vietnam.The purpose ofthe Federation is to promote the advancementof neuroscience research and education in theregion.The 3rd FAONS Congress was held inSeoul, 28 September-1 October 2002, hostedby the Korean Society for Brain and NeuralScience.The APRC awarded travel fellowshipsto young neuroscientists who presented theirwork at the Congress.A reunion of Alumnifrom IBRO Schools (APRC) was held during

the Seoul Congress.Support is provided for international symposiawithin the region, e.g. Symposium on SpinalCord Injury held in Australia.Travel grants arealso earmarked for young neuroscientists fromthe region to work in other laboratories or toattend important international neurosciencemeetings. Seven awards were given in 2001.Some support is set aside for young neuroscientists with good credentials to attendthe Summer Program of the RIKEN BrainScience Institute.The APRC also has plans toorganize Associate (Travelling) Schools in disadvantaged countries of the region.

Y. S. ChanChair,Asia-Pacific Regional Committee

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE:The Second IBRO Summer School in Tihany(Balaton Limnological Research Institute of theHungarian Academy of Sciences, Lake Balaton)in August 2001 was very successful.A total of27 students from 12 countries in the Centraland Eastern Europe Region were selected from108 applicants on a competitive basis, and highly qualified lecturers were invited from allover the world. Each year the programme consists of lectures in the mornings, and practicals and student demonstrations in theafternoons.This year's subject, 'Neuronal transmission: microphysiology of synaptic currents and receptor function', was organized by Oleg Krishtal, Michail Ostrovsky,Károly Elekes and Tamás F. Freund.In August 2002 the regional Summer Schoolmoved to Prague.Twenty-five (from 68) participants were selected for the third year.The topic was 'Contemporary approaches tothe study of CNS function using electrophysiological, behavioral and imaging techniques'.

The following additional conferences, schoolsand courses were organized in the region, andwere supported in part by the CEERC:

Workshop 'Experimental Methods for BrainStudies in Health and Disease' organized by theInstitute of Experimental Medicine,Academy ofSciences of the Czech Republic and thePhysiological Society (Great Britain) in Prague(23-27 October 2001) for young physiologists,with CEERC support.

FENS/IBRO School 'Receptor activation and

beyond' organized by Jola Zawilska and Leszek

Kaczmarek, Sulejow, Poland. More than 40

students worldwide (mostly from Central and

Eastern Europe) participated.The lectures,

given by leading scientists. covered functional

and pathological roles of transmission by

glutamate, opioids, estrogen and other ligands and their receptors.

International IBRO Workshop ('Signaling mechanisms in the central and peripheral nervous system') organized by the HungarianNational IBRO Committee in Debrecen(January 2002), supported by CEERC, includingthe travel costs of an invited IBRO lecturer(Prof.Timothy Bliss).

Two centres of excellence in the region, theBogomoletz Institute in Kiev, and the NenckiInstitute in Warsaw, organized a joint meetingin Kiev in September 2002.A total of 3 short-term (2-6 months) fellowships have been

awarded by the CEERC on a competitive basisto scientists from the Central and EasternEurope Region visiting another laboratorywithin the region.The Croatian NeuroscienceSociety has been accepted as corporate member of IBRO this year.

The next IBRO World Congress will be inPrague, 10-15 July 2003.The ProgramCommittee met in Prague in March 2002, andformulated the final program.

The IBRO Scholarship Against Brain-Drain was established in 2000, and up to the end of 2001a total of 100 scholarships were awarded.The goal of this initiative was to keep youngtalented researchers in their home countries,yet still preserving mobility after (or before)obtaining their PhDs.The Executive Committeeof IBRO decided to terminate this programmeand to formulate a new initiative in the futurewith similar goals, which will include otherdeveloping regions and the effectiveness ofwhich can be better monitored.

The CEERC had its last meeting in Prague on the 4-5 May 2002, when the budget was distributed among the programmes, and winners were selected for the IBRO 2002Summer School, short-term fellowships andIBRO fellowships and travel grants.A programme has been prepared, and application for additional funding submittedwith the title 'Networking of centres of excellence in the CEERC region: joint meetingsand cooperation in the training of young investigators'.The programme aims to bringtogether local expertise in the region to facilitate joint research initiatives, as well as PhD programmes and the training of young scientists.

Tamas FreundChair, Central and Eastern Europe RegionalCommittee

IBRO’S REGIONS REPORT

6

Informal gathering after the group presentation at the end of the 2001 Hong Kong School

IBRO's six Regions continue to generate regional and inter-regional activities through courses, conferences andworkshops. Here are just some of the indications of a flourishing network of these regional activities.

7

NEW VENTURESNEUROSCIENCE HISTORY ONTHE WEB'Neuroscience History' Editor Javier DeFelipe discusses the importance of the history of neuroscience tothe development of modern neuroscience.

The idea to create History of Neuroscienceon the IBRO web arose from a conversationthat Albert Aguayo and I had last year during the 5th Conference of the Society ofAfrican Neuroscientists held in Nairobi in2001.We were commenting on the importance of the history of neuroscienceand about how little is known, particularlyby young neuroscientists, about the rootsand definitions of words currently used inneuroscience, for example neuron, synapseor schizophrenia. How many of us haveasked ourselves who was the first to use theword dendrite, or when was the concept of inhibition in the cerebral cortexfirst introduced? One of the causes of thislack of knowledge is the difficulty in findingthe appropriate sources of this information.

Articles about the scientific biography offamous investigators are relatively easy tofind, but these reports are often so extensive that many neuroscientists do not have the time or patience to read them.We also ended up considering those less well-known neuroscientists who have also made important contributions in the field but who are practically ignored by the neuroscience community. It is clear that in many countries 'hidden local heroes' must exist about whom interesting stories can be told.Thus, as part of the continuous effort on the part of IBRO to provide its members with qualityeducational resources relating to all areas of neuroscience, over the last year we embarked on aproject to set up a section on the history of neuroscience on the IBRO web.The aim is to present, in a concise but clear manner, relevant aspects of the history and origins of the neurosciences throughout the world.We include articles on neuroscientists who have madeimportant contributions in the field and others on the roots and definitions of words used.We have invited neurosicentists to write for this section and have had an enthusiastic response:24 articles are either on the web or in preparation.To consult these articles and obtain information about how to contribute go to http://www.ibro.org/secondary/sciissues/index.htm.

We believe that one of the strengths of this IBRO web site, over and above the fact that it is freely accessible, is that the figures can be seen as high-quality colour images, making the articlesmuch more attractive. Once the articles appear on the web site, readers are encouraged to make comments and add pertinent material (figures, documents, etc.). Some of these may evenappear as links associated to the corresponding articles.With this in mind, we hope that the publication of these articles will attract the participation of many new members of the international community.This site is and will remain under permanent construction.Your comments, suggestions and requests are welcome.

Javier DeFelipeCommittee Member/Editor, Neuroscience History on the WebInstituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain

Santiago Ramon y Cajal at his bench

IBRO ALUMNI PROGRAMMEPUTS STUDENTS IN CENTRAL ROLEIBRO has set up the IBRO Alumni Programme with the aim of creating a community of thoseyoung scientists who have participated in any of IBRO's educational programmes and enablingthem to remain in contact with each other and with IBRO. It is hoped that the Alumni themselveswill form the nucleus of the programme, with IBRO assisting them with guidance on scientificissues and careers.The programme will be based on semi-autonomous groups originating from theRegional Schools and courses that will be linked regionally via the IBRO Regional Committees andMember Societies, and centrally via the Schools Board and the VLTP. Space on the IBRO web siteand those of the regional and national Affiliated Organizations will be available to the Alumni forcommunication so that their role becomes a central part of the programme.

A reunion of Alumni took place in Paris at the FENS Forum in Paris on 13 July 2002. Some 120IBRO and FENS Alumni gathered at the Musée de L'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Students,faculty, and organizers of previous Schools, mostly from Europe but some from elsewhere, wereable to renew their friendship.The gathering received a great deal of support and attention: IBROSecretary-General Albert Aguayo, IBRO Neuroscience Schools Secretary Sigismund Huck andFENS President Gaetano di Chiara delivered welcome addresses. Former IBRO Secretary-GeneralCarlos Belmonte, former FENS President Willem Gispen, FENS Secretary-General Monica di Luca,FENS Treasurer Helmuth Kettenmann, National Society Presidents Herbert Zimmermann(Germany), Karoly Elekes (Hungary), Menahem Segal (Israel), Deolinda Lima (Portugal), Luis MiguelGarcía Segura (Spain), Jean-Marc Fritschy (Switzerland) and many more supporters of the Alumniconcept were also there.

One of the Alumni, Dr Bence Racz, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent Istvan University, Budapest,Hungary, had attended theFENS/IBRO InternationalSchool in Sulejow, Poland (21-28 July 2001). He said aboutthe reunion: 'I hope that thisReunion will be a really goodoccasion to evoke the oldfriendships we obtained duringthose perfect weeks.Moreover, I was offered a post-doc position in the US, afterthe School in Poland, by M.Sheng, so these schools reallychanged my life and prospects.I am really grateful to theschool committee for this.'

A second reunion was held atthe FAONS Congress in Seoul in September. More reunions are planned at the Society forNeuroscience Meeting, Orlando, 4 November 2002, 18:30-21:30, and at the IBRO World Congressin Prague, July 2003.Information about the Alumni Programme can be found at www.ibro.org

Alumni under cover: Bence Racz and Rita Rado (Hungary) andIBRO Board of Schools Secretary/FENS Schools ChairmanSigismund Huck (Austria)

The Regions ... continued

LATIN AMERICA: The Neuroscience

Schools were the focus of the LARC activities:

Queretaro Neuroscience School, Queretaro,

Mexico, 27 September-12 October 2001.

The School was divided into a.2-day

symposium 'Hormones, Growth Factors and

Brain Development', with an attendance of

over 200 students and professors - both local

and foreign scientists spoke about modern

topics on developmental biology - and a course

'Cellular and Molecular Biology of Neural

Development'.Twelve students (8 Mexicans

and 4 from abroad) were selected and

received hands-on training in a range of

methodologies using invertebrate and

vertebrate nervous systems.

VII Latin-American School of Neuroscience

Montevideo, Uruguay, 4-22 March 2002,

hosted by the Clemente Estable Institute

hosted for the seventh consecutive year.

Fourteen foreign scientists and 31 Uruguayan

researchers participated in the course.

Forty students (20 from abroad) attended

the lectures and worked (in groups of 6) in

the experimental seminars.The main topics

were: synaptic plasticity; central pattern

generators: developmental models,

biological/artificial circuits; prion diseases;memory: cortical networks, molecular aspects,brain anatomy.

ISBRA First IBRO School in Brazil, RibeiraoPreto, Brazil, 19 August-6 September 2002.This school offered activities in basic neuroscience and the neurobiology of emotions. In the second week, all studentsattended the XVII Annual meeting of theFederation of Experimental Biological Societies.

International training courses: 'Transport ofions across cell membranes: structure & function', Marine Station, IVIC, Mochima,Venezuela, 5-13 November 2001.The coursefocused on theoretical and practical aspects ofthe physiology and pathophysiology of ionchannels, transporters and ATPases.Activitiesincluded lectures in the mornings and afternoons; informal seminars given by the students in the evenings.'Chemical and electrical synapses: recentprogress', 15-23 October 2001, PontificiaUniversidad Católica de Chile (PUCC).Twenty-seven international speakers and 40graduate students from Latin American countries participated.There were five days ofseminars and 2 full days of laboratory work.'Cooperative cortical dynamics: recording techniques, data analysis and modeling', 1-5

April 2002, Pucón, Chile.This international conference, on the theoretical and experimental foundations of cooperative cortical dynamics, discussed advancements inthe study, characterization and modelling ofneuronal activity in different structures of thenervous system.'Experimental approaches in neuroethology',Santiago and Valparaíso, Chile, 7-18 January2002.This course offered an overview of current research on the neural basis of animalbehaviour.The study of diverse behaviours andthe underlying neural systems in vertebratesand invertebrates were presented from physiological and evolutionary viewpoints inconferences, seminars and practical activities.

The LARC also approved and gave partial support to the following symposia organized as satellites of international congresses:

International Society for NeurochemistryCongress,Argentina, 26-31 August 2001:the LARC held its third annual meeting and

sponsored three symposia: 'Cell communication in the nervous system: functionand dysfunction', Río de Janeiro, Brazil, 22-24August 2001; 'Directions in sphingolipidresearch for the new millennium', PuertoIguazú,Argentina, 23-25 August 2001; 'FirstBasic Neurochemistry School:Neurotransmitters, trophic factors and theirreceptors', Córdoba,Argentina,1-3 September 2001.

'2001 Sleep Odyssey': IBRO has financed acourse (intended for young scientists) prior to the World Federation of Sleep ResearchSocieties Congress and Conference'Physiological Basis for Sleep Medicine',21-25 October 2002, Uruguay.

The LARC has approved support for regionalexchange (training stays, courses and congresses) for 8 young scientists, this yearorganized in 2 semesters (instead of one annual one) and special attention was given to financing training stays within the region.Omar MacadarChair, Latin American Regional Committee

NEWS AND EVENTS

It is with regret that IBRO announces thedeath of David Ottoson, IBRO Secretary-General between 1983 and 1997,on 27 December 2001. David Ottoson was atrue ambassador for world neuroscience.During the 14 years of his appointment asSecretary-General, IBRO experiencedtremendous growth and development, duelargely to his perception, enthusiasm andpersonal commitment.It was transformed from a small body of2000 members into an international scientific organization of more than 50,000 members.

David Ottoson saw IBRO's principal role as the promotion of brain research in developing countries; he oversaw IBRO's encouragement and creation of regional federations such as CARIBRO, EAC/IBRO,FAONS, SABRO and SONA. In a letter to themembership on the eve of his retirement asSecretary-General, David Ottoson describedIBRO as a 'success story'.This success was inno small way due to his dedication and determination in the role he played for IBRO.For this legacy the members are truly grateful.

DAVID OTTOSON,FORMER IBRO

SECRETARY-GENERAL, DIESOn 23 January 2002, Carlos Belmonte, formerSecretary-General of IBRO, was appointedmember of the Spanish Royal Academy ofSciences (La Real Academia de CienciasExactas, Fisicas y Naturales).The election ofCarlos Belmonte to the Royal Academy istimely. He has had an outstanding scientificcareer devoted to the electrophysiologicalstudy of sensory receptors, particularly in theeye, after noxious, mechanical, chemical orthermal stimulation. He has authored morethan 20 important publications on cornealnociceptors, describing the ionic conductancesand the receptors involved in the transductionof painful signals. But Belmonte is not only anoutstanding and respected scientist. In his position as Professor in the University inAlicante and through his national responsibilities, he has facilitated access toresearch activities for students and he has created new centres of excellence for thestudy of neuroscience (an example is his current place of work, the Institute ofNeurosciences at the University MiguelHernandez).Thus, he has played an outstandingrole in what we might call the 'Renaissance' ofSpanish neuroscience.

Swept on by his interest in and worldwide support of brain sciences, Belmonte was alsoinstrumental in the further development ofIBRO. He became its Secretary-General in1998, succeeding Professor David Ottoson, andduring the three years of his mandate he did a

great deal to open up the Organization anddevelop its regional basis worldwide.The election of Carlos Belmonte to the SpanishRoyal Academy of Sciences is a deserved distinction that honours one of Spain’s most brilliant representatives and reinforces animportant tradition in modern neuroscience.Santiago Ramon y Cajal was also a distinguished member of the Academy, aswas his closest pupil and collaborator,Francisco Tello.

Constantino SoteloHopital SalpetrièreParis, France

CARLOS BELMONTE ELECTED TOTHE SPANISH ROYAL ACADEMY

David Ottoson

Carlos Belmonte

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CONFERENCE CALENDAR

26-28 February 2003, Moscow, Russia7th Multidisciplinary Regional Conference ofBiological Psychiatry: Stress and Behavior(IBRO funded)[email protected]/cpbr7

25-27 April 2003, La Serena, ChileSecond Neurotoxicity Meeting: Mechanisms forNeurodegenerative Disorders:Alzheimer,ALSand Parkinson´s Disease [email protected]/oqclub/serena

1-4 June 2003, Montreal, Quebec, Canada26th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Collegeof Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP)[email protected]

5-7 July 2003,Vienna,AustriaSynaptogenesis [email protected]/brainresearch/Neurophysiology/Synaptogenesis/

10-15 July 2003, Prague, Czech Republic6th IBRO World Congress of [email protected]

16-19 July 2003,Warsaw, PolandPost-Prague Congress Jerzy Konorski MemorialSymposium: Integrative Activity of the BrainContact Prof. L. Kaczmarek [email protected]/konorski

17-20 September 2003, Barcelona, Spain35th Annual Meeting European Brain andBehaviour Society (EBBS) Caixa Forumwww.uab.es/ebbs-2003

20-24 September 2003, Prague,Czech Republic16th European College ofNeuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) [email protected]

4-9 September 2004, Paris, FranceEuropean Federation of Neurological Societies(EFNS) Congress [email protected]

9-13 October 2004, Stockholm, Sweden17th European College ofNeuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) [email protected]

IBRO's journal Neuroscience continues itsprocess of renewal with the appointment ofProfessor Ole Petter Ottersen as AssociateEditor in January 2002.At the same time, DavidAmaral moved to the position of Chief Editoras David Smith stepped down from that position. David Smith is owed an immense debtof gratitude for his skilled management of thejournal over many years, which has maintainedits excellence as one of the leading neuroscience journals.We now have 10Section Editors, John Paul Bolam (UK), GyorgyBuzaki (USA), Ray Dolan (UK), DavidFitzpatrick (USA), David Lewis (USA), StephenRedman (Australia), John Rubenstein (USA),Constantino Sotelo (France),Werner Siegert(Austria) and Keiji Tanaka (Japan), to help uswith submission reviews.We have recentlyadded John Morrison as an additional SectionEditor, responsible for special issues and commentaries.The first of the special issues,'Dynamical aspects of cortical structure andfunction', Editor Edward Jones, appeared inissue 111:4.

Papers in all areas of neuroscience are encouraged from the world community of neuroscientists. Submissions directly assistIBRO’s worldwide programmes financiallythrough journal sales, so every paper is important to us and especially appreciated asyour contribution to sustaining neuroscienceworldwide, particularly in less-developedregions.

In July 2002 the processing of papers wasstreamlined and speeded up via a new centralreceiving office in San Diego.The Editor’soffices will, however, continue to maintaindirect communications as needed with

authors, Section Editors and reviewers, as wellas developing new initiatives for the journal.For instructions to authors visit theNeuroscience web site at

www.neuroscience-ibro.comor look in the current issue of the journal.

Neuroscience will undergo a stylistic facelift in2003.The cover design will be changed and theformat will be modernized.The journal will usea heavier gloss paper, and illustration reproduction will be improved by using a higher-density halftone screen. Papers will begrouped under section headings.All of thesechanges will be in place by January 2003 andexamples of the new journal format will be

available at the Elsevier Science exhibit at the2002 Society for Neuroscience meeting inOrlando, USA.

IBRO also plans to offer a service that provides non-English-speaking neuroscientistswith editorial help with the English in their manuscripts at the pre-submission stage.Thisservice should also be available by January2003 or earlier. Please keep an eye onwww.ibro.org, publications section, forupdates on the journal and information on thisservice to authors.

Jennifer S. LundChair, IBRO Publications Committee

NEWS FROM NEUROSCIENCE

www.ibro.orgFor updates on IBRO’s

programmes, news and events

IBRO News 2002

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Transcript of IBRO News 2002