The school has a new format with neuroscientists and philosophers teaching alongside. The list of speakers include our own Isabella Sarto-Jackson and Alejandro. F. Tajeda!

Dates: November 09-14, 2024

Venue: Erice, Sicily, ITALY

Organizers: Igor Branchi & Francesca Cirulli (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma)

Registration deadline: June 30. For registration, please visit: https://centromajorana.it/neurobehavior2024/#contact

Speakers:

Claudi Bockting, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands

Na Cai, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Germany

Iain Couzin, University of Konstanz, Germany

John Cryan, University College Cork, Ireland

Alejandro Fábregas Tejeda, KU Leuven, Belgium

Gerd Kempermann, DZNE, Dresden, Germany

Ewelina Knapska, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland

Joan Marsh, Editor in Chief, The Lancet Psychiatry

Brenda Penninx, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands

Isabella Sarto-Jackson, Konrad Lorenz Institute, Vienna, Austria

Carmen Sandi, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

Purpose of the Workshop:

Notwithstanding the huge progress in the molecular and cellular neuroscience fields, our understanding of the brain is still limited. There is a need for a conceptual shift from a brain-centered to a brain-body-environment inclusive approach. In this perspective, the role of behavior is central as it represents the interface between the whole organism and the environment, thus being the ultimate functional outcome in healthy and pathological conditions. Such an approach has relevant theoretical implications for progressing the neuroscience field, in addition to holding the promise for novel potential therapeutic strategies for mental health. Within the School's framework, we will exploit an interdisciplinary approach, spanning from ethology to applied neuroscience, psychiatry and philosophy, to provide innovative thinking tools to advance our understanding of brain and behavior in a complex and dynamic perspective. This will be accomplished by harnessing theoretical models that transcend the boundaries between fields and disciplines, beyond the mainstream. Plenary talks by leaders in the field will be followed up by interactive sessions guided by both senior and junior discussants. Training in soft skills will complement more theoretical discussions to gain knowledge that can be implemented by each participant in its own research. The ultimate goal of this course is to provide the participants with innovative and critical tools to explore new avenues for our comprehension of the interplay between brain and behavior, in addition to addressing the current need for interdisciplinary research.