SFCNS Swiss Brain Health Plan Kick-Off Meeting
2023-11-22 13:00 - 18:00 UTC | Zurich, Switzerland
The SFCNS Swiss Brain Health Plan Kick-Off Meeting will take place on November 22, 2023 from 13:00-18:00 at the Kunsthaus Zurich.
This Swiss Brain Health Plan implements the Swiss Brain Health Strategy in accordance with the EAN Brain Health Strategy, launched by the WHO and the European Academy of Neurology EAN in 2022.
The joint goal is awareness creation about brain health as a whole and to initiate prevention programs. The strategic task force of the Swiss Brain Health Plan consists of the about 50 authors of the publication «The Swiss Brain Health Plan 2023-2033».
The Swiss Brain Health Plan will be developed further by SFCNS as it involves many specialties of the neuro field. The goal of the Kick-Off Meeting is information and awareness creation among all stakeholders i.e. politics, hospitals, patient organizations, researchers, insurances, companies and finally the public.
Find out more about the eventDiscover the programme

EBC-Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU Event: Our Brains, Our Future
2023-11-28 08:30 - 13:30 UTC | Private: Spanish Senate, 3 Calle de Bailén, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Our Brains, Our FutureDate: 28 November 2023
Time: 08:30 – 13:30
Location: Spanish Senate, Madrid (Spain)
Programme (EN)Programme (ES)RegistrationSpeakersIn the framework of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union, the European Brain Council (EBC) will organize an event in the Senate of Spain this coming November 2023.
Among its list of priorities, the healthcare agenda of the Spanish Presidency places a strong emphasis on improving health outcomes and addressing pressing challenges within the European Union, including building towards the creation of a European Health Data Space (EHDS) to improve healthcare policies and research, disease prevention, health promotion, and tackling prevalent health issues, including mental illness.
Across the European Union and beyond, society is facing health-related challenges like never before. This is particularly true for brain disorders, neurological and mental alike, which are widespread, disabling, and difficult to treat. Improving the health and well-being of citizens has become the top priority for many governments and brain health should not be left behind. In fact, it is estimated that up to one billion people worldwide live with a neurological condition and 970 million people around the world were living with a mental health disorder as of 2019, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common1. In Europe alone, approximately 60% of the population lives with a neurological condition2 and one in six citizens is affected by mental ill-health.
However, although in the last half century, the field of neuroscience and our knowledge of the brain has advanced considerably, many important aspects remain extremely elusive. Clearly, without a substantial increase in efforts and resources to promote fundamental understanding of the mechanisms that generate proper brain function, it will be impossible to design treatments that address the real pandemic of brain health, currently affecting a substantial part of world’s population. Moreover, Europe cannot ignore that this field of research holds immense appeal for a growing number of young minds, as the brain is one of the last unexplored frontiers.
The time to act is now and the Spanish Presidency priorities are a first concrete step towards increased awareness and action. Europe must take a central position in the global effort to unravel the mysteries of the brain, both through promoting fundamental scientific research and the practical and clinically beneficial application of the knowledge that basic research generates. Enhancing collaboration in the space can fast track us towards better understanding the brain through basic research, innovation in clinical research and treatment methods and effective outcomes to the benefit of people living with and affected by brain conditions.
The European Brain Council and its wide community of members and partners has served as a convener for experts in the brain research area and health space to raise awareness, share best practices, exchange ongoing work, align priorities and advocate for a real change: recognizing and prioritizing urgent intervention on the burden of brain disorders and building towards a brain healthy future for Europe and beyond.
This event will demonstrate just how important this prioritization is. Crucial elements in the complex chain from basic neuroscience to patient improved outcomes will be broken down and explored. Research into the space remains crucial yet underfunded and often misunderstood and neglected, which has a massive impact on the lives of patients. With greater prioritization and overhaul of brain research in Europe, we have the opportunity to foster a personalized approach when developing innovative therapeutic options and better address patient relevant outcomes.
This event will be bilingual. Sessions will take place in both English and Spanish – interpreters will be available for translation.
OrganisersHis Excellency Francisco Manuel Fajardo

Senate of Spain
Prof. Carlos Closa

Spanish National Research Council
Prof. Suzanne Dickson

European Brain Council
Prof. Juan Lerma

European Brain Council
Prof. Richard Morris

Edinburgh Futures Institute
Rosa Montero

Novelist
Prof. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga

Hospital del Mar
Prof. Giancarlo Comi

European Charchot Foundation
Dr. Usman Khan

Motor Neurone Disease Association
Tineke Mollema

GAMIAN-Europe
Dr. Mara Parellada

AMITEA Programme
Dr. Paola Zaratin

PROMS Initiative
Stephanie Hoffmann-Gendebien

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals
Prof. José Obeso

Centro Integral de Neurociencias AC
Dr. Mara Dierssen

Spanish Brain Council
Dr. José Luis Lanciego

PERC-IBRO
Cristina Maragall

Pasqual Maragall Foundation
Dr. Francisco Colomer Sanmartín

Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
Frédéric Destrebecq

European Brain Council
Video MessageFor privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.I AcceptWith thanks to the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Insightec and Roche for supporting this event.
Event Booklet (EN)Event Booklet (ES)Registration

BRAINTEASER Webinar: Women in Multiple Sclerosis
2023-12-05 12:00 - 13:30 UTC
Join us for a online event that focuses on Women in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This webinar will provide valuable insights and information about the unique challenges and experiences faced by women with MS. Gain knowledge from renowned experts in the field and hear inspiring stories from women who are managing their MS. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with a supportive community and learn strategies to navigate the complexities of living with MS as a woman. Register now and empower yourself!
BRAINTEASER is a data science project that seeks to exploit the value of big data, including those related to health, lifestyle habits, and environment, to support patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis and their clinicians. Taking advantage of cost-efficient sensors and apps, BRAINTEASER will integrate large, clinical datasets that host both patient-generated and environmental data.
Register now!

17th European Headache Congress Headache: Expanding the Horizon
2023-12-06 - 2023-12-09
The 17th European Headache Congress (EHC) will take place from 6-9 December 2023, in Barcelona, Spain. Under the theme ‘Headache: Expanding the horizon,’ EHC 2023 aims to spotlight the latest advancements in headache research and its management. The event’s scientific agenda will encompass diverse sessions, educational courses, sponsored symposia, expert meetings, and poster presentations.
On December 6th, Michela Tinelli (London School of Economics – LSE) and Vinciane Quoidbach (European Brain Council – EBC) on behalf of the EBC-led Rethinking Migraine project will present a poster with the topic: ”Rethinking Migraine: will shifting the emphasis towards preventative treatment of migraine, using new CGRP-targeting medicines, be of added value to society from a health economics perspective?”.
RegistrationMore information

Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative Expert Roundtable
2024-01-16 12:30 - 15:00 UTC
The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) will host Davos Roundtable of International Leaders to promote brain health and healthy aging, alongside the 54th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 15-19, 2024.
On Tuesday, January 16, from 12:30-14:00 CET, DAC will host a high-level roundtable at its Impact Venue, just steps from the Congress Center, bringing together prominent leaders in government, industry, academic, and global communities to organize a Brain Health Ambassadors Network to extend its reach to the primary care level.
The roundtable will discuss brain health as an economic imperative, the urgent need for sustained global collaboration, and the importance of health systems strengthening to ensure healthy populations in every resource setting. Frédéric Destrebecq, EBC Executive Director, will take part in the roundtable discussion.
About the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative
Launched at the World Economic Forum’s 2021 meeting on The Davos Agenda, The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative is a multi-stakeholder partnership committed to aligning stakeholders with a new vision for our collective global response against the challenges Alzheimer’s presents to patients, caregivers and healthcare infrastructures. Convened by The World Economic Forum and The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease (CEOi) and fueled by a mission of service to the estimated 150 million families and half a billion people inevitably impacted by this disease by 2050, DAC is a collaborative for the benefit of all people, in all places.

The Evolution of Mental Health
2024-01-16 16:00 - 18:00 UTC
Academia, corporate leaders, finance executives, and trailblazing entrepreneurs will coalesce for a dynamic set of panel discussions on The Evolution of Mental Health at the House of Trust event during the 2024 World Economic Forum!
We’ll explore the transformative journey of mental health, exploring its modern evolution, the pivotal role of businesses in promoting wellness, the cutting-edge impact of technology and the fusion of ancient wisdom and western medicinal practices.
Bonus: Experience some of the tech for yourself at the event!
Learn more about each panel, here.
Panel 1: Trends in Mental Health Innovation
Panel 2: Mental Wellness and Stress Resilience of Business Leaders and Employees
Panel 3: Mental Health Technology Deepdive
Panel 4: AguilaCondor Foundation – Bridging Old & New Worlds
EBC Executive Director, Frédéric Destrebecq, will take part in the Panel 1 on ‘Trends in Mental Health Innovation‘, diving into the evolution of mental health innovations, perceptions and investments over the last decade.
Find out moreRegister now

Building the Mental Wealth of Nations
2024-01-17 12:00 - 15:00 UTC
The ‘Building the Mental Wealth of Nations‘ will take place in Davos, Switzerland.
The event is brought to you by the Mental Wealth Initiative at the University of Sydney. Our vision is to move towards a mentally and socially thriving world. We believe the wealth of a nation is not just based on economic prosperity. National prosperity must be inclusive of social production and the mental health and wellbeing of communities
Today we face unprecedented challenges as climate change re-shapes our borders and our boundaries. Now, more than ever, we need to bring people together from all industries to collaborate and find solutions to protect and enhance the mental wealth of our nations.
The tools and technologies of the 20th Century are inadequate to address the challenges we are currently facing and beyond. We need bold new approaches and to adopt innovative technologies and solutions, through:

Enhancing GDP by including the value of social production which underpins the economic prosperity and social cohesion of nations.
Stronger public-private partnerships to enhance brain capital, mental health and community connectedness
Undertaking interdisciplinary research to come up with practical solutions for global challenges
Using AI, systems modelling and simulation to help leaders make effective decisions

EBC Executive Director, Frédéric Destrebecq, will contribute to the session ‘Building Mental Wealth – threat and possible solutions’, providing an overview about what is mental wealth and how it can be measured and improved.
Find out more

Brain Health for Society: Insights from Brain Capital
2024-01-25 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | Hyperion Hotel, Messepl. 12, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
On January 25th, 2024, the European Brain Council, in partnership with Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Brain Capital Alliance, hosted a full-day event, Brain Health for Society: Insights from Brain Capital. Guided by Frédéric Destrebecq, Executive Director of the European Brain Council, this event included invited speakers and stakeholders and hosted panel discussions to motivate conversations about brain health and a shift towards a brain economy.
This report summarizes topics discussed at the event and outlines key strategies that emerged from the discussions held at the event. View a recording of the summit below.
Full Day Replay | Part 1For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.I AcceptFull Day Replay | Part 2For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.I AcceptIn an ever-changing environment dominated by the influences of fast fashion, fast food, and social media, and as the aging population continues to grow, placing unprecedented strain on our social systems, the prospect of transitioning to a brain-healthy or brain-positive economy emerges as a unique and pivotal opportunity. This necessary shift reflects the world’s increasing reliance on brain capital, encompassing an individual’s social, emotional, and cognitive resources.
The pressing need for this shift is underscored by a concerning 59% increase in health-related cases over the last three decades, marking neurological conditions as the world’s leading cause of overall disease burden. The resulting brain-unhealthy or brain-negative economy, characterized by reduced productivity, economic insecurity, and challenges arising from brain health disorders, misinformation, insufficiently targeted investment in brain science, social media toxicity, and environmental disparities, necessitates the development of a comprehensive approach to ensure societal well-being. Concurrently, global declines in democracy emphasize the urgency of supporting mental health to foster community empowerment.
As a diverse group of stakeholders, including leading experts and advocates, convened at the Brain Health for Society gathering, their shared aim was to discuss future directions in addressing the complex landscape of global brain health. With existing brain plans providing a foundational approach to these challenges, the collaborative discourse aims to generate key strategies for working towards a brain-healthy society, ensuring flourishing lives in the face of evolving societal dynamics and the ever-growing cost of inaction.

Programme
LOOK BACK AT THE PROGRAMME
Increasing life expectancy, what’s causing the upper limit?

Over the last three decades, the world has witnessed a sobering 64% increase in brain health-related cases, imposing a disproportionate burden on global disease prevalence. As populations age, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimates a staggering $1 trillion in global income loss. Dr. William Heisel, IHME’s Director of Global Services, emphasizes the critical opportunity to shape the future by addressing brain health, citing how the cost of inaction continues to outweigh the cost of action every day.

Transitioning to a Brain-Healthy Economy

A society burdened by brain health disorders experiences reduced productivity, economic insecurity, and challenges stemming from misinformation, inadequate brain health investment, social media toxicity, and environmental disparities. Dr. Harris Eyre, Lead in the Brain Capital Alliance, underscores the urgency of prioritizing brain capital in political agendas. Healthy brains drive creativity, pro-sociality, productivity, and social cohesion, influencing economic structures bidirectionally.

Current European Brain Plans

As the aging population fuels a rise in brain disorders, current European Brain Plans, such as those in Norway, Switzerland, Finland, and Germany, aim to manage the high costs, alleviate suffering, and reduce stigmas associated with brain health disorders. Prof. Claudio Bassetti, Vice President of the European Brain Council and Lead of the Swiss Brain Health Plan, presents the Swiss Brain Plan as a model for comprehensive approaches, emphasizing the need for strategies that cater to both older and younger populations.

Brain Health Clinical Innovation in Children and Youth

Experts, including Dr. Mikele Epperly (Global Integrated Program Leader, Brain Health & Neurology Healthcare Ecosystems, Roche), Dr. Tim Foxx (Director, Center for School Study Councils, University of Pennsylvania), Dr. Carmen Moreno (Chair, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychopharmacology Network, ECNP; Child and Adult Psychiatrist, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain), and Prof. Kevin Rostasy (President, European Paediatric Neurology Society), shed light on the role of education in shaping narratives, disparities in women’s brain health, and the necessity of child neurology in comprehensive brain plans. The panel emphasizes the magnitude of the issue, stressing the urgency for low-cost, accessible innovations to address youth mental health, and highlights the financial importance of investing in children and youth brain health. Dr. Moreno’s words, “We as a society are unhealthy and un-wealthy if the least of ours is suffering,” capture the need for a collaborative and directed approach to building a foundation for positive mental health throughout life.

Democracy and Brain Health

Dr. Alexander Hudson, Senior Advisor for the Democracy Assessment Unit at the International IDEA, underscores the positive interaction between democracy and mental health and emphasizes the need for participation and mental health support to bolster democracy. However, declines in democracy pose challenges globally, creating a pressing need for a collective and multi-layered effort to support mental health and democratic processes.

Brain Science for Flourishing Lives

Dr. Dennis Pamlin, Executive Director of The Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative at Mission Innovation, advocates for an expanded innovation agenda to promote flourishing lives, emphasizing the role of brain health in sustainable development. He promotes a shift from fast-paced trends to prioritizing the human right to creativity and well-being. Pamlin calls for targeted approaches and user-friendly tools for investors to support this shift.

Brain Health Clinical Innovation in Mid- and Late-Life

Experts, including Dr. Paulo Fontoura (Global Head and SVP Neuroscience, Immunology, Ophthalmology, Infectious and Rare Diseases, Roche), Dr. Maria Teresa Ferretti (Affiliated researcher, Center for Alzheimer Studies, Karolinska Institut; External teacher (Privat Dozent), Medical university of Vienna; Clinical Development Lead, Syntropic Medical), Prof. Peter Falkai (Treasurer, European Brain Council; Past President, European Psychiatric Association), Dr. Quazi Haque (Chief Medical Officer, Elysium Healthcare & Global Mental Health & Brain Science CoP Lead, Ramsay Healthcare), and Prof. Craig Ritchie (CEO and Founder, Scottish Brain Sciences), discuss the invisible costs of inadequate brain health and highlight the significance of reducing the burden of chronic disease for better brain health. The group urges personalized, targeted care for brain health, resilience training, and systematic change for early intervention to elevate brain health both as a priority of its own and as a part of the wider approach to a healthy life.

The Patient Perspective

Dr. Orla Galvin, Executive Director of the European Federation of Neurological Associations, addresses the underfunding and stigmatization of neurology globally, emphasizing the vast societal and economic impact on individuals with neurological conditions. Brain skills, including resilience and creativity, unite neurology patients, promoting holistic support for the development of such skills.

Advances from Denmark: Improving health in the context of public-private partnerships

Dr. Tina Hjortlund, Head of Global Public Affairs and DE&I Officer at Lundbeck, suggests the public sector cannot address health care challenges alone. She emphasizes the shared responsibility across public and private sectors to find innovative solutions and enhance healthcare solutions that prioritize mental health. Dr. Hjortlund encourages utilizing existing models of public-private partnerships to develop new collaborative partnerships guided by evidence-based decision-making in alignment with national strategies and in support of political priorities.

Next Generation Brain Plans

This panel, moderated by Paweł Świeboda, Founder of Neurocentury, in discussion with Marco Mohwinckel (Mental health and health technology investor and advisor), Prof. Peter Falkai (Treasurer, European Brain Council; Past President, European Psychiatric Association), Azad Bonni (SVP Roche pRED Global Head of Neuroscience & Rare Diseases, Roche), and Henrik Peersen (Secretary General, Hjernerådet (Norwegian Brain Council), delves into experiences and challenges of comprehensive brain health plans, highlighting insights from Norway, Germany, and an industry perspective. Calls for concrete, measurable goals, research collaboration between healthcare systems, governments, and private entities, and flexible approaches underscore the need for constant solutions to address evolving challenges in brain health. The experts in the panel discuss the potential benefits and limitations of developing a European Brain Plan adapted at a national level.

Scaling what works to add years to life and life to years

Dr. Kana Enomoto, Director of Brain Health at McKinsey Health Institute, addressed the private sector’s role in mental health, advocating for investments in effective and holistic approaches to health that encompass physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Her call to action, urging to “square the curve” by enhancing average quality and global life expectancy, is coupled with a visionary goal of 90/90/90 —screening, evidence-based treatment, and symptom management—for all individuals, with recovery as the expected outcome. This visionary approach sets the stage for transformative change in mental health.

Brain Capital and Impact Investing

Experts, including Dr. Shiva Dustdar (Head, European Investment Bank Institute), Dr. Ekkehard Ernst (Chief, Macroeconomic Policy Unit, International Labour Organization and President, Geneva Macro Labs), Dr. Nathalie Hilmi (Head of Environmental Economics, Center for Science, Monaco), and Christian Schuetz (Director – Investments / ESG, Golding Capital Partners) explored the intersection of economic value, cognitive abilities, and brain health, emphasizing the interconnectedness of healthy cognitive development, ecological significance, and economic security with panel moderator, Dr. Rym Ayadi (Founder and President, Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association). The panel calls for collaboration and clarity in communication, stressing the importance of bridging the gap between societal challenges and financial solutions. The panel discusses the idea of impact investing for brain capital, explaining that brain capital is in a growth phase and requires three main characteristics to propel it towards success: fast product-scalability, ability to be profitable for both the manufacturer and the customer, and ability to tap into large markets. The panel concludes with a call to unify groups of experts and policymakers to create central arguments that strategically explain the financial and societal benefit of brain capital to stakeholders capable of driving change in society.

Patient Prevention

George Vrandenburg, Chairman of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, discusses the patient’s role in developing solutions, emphasizing the necessity of practical and concrete plans at the primary care level to be financed by the World Bank.

Pathways Forward for Brain Capital

The final panel, including Dr. Shiva Dustdar (Head, European Investment Bank Institute), Dr. Harris Eyre, (Lead, Brain Capital Alliance) and Michael Oberreiter (Head of Global Access, Roche) focuses on the conceptualization, implementation, sequencing, and involvement of various stakeholders in the Brain Capital agenda. Highlighting the need to integrate the brain lens into the existing EU funding framework, the panelists call for better documentation and evidence to bolster the existing investment in the brain economy. Dr. Oberreiter stresses the importance of proving the economic return on investing in brain health, proposing the creation of a Brain Capital index to measure the competitiveness of nations and implementation of a similar index in workplaces. Dr. Eyre proposes a transition to a brain economy and advocates for engaging G7 and G20, forming an inter-parliamentary brain capital task force, and initiating specific brain health plans and investments. The emphasis is on creating a compelling case for brain health as an investment, aligning incentives, and involving a diverse set of actors for impactful change.

Priorities to address:

Comprehensive and Flexible Brain Health Plans: Develop clear objectives and concrete measures for comprehensive brain health plans, focusing on effectiveness and measurability. Adopt a flexible approach involving both national and European-level elements to address evolving challenges in brain health comprehensively.
Investment in Brain Capital: Prioritize brain capital in political agendas, recognizing the bidirectional relationship between healthy brains and economic prosperity. Integrate brain health into existing EU funding frameworks, documenting and evidencing significant investments in the brain economy.
Collaborative Research and Innovation: Encourage collaboration at national and international levels, engaging diverse stakeholders such as scientists, policymakers, healthcare innovators, and impact investors, for research innovation, redefinition of economic models, and access to digital data in brain health. Engage the private sector through public-private partnerships, encouraging evidence-based decision-making and patient-centric solutions.
Brain Capital Index: Develop a Brain Capital index to measure the competitiveness of nations and prove the economic return on investing in brain health. Implement a similar system into workplaces, providing financial incentive to support brain health.
The conference concluded with a compelling call to action for a collective effort in redefining global approaches to brain health, urging governments, industries, and individuals to prioritize mental well-being for a healthier, sustainable future.

Continue the ConversationEBC Brain Awareness Week Event 2024: No Health Without Brain Health07.03.2024 @ 11:00 - 13:00Neuroscience and Society: A Life Course Approach to Brain Health – Science Summit of 79th United Nations General Assembly19.09.2024 - 20.09.2024Brain Innovation Days13.11.2024 - 14.11.2024About the authorsOlivia Nail-Beatty is a senior neuroscience student pursuing a five years master in Bioscience and Health Policy at Rice University
Stephanie Kramer is the Deputy Executive Director at the European Brain Council
Frédéric Destrebecq is the Executive Director at the European Brain Council and European Brain Foundation
Kaitlin May is the Program Manager, Center for Health and Biosciences at Baker Institute
PartnersWith thanks to Roche for supporting this event.

Bio-Neuroscience
2024-02-14 - 2024-02-15 | Rosarium Amstelpark, Amstelpark 1 Europaboulevard, Amsterdam, 1083, Netherlands
ProgrammeRegistrationMore InformationConvened by-invitation, Bio-Neuroscience is a high level, boutique gathering of key thought leaders, innovators and decision-makers from all key stakeholder groups crucial to the discovery, development and market launch of novel therapeutics and breakthrough platforms and technologies.
Bio-Neuroscience is the global partnering and investment summit for global leaders and innovators in CNS neuroscience and psychiatric drug discovery, development, platforms and technologies. High level access, serious, sustained engagement, discussion and networking with key stakeholders. Sharing models, lessons learned, solutions, ways forward and best practices. A truly curated and unique summit to facilitate business and accelerate innovation.
Frédéric Destrebecq, EBC Exectuive Director, will take part in a panel discussion on ‘CNS Neurosciences and Psychiatry – the need for a new generation of novel therapeutics and the policy and ecosystem requirements to accelerate development‘, set to take place on 14 February 2024 at 09:15-09:45.
The members of the EBC network can benefit from 20% discount code. If you are part of our network, please get in contact with us at advocacy@braincouncil.eu.
Co-OrganisersProgrammeRegistrationMore Information

Brain in Sport: Preventing & Managing Concussion and its Consequences
2024-02-24 09:00 - 16:15 UTC | Brussels, Belgium
The European Brain Foundation (EBF), in partnership with the French Rugby Federation, Rugby Europe, and World Rugby, will host its first event on the subject of Brain in Sport dedicated to concussion, providing the most comprehensive information possible on concussion and its treatment, including key opinion leaders and experts in field to share state of play in a medico-scientific perspective and testimonies from players, to better understand where the risk of concussion and head trauma in a particular sport exists and how it best to manage it.
Information & ProgrammeRegister

International Newborn Brain Conference
2024-02-28 - 2024-03-02 | Cork, Ireland
The International Newborn Brain Conference (INBBC) provides a state-of-the-art forum for presentation and discussion of current research and clinical practice in newborn brain care, including diagnosis, monitoring and management strategies to optimize neurodevelopmental outcome. It explores the means to understand, monitor, protect and treat the newborn brain. The INBBC provides continuing medical education to multidisciplinary professionals working to improve the neurological and developmental health outcomes of premature and high-risk newborns. The Conference will take place on 28 February – 2 March 2024 in Cork (Ireland).
Learn more

Towards a Rare Brain Disease Ecosystem
2024-02-29 09:30 - 14:00 UTC
The main purpose of Rare Disease Day is to raise awareness about rare diseases and their impact on the lives of those affected. Encouraging policy changes can influence policymakers to create policies and regulations that better address the needs of people with rare diseases, including improved access to diagnosis and treatment.
To raise awareness on rare brain disease, this event, organised by the European Brain Council, will bring together researchers, clinicians, persons living with brain disease and industry to share their perspectives and priorities in the rare brain disease research, care, and policy space. This will result in the 2024 strategic plan for the EBC rare brain disease ecosystem.
Practical information
Date: Thursday, 29 February 2024
Time: 09:30 – 14:00 (Brussels time)
Location: University Foundation (Francqui Room), Rue d’Egmont 11, 1000 Brussels, Belgium  & livestream
Registration for online attendance: register here
Registration for in-person attendance: please contact us at comm@braincouncil.eu
All participants must register before attending this event. Once registered for the online participation, Zoom instructions will be sent via email closer to the date.
Discover the programme & the speakersRegister nowRare Disease Day 2024 - Programme & Speakers

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases Conference
2024-03-05 - 2024-03-09
The Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases Conference (AD/PD™) will take place on 5-9 March 2024 in Lisbon (Portugal) and virtually.
The AD/PD™ Conference is where the brightest minds gather to explore the latest research, clinical trials, and treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. From uncovering groundbreaking discoveries to sharing the latest developments in treatments.
The Conference will give you the amazing opportunity to meet and hear what the leading international experts are working on, discuss the latest news and trends in the field, and present in front of them your own work and gain valuable feedback.
The AD/PD™ Conference has grown to be one of the leading events in the field of neurodegenerative disorders with over 4,100 participants from 61 countries and over 2,000 abstracts in 2023.
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Mental Health Matters: What are the policy priorities for the Belgian Presidency and the next European Commission?
2024-03-06 09:00 - 11:00 UTC | Brussels, Belgium
The expert roundtable discussion “Mental Health Matters: What are the policy priorities for the Belgian Presidency and the next European Commission?“, organised by the International Longevity Center UK and ILC Europe Network, will take place on 6 March 2024 at 09:00-11:00 in Brussels.
Across Europe, we know that around one in 20 EU citizens are affected by anxiety or depressive disorders. Since COVID-19, there has been a sharp increase: one Eurobarometer survey in June 2023 found that 46% of the EU population had encountered feelings of depression or anxiety during the 12 months prior.
Resolving the challenges associated with mental health conditions is crucial to ensure Europeans live longer and happier lives. ILC is currently undertaking a global project that aims to generate a debate among key policy and health stakeholders on the importance of addressing mental health across our lives.
Vinciane Quoidbach, EBC Research Project Manager, joined the expert roundtable discussion, exploring mental health policy and best-practice in the EU. Discussion highlighted the importance of addressing mental health and well-being in the different contexts in the life course, which can benefit both individuals and societies. It recognizes the beneficial role of communities, schools, sports and culture in strengthening mental health and life-long mental well-being. In addition, the topic of mental health is also of the utmost importance to the Belgian Presidency, especially mental health and work being a priority. Lastly, beyond the European Commission’s communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health released in June 2023, there is a need to implement a biopsychosocial approach to mental health.

Wellcome Trust European Parliament Event: An Agenda for Mental Health, 2024 and Beyond
2024-03-06 14:30 - 16:00 UTC | European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60, Brussels, 1047, Belgium
On behalf of the Wellcome Trust and with the kind support of Sara Cerdas MEP, I am pleased to invite you to take part in a roundtable entitled “An agenda for mental health – 2024 and beyond”, to be held at the European Parliament on 6 March, from 2:30 to 4 pm (Room SPINELLI 5G305).
With a new approach to mental health in place, the EU has shown commitment to addressing this challenge, affecting European citizens of all ages, genders and across member states. The current legislature has also had an important role in upping the Union’s ambitions overall. With the European elections fast approaching, it is important that this ambition is safeguarded and built on.
We would be honoured to have you join the roundtable discussion and exchange with us on why EU leadership on mental health is important, what this parliament has achieved in mental health, where the next legislature should focus its efforts, and how actors across the EU institutions and the health community can work together to bring about change.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Sara Cerdas MEP: The legacy of this Parliament and what we have to build on
Milka Sokolovic, Director General of EPHA: Putting mental health at the centre of the European elections
Claudia Marinetti, Director of Mental Health Europe: Where we are today – achievements and gaps on mental health at EU level
Freek Spinnewijn on behalf of Nobody Left Outside: Giving voice to those most impacted
Paul Spencer, Wellcome Trust: The EU as funder: research as a lever for better mental health
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Open discussion format welcoming remarks from all participants
Why does EU leadership on mental health matter?
What are the challenges that await the next European Parliament?
How to drive the EU to invest in mental health research?
What space for mental health research in FP10?
CLOSING STATEMENT
Sara Cerdas MEP

EBC Brain Awareness Week Event 2024: No Health Without Brain Health
2024-03-07 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60, Brussels, 1047, Belgium
Across the globe, society is facing brain challenges like never before — improving the health and wellbeing of citizens has become the top priority for many governments and brain health should not be left behind. In the lead up to Brain Awareness Week 2024, EBC will hold its annual event around brain health awareness in line with its ongoing advocacy work such as the Pledge for Science, Global Call to Action and 2024 EU Elections Manifesto, which all call for increased attention, prioritisation and investment in brain health at the European and global levels.
Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. Every March, the week unites the efforts of partner organizations world-wide in a celebration of the brain for people of all ages. EBC takes part annually with an initiative to promote and communicate on brain health and research, showcasing ongoing efforts to prevent and treat brain disorders – neurological and mental alike – in Europe. The goal of these activities is to gain more attention for brain health, not only from within the wider brain community but also from EU policymakers and the public, to ensure that more resources are channelled towards prevention awareness, research on the brain and for the 179 million Europeans currently living with some form of brain condition.
The event was held in the European Parliament in Brussels on 7 March 2024, hosted by Member of European Parliament (MEP) Colm Markey (EPP, IE), bringing together stakeholders in the space, including clinicians, researchers, patients, and additional MEPs and civil servants. Key policy asks were presented by the brain community and showcased the importance of placing the brain as a top health and research priority in the EU; not only to tackle the growing burden of brain disorders in Europe — neurological and mental alike—but to recognise that by prioritising the brain, we prioritise the health of all citizens: to live in health and in happiness, to power our labour markets and economies, and to build for future generations. Instead of divesting in a cost, policymakers and society at large should view the prioritization and support of brain research as an investment into prevention, wellness, and optimization.
Official AftermovieFor privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.I AcceptFull Event RecordingFor privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.I AcceptSpeakersCatherine BerensAstri ArnesenTomás RyanKevin RostasyPéter KériMichael CreanElisa MilaniSuzanne DicksonElena Alvarez-BarónMorten GrunnetFrédéric DestrebecqMartien KasMEP Colm MarkeyLivia De PickerEvent Highlights“If you look at the cost [of brain disorders] to the health services, it is estimated to cost €800 billion a year. It’s the equivalent of cardiovascular, cancer, and diabetes all put together.” – MEP Colm Markey
Host Member of the European Parliament, MEP Colm Markey (EPP, IE) kicked off EBC’s Brain Awareness Week 2024 event, No Health Without Brain Health, by welcoming the audience to the European Parliament and reminding the audience of how crucial tackling the growing burden of brain conditions and prioritising brain health and research in Europe currently is. These conditions, when paralleled with an ageing European population and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, urgently require increased support at policy level – in terms of public health and research investment— both at the EU and global levels. Prof. Suzanne L. Dickson, EBC President, followed by announcing the ongoing #NoHealthWithoutBrainHealth campaign, which launched ahead of the event, and will run through the European Elections in June 2024 and into the new mandate, calling for an increased recognition and prioritisation of brain health, research and innovation in the European Union. “We not only need to do more, we need to do better,” Prof. Dickson stated, sharing with the audience some of the key policy asks from EBC’s 2024 Elections Manifesto, particularly reiterating strong calls from the brain community for a European Parliament Intergroup on Brain Health & Research.
Testimonies on Lived Experiences and Policy Asks from the Patient Community
Astri Arnesen, President of the European Federation of Neurological Associations, then took the floor to share her lived experience of brain disorders, echoing policy asks from the European patient community. Existing silos across the European Union should be built down, to foster cooperation between all relevant stakeholders, ensure they have access to relevant data and be able to make a real impact for patients. “Please stop overprotecting us. […] Patients dedicate time and efforts to provide information, to provide the data. We want it to be used.”
Péter Kéri, President of GAMIAN-Europe, underlined the stigma surrounding mental health disorders by sharing his own story: “I was lost. I spent years trying to hide my illness. My family wanted me to hide my illness”. Policymaking will not be able to effectively address the burden of brain disorders without actively listening and considering the voices of patients. The need to share knowledge between professional, policymakers and patients, coupled with increased support and funding is the only way to tackle the disparities and inequalities that persist for patients across Europe.
Addressing the Burden and the Challenges of Brain Disorders
“When we look into the future, to 2030, we can see that brain health disorders will be responsible for over 11 million deaths. If we look at disability, this represents 240 million years lived with disabilities. This is the reason why we are here today: to put brain health at the top of the agenda.”
Looking ahead towards a new roadmap in brain and mental Health, Elena Alvarez-Barón, Global Medical Affairs Director Specialty Care at Angelini Pharma, reminded the audience of the importance to foster collaboration while making brain health a priority. To ensure care pathways are harmonised across Europe, research must be adequately funded and supported, and healthcare systems must be thoroughly compared and analysed to highlight examples of good practices. Co-presenter, Elisa Milani, Senior Consultant for Healthcare Area at The European House – Ambrosetti, then presented the Headway Initiative, a concrete example highlighting state of the art practices in the management of brain disorders. This demonstrates how crucial having proper data available is for policymakers to make informed decisions when tackling the burden of neurological and mental disorders.
“We have heard a lot about numbers. Just remember that behind every single one of these numbers, there is a person that suffers. And I think we have an almost ethical obligation to do everything we can, with the competences we come with, to help these patients.”
Next, Morten Grunnet, Vice President and Head of Neuroscience at Lundbeck, spoke on the latest Science and Innovation in the Brain Space, asserting that individual data is of no interest to the industry: the main goal is to detect patterns in the development of brain disorders. While the human brain is a relatively new field of research, several breakthroughs are happening in the field, highlighting the European Union’s position at the forefront of brain research. This position can only be kept if research infrastructures are properly maintained. “From a scientific perspective, we have a very good and competitive environment in Europe right now. It’s an opportunity, and almost a need, that we keep this competitive environment…we have to secure that innovation stays in Europe.”
Catherine Berens, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Research and Innovation, People Directorate – D1 ‘Combatting Diseases, European Commission, provided insight on the State of Brain Research in Europe, detailing the various initiatives funded by the European Union to promote and foster brain health, research and innovation. Over the next few years, the main goal will be to structure the European brain research ecosystem around umbrella initiatives, such as the CSA BrainHealth (in which EBC is a partner) –paving the way towards a European Brain Health Partnership in 2026. While the need for increased research and investment is real, prevention must not be left aside, as it also plays a crucial role in tackling the burden of brain conditions.
“We have come to a point where time is really ripe to go to the next level and bring these initiatives together […] under the same umbrella to further strengthen the European brain area and boost European competitiveness in that field.”.
Panel Discussion: Policy Asks from the Brain Community in View of the EU Elections
Frédéric Destrebecq, Executive Director of the European Brain Council, opened the panel of EBC Members representing the leading European scientific and clinical organisations, inviting them to relay key policy asks from the brain community ahead of the 2024 European Elections.
“Brain health does not start in adulthood. Brain health starts even before pregnancy,” Prof. Kevin Rostasy, President of the European Paediatric Neurology Society initiated the discussion by highlighting the importance of considering brain health across the entire lifespan, taking into account the effects of multiple environmental determinants. Prof. Martien Kas, President of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, acknowledged the increased efforts of the European Union in funding research projects, but however recalled that a significant number of very promising ones still remain underfunded or without any funding at all.
“Time has come to bring the right treatment to the right patient at the right moment in time. What this requires is a fundamental understanding of the brain, in health and diseased.” – Martien Kas.
Prof. Livia De Picker, Board Member and Chair of the Publication Committee of the European Psychiatric Association, then discussed the necessity for brain health to really be understood as encompassing both neurological and mental health. “Given the complexity that we are facing, we really cannot afford to compete against each other. We really need to collaborate between neurologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and other allied specialities, to solve the challenges that we are facing.”
Dr Tomás Ryan, representing the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, emphasized the lack of funding in Europe for basic brain research: This lack of competitiveness is one of the reasons behind the current brain drain, which further undermines the European research and innovation ecosystem. “There is no brain health without brain understanding, and therefore we cannot have investment without investigation into how the brain works.” Michael Crean, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Advocacy of the European Academy of Neurology, urged for coordination and support at the EU level for national brain health plans, in order to avoid fragmentation and siloing of knowledge across Europe.
Concluding Remarks by Host MEP, Colm Markey (EPP, IE) and EBC President, Prof. Suzanne Dickson
MEP Colm Markey reflected on the various presentations and policy asks voiced during the event and reiterated his support for the cause of brain health, acknowledging the potentials for the creation and need for a Parliamentary committee or intergroup on brain health in the European Parliament during the next mandate, and the need to break past the traditional silos of neurological health, mental health, and address brain health as one. Prof. Suzanne L. Dickson thanked the audience for gathering in Brussels for this event and shared a message of hope for the years to come considering the significance of the discussions held throughout the event for the future of brain health and brain science in Europe.
Special thanks to our event partners for their support:
Speakers BiographiesElena Alvarez-BarónDr. Elena Alvarez-Baron, Global Medical Affairs Director Specialty Care at Angelini Pharma, is a Medical Affairs leader who has guided and executed key projects across different therapeutic areas and product life cycle stages. Passionate about the enigma of the brain and #brainhealth, she obtained her PhD in neuroscience at the university of Bonn. The last >12 years she has worked for several companies focused on developing innovative therapies to improve the lives of people affected by neurological and psychiatric disorders, including among others, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, schizophrenia and depression. Always inspired by patients, she believes in the importance of personalized medicine.Astri Arnesen
When Astri was born in Norway in 1962, her mother had not yet developed symptoms of Huntington’s Disease (HD), but she did become sick a few short years later. Her disease progressed throughout Astri’s childhood and adolescence until she finally passed away in 2004. Astri has been engaged as a patient representative and advocate since the mid-1980s. From 2004-2014 she was the President of the Norwegian Huntington Association and from 2010 joined the board of the European Huntington Association (EHA), to which she was elected President in 2016. Astri now works full time for EHA, but in her previous career was head of department for a unit providing expertise in special educational needs to stakeholders in the educational sector from kindergarten to university level.
Astri is educated as a teacher in learning disabilities and has additional university degrees in developmental psychology, management and innovative processes. Through her longterm engagement in the HD field Astri has gained a wide network within the HD community all over Europe and globally. Astri is also active in the rare disease field through her engagement with Eurordis and the European Reference Networks (ERN). Astri is also part of the steering committee for so-called ePAG’s (patient reps in the ERN’s).
Catherine Berens
Dr Catherine Berens is the Deputy Head of Unit ‘Combatting Diseases’ in the People Directorate of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). She was trained as a pharmacist and obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. After having worked for the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (European Pharmacopoeia, Council of Europe, Strasbourg), she joined the European Commission in Brussels in 2002, as a Scientific Officer in charge of Rare Diseases in the Health Directorate of DG RTD. From 2012, she worked as a Policy Officer for Pharmaceuticals in then-Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry, dealing with pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals, and access to medicines. In 2014 she was appointed Head of Sector Neuroscience in DG RTD, and from September 2016, worked as the Assistant to DG RTD’s Deputy Director-General in charge of Research Programmes. She was appointed Deputy Head of Unit ‘Strategy’ in DG RTD’s Health Directorate in 2018, Deputy Head of Unit ‘Healthy Lives’ in DG RTD’s People Directorate in 2019, and became Deputy Head of Unit ‘Combatting Diseases’ in 2021.
Michael Crean
Michael Crean is Deputy Executive Director and Head of Advocacy at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), where he has worked since 2019. He manages the EAN’s advocacy initiatives, coordinating with the communications committee. Previously, Michael worked in communications at the European Society of Radiology and managed FP7 and Horizon Europe projects at the European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research. He holds degrees in political science, sociology, and philosophy from the National University of Ireland.
Frédéric Destrebecq
Frédéric Destrebecq is the Executive Director of the European Brain Council since October 2014. In this capacity, he is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership while managing the day to day operations of EBC and its ongoing relationships with its member associations and other stakeholders, as well as representing the organisation in various European and national forums.
Fred holds a Master Degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium). He also studied at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Paris) and University of Wales College (Cardiff), in the framework of the former EU Socrates exchange programme. Prior to EBC, Fred served the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) as Chief Executive Officer, and previously as Director for European Affairs.
Suzanne Dickson
Professor Suzanne L Dickson is a neurobiologist and Professor of Neuroendocrinology at the University of Gothenburg. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology from the University of Cambridge in 1993, where she later became Senior Lecturer in Physiology. She is a leading figure in neuroendocrinology and works within many European Union and international organisations and societies to promote research, facilitate grant funding and training of Early Career Scientists. Her research into the neurobiology of appetite aims to unravel neurobiological pathways that respond to orexigenic signals, such as the hormone, ghrelin, and that drive feeding behaviours, not only food intake but also food choice, food anticipation, food reward and food motivation. This work involves mostly preclinical studies and includes behavioural tasks, viral vector mapping, chemogenetics and RNAscope. She is Secretary and Executive Board member of the European College for Neuropsychopharmacology, and also chairs ECNP’s Workshop for Early Career Scientists in Europe. She also is founder and co-chair of ECNP’s nutrition network and EBRA’s BRAINFOOD cluster.
Morten Grunnet
Morten Grunnet is Vice President and Head of Neuroscience at Lundbeck, Honorary Professor at University of Copenhagen and CSO at Acesion Pharma.
During his studies, post-doctoral tenure at UC and further research career he has published > 150 peer review scientific papers and patents. He has held a position as full professor for more than 10 yrs at University of Copenhagen and has extensive experience with large research collaborations. He has co-founded Poseidon Pharmaceuticals, and Acesion Pharma, and was in 2016 named Life Science Entrepreneur of the Year in Denmark.
In 2004 Morten joined Neurosearch NS and held several research and managerial positions in Neurosearch until he in 2012 joined H. Lundbeck NS as Principal Scientist.
During his tenure at Lundbeck he has held positions within Research, Chief of Staff in R&D Executive Management Office, Project & Portfolio Management as Global Project Lead, and has concurrently served as a key driver for developing and implementing cross-functional strategic projects across Lundbeck: Starship (defining indication space), Galaxy (redefining entire R&D organization), Constellation (Shaping the project Matrix organization)
Morten re-joined Lundbeck’s Research organization ultimo 2021 and are now heading the Neuroscience organization as Vice President.
Martien Kas
Martien J.H. Kas is associate professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, at the University Medical Center Utrecht, where he leads a work group entitled “Translational Behavioral Genetics” that researches cross-species behavioral genetics to better understand origins and develop treatments for psychiatric disorders.
He is president of the Dutch Behavioural Genetics Association, board member and treasurer of the Dutch Neuroscience meeting and the Dutch Neurofederation, and executive committee member of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
Péter Kéri
Péter Kéri was born in Budapest and graduated as a teacher in 1992. He obtained his second degree in Public Relations in 2007. After a brief period of teaching in primary and secondary schools, he pursued a certificate in advanced travel management. Over the course of ten years, he specialized in designing special incentive group travel for multinational companies in Hungary, which allowed him to travel to various countries around the world and gain exposure to diverse cultural environments. During this time, his outspoken blog gained popularity not only within his cultural circles but also across the country.
For several years, Peter has been working at the Hungarian organization Awakenings Foundation, where he is responsible for the foundation's innovations and projects. In addition to his involvement with self-help groups, he has contributed his own innovations to ensure that people with chronic mental illness in different care systems can access daily assistance, similar to other chronic patients.
He states, "My personal experience of the life events contributed to my late onset psychosocial problems, dealing with mental illness at the age of 43 and my journey to overcome it have helped others learn how to navigate some of life's most difficult situations."
Peter has also co-authored numerous studies and research papers and has been honored with the Anti-stigma Award in Hungary.
For more than 5 years, Peter has been actively collaborating with GAMIAN-Europe, dedicated to sharing knowledge and promoting the best models of care, research, and self-help for all individuals. He is President of GAMIAN-Europe and Member of the Board of European Psychiatric Association, Founder of felepules.org the first digital peer-support booking system.
Colm Markey
Colm Markey is a Member of the European Parliament representing the constituency of Midlands North-West. Stretching from Connemara to Drogheda, Athlone to Malin Head, this is a diverse constituency with a variety of issues, but Colm’s guarantee to you is that he will work hard in YOUR interest.
Colm lives in Togher, Co. Louth on his family farm, with his partner Aisling and their two young children. As a farmer, an entrepreneur, and a family man he understands many of the issues that affect our communities.
He is a former President of Macra na Feirme and has been a public representative for over a decade. With Brexit and Covid, CAP reform and our environment on the agenda the need for a constructive voice in Europe has never been more important. In his role in Macra he was involved in negotiations on behalf of members at both national and European levels.
Colm has a strong interest in Community Development and has secured vital funding for local recreation and community facilities. When appointed as MEP, he was serving as Chair of the Louth Leader partnership which has helped to establish over 200 sole traders and small businesses in the previous 12 months. He has also served on the Board of IFAC, The National Economic and Social Council and the National Youth Council of Ireland.
Elisa Milani
Project Coordinator of “Headway – A new roadmap in Brain and Mental Health” and Senior Consultant of the Healthcare Area of The European House – Ambrosetti since 2017 working on initiatives in the Health Economics field (epidemiological studies, economic impacts, burden of disease, policy evaluation). She graduated in Business Engineering at the Politecnico of Milan and has a Master of Science in Health Economics and Management at the University of Bologna. She is the author of numerous reports, paper, and articles on communicable diseases (with a focus on vaccines and antimicrobial resistance), non-communicable diseases (in particular, Brain and Mental health), healthcare system evaluations and the effect of socio-demographic changes on society, and of the annual Meridiano Sanità Report.
Livia De Picker
Livia De Picker MD PhD graduated with a summa cum laude medical degree at the University of Antwerp, Belgium in 2012, after which she simultaneously started her PhD and residency training program to become a psychiatrist. In 2013, she joined the board of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT), She led the organization as president in 2015-2016, during which time she hosted the 24th annual European Forum of Psychiatric Trainees in her home town of Antwerp. During her training, she got the opportunity to work as visiting scientist at the University of Southampton (UK) and psychiatric resident at the University Medical Center Leiden (NL). She also won the first prize at the Antwerp Doctoral School Science Communication Contest. After graduating as a psychiatrist in 2019, and defending her PhD thesis in 2020, Livia is now working at the University Psychiatric Hospital Duffel (Belgium) as postdoctoral researcher and medical director of two clinical units of dialectical behaviour therapy for patients with emotion regulation disorders.
Her work revolves at the interface of research, clinical care, and health care policy – focusing on synergies between these three domains and strategies for translational implementation of evidence-based policy. Livia has become an influential early career clinician-scientist who has been constantly promoting the field of biological psychiatry both in Belgium and Europe. She is currently the president of the Belgian College for Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (BCNBP), and a board member of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA). Within ECNP, she has fostered educational opportunities for early career researchers through her involvement in the Early Career Advisory Panel (2015-2019), Educational Committee (2017-2019), Abstract & Poster Committee (2019-2022) and Workshop Committee (2023-ongoing). Currently she is also co-chair of the ECNP Immuno-NeuroPsychiatry Network and is leading international collaborative research projects on COVID-19 and mental illness.
Kevin Rostasy
Professor Kevin Rostasy is the current President of the European Paediatric Neurology Society (EPNS) and has been Head of Paediatric Neurology at Witten/Herdecke University, Children’s Hospital Datteln, in Germany since 2014. From 2007 to 2014 he was Head of Paediatric Neurology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria, after spending 6 years as a Paediatric Neurologist at the Medical University, Göttingen, Germany where he gained his PhD in 2006. During his training he spent time working at the Hospital for Children, Boston, USA and the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, Scotland.
His main field of clinical and research interested is neuroimmunology (MOGAD, MS, OMS, Autoimmune encephalitis, GBS/CIDP). An advocate for equitable access to the highest standard of patient care in neurology for children, he is involved in many collaborations including being Head of EPNS Research Group Neuroinflammatory Diseases and a longstanding a member of the German Society of Neuropediatrics (GNP).
Tomás Ryan
Tomás originally graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2005 with a BA in genetics. He completed his Ph.D. in molecular neuroscience with Seth Grant at the University of Cambridge and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in 2009. His thesis work was supported by a Wellcome Trust PhD Fellowship. Following a year as Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, University Cambridge, he relocated to the USA to work as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the group of Susumu Tonegawa (Nobel Laureate, 1987) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (2010-2016). At MIT he was centrally involved in the development of novel genetic methods that allow for the labelling and manipulation of specific memory engrams in the rodent brain. This work was supported by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and RIKEN Brain Sciences Institute, Japan. He started his research group in 2016 at Trinity College Dublin, where he is Assistant Professor of Neuroscience. Tomás also holds a joint faculty position at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His research is supported by a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (PIYRA), and a Jacobs Foundation Fellowship. Outside of science, Tomás’ interests include travel, reading, philosophy, and politics.

European Life After Stroke Forum
2024-03-11 - 2024-03-12
The European Life After Stroke Forum will take place on 11-12 March 2024 in Dublin (Ireland).
Stroke survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, advocates – ELASF 2024 is for everyone who has a stake in life after stroke. This event unites people from diverse backgrounds to share insights, discuss the latest research, and explore best practices in the often under-researched journey beyond stroke.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the topics that will be covered at the event:
1. What does a ‘good’ life after stroke look like?
2. Reducing your risk of another stroke
3. Practical tips to promote mental health
4. Specific topics: managing fatigue and visual problems after stroke
The Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) is a non-profit-making organisation that represents a range of stroke support organisations from across Europe. Our mutual goal is to drive stroke prevention up the European political agenda and prevent the incidence of stroke through education.
EBC members can benefit from a 5% discount. If you are part of our network, please get in contact with us at advocacy@braincouncil.eu.
To register for the European Life After Stroke Forum 2024, please click here and select the register now button.
Whilst completing your personal information, you will be asked for your membership status, please select the option ‘I am a member of a supporting/endorsing professional organisation’, to allow you to redeem the discounted registration rate.
On the very last page (the payment page), please enter the discount code box and select apply to redeem 5% discount. Please note, the discount does not apply to additional items purchased during the registration.
If you have any questions with your registration, please do not hesitate to contact elasf@serenevents.com for further assistance.

Mental Health for All: Innovative Initiatives for a Better Future
2024-03-19 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | Brussels, Belgium
The European Pharmaceutical Students’ Associations (EPSA) Annual Reception “Mental Health for All: Innovative Initiatives for a Better Future” will take place on 19 March 2024 at 09:30-12:30 in the European Parliament.
This distinguished gathering serves as a platform to showcase EPSA’s remarkable activities and accomplishments from the preceding years to a diverse audience, including professional organisations, European institutions, fellow student organisations, and industry representatives. Through engaging panel discussions, the AR Programme aims to unravel the complexities surrounding mental health, bringing together experts, policymakers, and thought leaders to share insights and perspectives.
Frédéric Destrebecq, EBC Executive Director, will take part in the panel discussion “Implementing Mental Health in all policies, what are the outcomes for the future healthcare workforce?”.
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Essential Tremor Conference: How can technological innovation empower patients' lives?
2024-03-20 14:30 - 16:30 (Europe/Paris) | European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60, Brussels, 1047, Belgium
The Essential Tremor Conference seeked to raise awareness about essential tremor, a prevalent brain disorder impacting over 60 million people worldwide. Given the European Commission’s prioritisation of health, understanding the specific societal costs of essential tremor on European patients is crucial, especially compared to more recognised brain disorders like Parkinson’s, which receives significant attention at the EU level. The summit aimed to shed light on the importance of giving essential tremor the attention it deserves by delving into patient experiences and their detrimental effects on their quality of life. Exploring avenues for achieving this heightened awareness, the summit will advocate for an overarching holistic approach to address the unique challenges essential tremor poses at the EU policy level.
At the event, a panel discussion featuring Frederic Destrebecq, the Executive Director of EBC took place.
Additionally, during the event, EBC signed a Joint Declaration. This declaration marks a significant step forward in collective efforts to prioritize Essential Tremor on the European agenda within the framework of the European Health Union for the upcoming mandate.

The event was organized and hosted by MEPs Radka Maxová (Czech Republic; S&D) and Alex Agius Saliba (Malta; S&D) and took place on 20 March from 14.30 to 16.30 CET in the European Parliament.

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32nd European Congress of Psychiatry
2024-04-06 - 2024-04-09
The 32nd European Congress of Psychiatry will take place 6-9 April 2024 in Budapest (Hungary).
As a global and multi-cultural hub, Budapest is at the crossroads between East and West, and as such, excellently placed for a bridging role in Europe. Indeed, in these complex geopolitical times, the importance of joining together, crossing borders, and overcoming differences is more crucial than ever.
The Congress will take place under the motto ‘Mental Health: Open and Inclusive!’. It highlights three core aspects of modern psychiatry:

Mental health as a broad dimension from mental health prevention and resilience building to the treatment of specific disorders.
Open refers not only to our fundamental human rights but also to open mindedness and curiosity for novel approaches and ideas.
Inclusive implies welcoming and respecting differences between people.

EBC looks forward to being part of the exhibition area and holding the following session:

Assessing the Value of Mental Health Treatments for Youth in Europe, 7 April 2024, 10:00-11:30 (symposium)
Rethinking Schizophrenia: Beyond the Voices, 7 April 2024, 08:00-17:00 (e-poster viewing)

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Rethinking Schizophrenia: Beyond the Voices | European Congress of Psychiatry
2024-04-07 08:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris) | Budapest, Hungary
EBC is pleased to have an e-poster viewing “Rethinking Schizophrenia: Beyond the Voices” at the upcoming European Congress of Psychiatry, set to take place on 6-9 April 2024 in Budapest (Hungary). The e-poster will be displayed at 08:00-17:00 on 7 April 2024 in the e-poster area.
The e-poster will feature the Rethinking schizophrenia project, coordinated by EBC. Rethinking Schizophrenia is a research-driven project offering tangible policy changes to improve the lives of people living with schizophrenia across Europe. It challenges the status quo and refreshes the European policy debate on people living with schizophrenia and encourages multi-stakeholder-driven policy. The project falls under #BeyondTheVoices campaign.
Péter KériPresident, GAMIAN-Europe Peer-support professional with background in education, public relations, and mental health advocacy. Graduating as a teacher, he earned his first diploma. His journey continued as he pursued a second diploma in PR at the Metropolitan University.
Currently serving as the head of international relations, grants, and innovations at the Awakening Foundation in Hungary, Kéri Péter plays a pivotal role in fostering global connections and driving innovative initiatives. Kéri Péter holds the position of President at GAMIAN-Europe, the continent’s leading organization dedicated to supporting patients struggling with mental health challenges. He further contributes to the field as a Board Member of the European Psychiatric Association. Since 2013, Kéri Péter has been at the forefront of exploring innovative approaches that complement traditional research methodologies.
His commitment to enhancing patient care is evident through his role as the project leader of the Expert by Experience pilot project initiated by the foundation. His focus revolves around empowering patients within the social and healthcare systems, advocating for their involvement in decision-making processes. He is dedicated to identifying both facilitators and barriers related to patient participation and effectively communicating these findings to decision-makers on both national and international fronts.
Beyond his organizational roles, Kéri Péter is a speaker, and contributor to scientific publications in the field of mental health. His passion for driving positive change is reflected in his numerous international presentations, research endeavors, and contributions to scientific discourse.

Assessing the Value of Mental Health Treatments for Youth in Europe | European Congress of Psychiatry
2024-04-07 10:00 - 11:30 UTC
EBC is pleased to host a symposium on ‘Assessing the Value of Mental Health Treatments for Youth in Europe’, set to take place on 7 April 2024 at 10:00-11:30 at the 32nd European Congress of Psychiatry.
While substantially diverse across healthcare segments and ill-health conditions, excess healthcare costs associated with the increased risks of physical comorbidities linked to mental health disorders have been found to be between 37% to 110%, calling for more tailored policy considerations towards integrated care options. Furthermore, the economic value of life years lost due to morbidity and mortality linked to mental health disorders exceeds their cost impact: recently, this was valued as between 6% and 7.7% of GDP in Europe, suggesting potentially large returns on investment from improved prevention, detection, and treatment of mental health problems.
EBC Value of Treatment (VOT) Study ResultsThe European Psychiatry

Effective and cost-effective early detection and interventions exist, however there are numerous unmet needs along the mental health care pathways. Navigating the mental health services system is often complex for patients and families due to fragmented or disrupted services (in-patient and outpatient care) and discontinuity of care (transition between child and adult mental health services, for example). Policies and programmes to prevent and mitigate the negative impacts on schooling, employment, families and risky behaviors are also paramount. Nevertheless, spill-over effects to other economic sectors (work, education, legal system, informal care) are usually neglected in economic burden and value assessments. Current value estimates usually also remain limited in terms of comprehensive outcome assessment for patients and families, and comprehensive and comparable societal cost impact assessment due to the lack of relevant data.
There is a clear need to look at value-based healthcare as the desired solution or path forward in improving health systems. Achieving high value for patients must become the overarching goal of health care delivery, with value defined as the health outcomes achieved per money spent. The approach towards more comprehensive mental health care models critically intertwines wider patient and societal outcomes with efficient spending of resources. Reinforcing this should lead to both better care for patients and a more sustainable framework for payers in Europe. Speakers of the session and experts involved in the Value of Treatment project, coordinated by the European Brain Council, will focus on early detection and continuity of care for persons living with selected mental disorders. The research project – which combines care pathways analysis and economic analyses – included three case studies related to anorexia nervosa (AN), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). It aimed to identify treatment gaps, assess the potential outcomes and costs of optimised care, and provide policy recommendations.
SEE THE PROGRAMMEChair & Co-chairJudit Balazs
Chair of the Child Psychiatry Section, European Psychiatric Association
Danuta Wasserman
President, World Psychiatric Association
SpeakersCelso Arango
Chair of the Child and Adolescent Department of Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón
Allan H Young
Professor of Psychiatry, King’s College London
David McDaid
Associate Professorial Research Fellow in Health Policy and Health Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science
Judit Simon
Professor of Health Economics, Medical University of Vienna
BiographiesJudit Balazs
She is Professor Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary, and New University College, Oslo, Norway; Doctor of Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; head and tutor of the Developmental and Clinical Child Psychology Program at the Doctoral Schools of Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest; tutor of the Semmelweis University, Budapest.
Her main interests are adolescent suicide prevention, neurodevelopmental disorders and subthreshold mental disorders, migration-acculturation-mental health, and quality of life. She is the first author of several peer-reviewed papers and the editor of a textbook on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, published both in Hungarian and English. She was the Hungarian partner Principal Investigator of three EU-sponsored collaborative projects and several local projects on youth mental health.
She was the president of the Hungarian Psychiatric Association and chair of the Suicide Network of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. She is the chair of the Child Psychiatry Section of the European Psychiatric Association.
Danuta Wasserman
Danuta Wasserman M.D., Ph.D. is the President (2023-2026) of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), comprising 147 psychiatric associations and 250,000 psychiatrists from 123 countries, and a University Professor of Psychiatry and Suicidology at Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden. Professor Wasserman is the Founder of the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP) at KI, and she is the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Methods Development, and Training in Suicide Prevention, a collaboration with the WHO Global office in Geneva. She is also the former President of both the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), composed of 44 National Psychiatric Association Members from 40 European countries, and the International Academy of Suicide Research (IASR). Professor Wasserman’s scientific work in suicide prevention is globally recognized, and she has recently expanded her focus to include wellbeing and mental health promotion in the general population, psychiatric patients, and psychiatric staff through advocating for healthy lifestyle choices such as physical activity, nutrition, and good sleep habits.
Celso Arango
Professor Celso Arango is currently Chair of the Child and Adolescent Department of Psychiatry at Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Complutense University in Madrid, Spain, as well as Director of the Gregorio Marañón Psychiatric and Mental Health Institute, Professor of Psychiatry at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center of the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF in San Francisco, Visiting Professor of Psychiatry at Kings College London, and Tenured Full Professor at Complutense University in Madrid.
Professor Arango completed his medical studies in 1992 at both the University of Oviedo in Spain and Manchester University in the UK. He later received his PhD in Psychiatry from Complutense University of Madrid in 1997. Currently, Professor Arango’s major research interests include the neurobiology of early-onset and first-episode psychoses and neurodevelopmental psychopharmacology. He has received more than 73 awards for his work.
Allan H Young
Professor Allan Young is Chair of Mood Disorders and Director of the Centre for Affective Disorders in the Department of Psychological Medicine in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, where he is also Head of School for Academic Psychiatry. The School of Academic Psychiatry is second in the world rankings for Psychiatry. He is the clinical academic lead in the Psychological Medicine and Integrated Care Clinical Academic Group in the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, where he is also Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Affective Disorders Service.
Professor Young’s research interests focus on the cause and treatments for severe psychiatric illnesses, particularly mood disorders. He has received research grants from several funding agencies and has over 700 peer-reviewed publications, including several books about psychopharmacology and affective disorders.
David McDaid
David McDaid is Associate Professorial Research Fellow in Health Policy and Health Economics within the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The primary focus of David‘s work is on using economic arguments to support investment in mental health and wellbeing promotion, self-harm, suicide and mental illness prevention within and beyond the health sector and across the life course. He has published extensively on these topics and has provided advice to a number of governments and ministries of health, as well as international organisations including European Commission, OECD, WHO and UNICEF.
Judit Simon
Judit Simon is Professor of Health Economics, Head of the Department of Health Economics, Deputy Head of the Center for Public Health and Coordinator of the Public Health Doctoral programme at the Medical University of Vienna. She is Visiting Professor at the University of Oxford and Corvinus University Budapest.
Her main expert areas include applied and methodological health economic evaluation research alongside clinical studies/guidelines/HTAs, evidence synthesis and health services and systems research. She has been PI/co-I on 23 grants with over 40 million Euros funding (CDL, EC, ECNP, FWF, LBG, NIHR, WHO, WWTF) in the fields of mental health, public health, nutrition, cancer and palliative care economics. Most recently, she has led European research on improving (mental) health economic evaluation methods (PECUNIA), the physical comorbidity costs of mental disorders, the cost-effectiveness of palliative/end-of-life care (iLIVE) and the value of family-intervention for adolescent mental health promotion in Eastern Europe (FLOURISH), as well as acted as advisor to the EBC Value of Treatment project. She has over 170 publications, and is senior editor at BMJ Mental Health, BJPsych Open and Bipolar Disorders.

Mind Your Body: Symposium on immuno-psychiatry
2024-04-11 08:30 - 2024-04-12 17:00 UTC | Conference center Soeterbeeck, The Netherlands
Research theme of the meeting
In medical sciences, we still have the tendency to view the mind dissociated/separated from the body. This meeting calls for moving beyond the dualism to understand how immunological and metabolic processes in the body affect brain and mind, particularly in psychiatric disorders. We will discuss the interplay between immunological and metabolic processes as a central feature of the mechanisms by which the periphery and brain communicate and can contribute to psychiatric symptoms and the observed multimorbidity between psychiatric and non-mental diseases.
Intended outcome of the meeting
The intended outcome of the meeting is twofold. First, this meeting is set-up to combine expertise and share knowledge across the relevant disciplines. By integrating multidisciplinary views and perspectives on the topic, we will identify current knowledge gaps and develop a research agenda together that can address the relevant scientific problems in question. Specifically, we will formulate hypotheses on the most likely biological mechanisms underlying multimorbidity between psychiatric and somatic conditions, and we will suggest appropriate methodological approaches. Second, this meeting will manifest new collaborations and capitalize on existing collaborations.
Abstracts can be submitted until the 28th of March. Please send an email with your abstract attached as a Word document to barbara.sakic@radboudumc.nl. You will be notified by the 2nd of April regarding approval to give a presentation.
Abstracts should not exceed 250 words (excluding title, author(s), and affiliation(s), and they should have a structured lay-out as follows: background, methods, results, conclusions.
Register here

Exclusive Movie Premiere: Unconditional
2024-04-16 17:00 - 19:00 (Europe/Paris) | European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 60, Brussels, 1047, Belgium
UNCONDITIONAL is an award-winning film about caregiving and mental health. An Oscars-qualified film honoured at the White House, United Nations & U.S. Congress, marks its International Premiere this April at the European Parliament, hosted by Jan Zahradil, Member of the European Parliament.

As part of the programme, EBC Executive Director, Frédéric Destrebecq will give the opening remarks.

Complimentary ticket includes a screening, discussion on caregiving and mental health, and cocktail reception with award-winning director RICHARD LUI (NBC News, xCNN Worldwide anchor). Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

About the filmSeven years in the making, a first of its kind film from award-winning filmmaker Richard Lui, on the topic that affects 100 million Americans – mental health. Watch three families bravely turn the corner, showing us the power of relearning how to love.
Thomas Family
Kate Hendricks Thomas, a mental health expert and Marine Corps veteran who has given three TED talks and written three books, now faces her biggest challenge — preparing herself, her husband Shane, and her 5-year old son for her terminal cancer diagnosis. In a tough irony, she is practicing what she preached so well.
Bushatz Family
As memories of Afghanistan linger, Luke Bushatz’s young son’s try to understand why their hero sometimes loses his temper. All the while, his wife Amy shares the struggles they both face to get past go.
Lui Family
Stephen Lui, who spent his career caring for senior citizens as a social worker and pastor, now battles his eighth year of Alzheimers. And like Kate, boldly had to practice what he preached. His wife and children, by his side, face their own struggles to do the right thing.
READ MORE ABOUT THE MOVIERegister here

EMSP Annual Conference 2024
2024-04-19 - 2024-04-20 | Brussels, Belgium
Multiple Sclerosis – toward sustainable and healthier systems in EuropeEMSP Annual Conference 2024 with the theme of Multiple Sclerosis – toward sustainable and healthier systems in Europe, will take place between 19-20 April 2024 in Thon Hotel EU (Rue de la Loi 75) in Brussels, Belgium.
As part of a programme, Frédéric Destrebecq, EBC Executive Director will hold a session on 19 April at 15:45 on the topic “Commitment to MS and other related rare conditions cure: Advancing research in Europe”.
Held as an in-person event co-hosted by the Belgian Society, the conference will offer the latest Multiple Sclerosis developments, expert insights, and networking with the community.
Read more about the eventRegister here

36th Global Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International
2024-04-24 - 2024-04-26
The 36th Global Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International will take place in Kraków, Poland from 24-26 April 2024, with ADI member Polskie Stowarzyszenie Pomocy Osobom z Chorobą Alzheimera (Polish Alzheimer’s Association).
Coming together under the conference theme of ‘Dementia: Insights. Innovations. Inspirations.’, the conference will bring together experts from across the world to share information on achievements, innovations and best practices in dementia research, care and policy, while continuing to address and challenge the perceptions around dementia.
The conference will follow on from ADI 2022 and be offered in hybrid format, combining in-person and virtual elements for an educational and interactive experience for delegates.
The conference programme will be structured around the 7 action areas of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Action Plan on dementia, which centre around policy, awareness, prevention and diagnosis, research, care and treatment of dementia.
EBC is pleased to be part of this year’s conference and hold the following presentations highlighting the Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project, calling for change in Alzheimer ‘s care:

Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Cross-roads in the earlier detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s (poster presentation), 24-26 April 2024
Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Scaling up health systems’ readiness, 26 April 2024, 13:30-15:00

Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Cross-roads in the earlier detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's | 36th Global Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International
2024-04-24 - 2024-04-26 | Krakow, Poland
EBC is pleased to hold a poster presentation “Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Cross-roads in the earlier detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s” at the upcoming 36th Global Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International. The Conference will take place from 24-26 April 2024 in Krakow (Poland). The poster will be presented by Charlotte Teunissen, Professor in Neurochemistry, Chair of the Neurochemistry lab (Amsterdam UMC) and one of the experts involved in the Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative condition which robs people of their memory, their independence, their relationships and, ultimately, their lives. It affects close to 7 million people in the European Union (EU) alone.
The detection and diagnosis of AD relies on a system that remains focused on the late stage of the disease, despite a better understanding of the disease progression. Clinical practice and healthcare systems’ readiness to detect, diagnose and treat the disease effectively are still lagging. The use of biomarkers (cerebrospinal fluid tests (CSF) and positron emission tomography scans (PET)), which are central to a diagnostic assessment for people with AD symptoms, as well as relevant diagnostic facilities are under-utilised. PET imaging is expensive and of limited availability, and CSF sampling may be considered invasive.
The European Brain Council’s ‘Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Detection and diagnosis’ White Paper has looked at the barriers to early diagnosis and how the healthcare systems infrastructure for detection and diagnosis of AD need to be transformed in order for people with AD to benefit from innovative solutions once they become approved for use. The Rethinking Schizophrenia project falls under the Rethinking the management of brain disorders series, research-driven projects offering policy recommendations to make tangible changes with the aim to improve the lives of people living with brain disorders, neurological and mental alike, across Europe. More details about the outcomes of the Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project can be found in this article.
SpeakerCharlotte Teunissen
Professor in Neurochemistry, Chair of the Neurochemistry lab, Amsterdam UMC.
Charlotte Teunissen's drive is to improve care of patients with neurological diseases by developing body fluid biomarkers for diagnosis, stratification, prognosis and monitoring treatment responses. Studies of her research group span the entire spectrum of biomarker development, starting with biomarker identification, often by –omics methods, followed by biomarker assay development and analytical validation, and lastly, extensive clinical validation and implementation of novel biomarkers in clinical practice.
She has extensive expertise with assay development on state of the art technologies, such as mass spectrometry and antibody-based arrays for biomarker discovery, ultrasensitive immunoassays, and in in implementation of vitro diagnostic technologies for clinical routine lab analysis. She is responsible for the large well-characterised biobank of the Amsterdam Dementia cohort, containing >6000 paired CSF and serum samples of individuals visiting the memory clinical of the Alzheimer Center Amsterdam (a.o. controls, patients with Alzheimer, Frontotemporal, Lewy Bodies).To ensure the quality of the biosamples, the group studies pre-analytical effects, which are key to implementation. Charlotte is leading several collaborative international biomarkernetworks, such as the Society for Neurochemistry and routine CSF analysis and the Alzheimer Association-Global Biomarker Standardization and Blood Based Biomarkers and the Body fluid Biomarkers PIA, , and the recently founded Coral proteomics consortium. She is the coordinator of the Marie Curie MIRIADE project, aiming to train 15 novel researchers into innovative strategies to develop dementia biomarkers (10 academic centers + 10 non-academic centers), and the JPND bPRIDE project, that aims to develop targeted blood based biomarker panels for early differential diagnoses of specific dementias and is a collaborative project between 7 European and 1 Australian centers.

13th Neuronus Neuroscience Forum
2024-04-25 - 2024-04-27 | Krakow, Poland
The Neuronus Neuroscience Forum, set to take place on 25-27 April 2024, serves as an international and interdisciplinary conference hosted at the renowned Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. Its primary aim is to establish a dynamic platform for researchers across different career stages, facilitating the open exchange of ideas and experiences drawn from diverse corners of the globe. Attendees are provided with a unique opportunity to unveil their research findings, often marking a significant milestone in their professional journeys. Complementing this, the event organizes a range of career-enhancing workshops and networking events. The conference program comprehensively covers various facets of neuroscience, shedding light on the latest research trends and serving as a source of inspiration for all scientists embarking on innovative projects.
ABOUT NEURONUS
The main goal of the conference is to provide an opportunity for researchers to share their latest findings, knowledge and experience, as well as to make valuable connections with scientists representing different fields of neuroscience. We will encounter reflections on the neurobiological basis of love and on the role of the visual cortex in blind people. We will also learn about the impact of a healthy lifestyle on intelligence or the ageing process.
The event programme includes four thematic blocks – Cognitive Neuroscience, Biological Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience and Medical Neuroscience. The first of these presents psychophysiological research, related to the processing of emotions or perception. The second block is the study of the basic mechanisms of neuroscience, such as the basis of neurodegenerative diseases. The Computational block focuses on research in neuroinformatics, such as the development of artificial neural networks. The last block presents issues of neurology and psychiatry and clinical cases of diseases of the nervous system.
The schedule includes oral presentations, poster sessions and plenary lectures by experts in the fields of research on the functioning of the nervous system. This year the invitation was accepted by Quentin Huys (Max Planck Institute, Germany), Sebastian Haesler (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium), Jim Haxby (Dartmouth College, USA), Andrew Holmes (University of Newcastle, USA), Gaia Novarino (Institute of Science and Technology, Austria), Katharina Wulff (Umeå Universitet, Sweden) and Phlippe Schyns (University of Glasgow, Scotland).
WHERE AND WHEN?
The conference will take place from 25th to 27th of April 2024 at the Auditorium Maximum of the Jagiellonian University. On the day before the conference (24th of April) there will be organized workshops for young scientists on scientific data analysis and career-building, providing a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience and broaden your skills.
Find out more!

Diagnosis, diagnostic tools and cognitive assessments | 36th Global Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International
2024-04-26 13:30 - 15:00 UTC | Krakow, Poland
EBC is pleased to be part of the session “Diagnosis, diagnostic tools and cognitive assessments” at the upcoming 36th Global Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International. The session will take place on 26 April 2024 at 13:30-15:00 in Krakow (Poland). Prof. Giovanni Frisoni will present “Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Scaling up health systems’ readiness” as one of the experts involved in the Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project, coordinated by EBC.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative condition which robs people of their memory, their independence, their relationships and, ultimately, their lives. It affects close to 7 million people in the European Union (EU) alone.
The detection and diagnosis of AD relies on a system that remains focused on the late stage of the disease, despite a better understanding of the disease progression. Clinical practice and healthcare systems’ readiness to detect, diagnose and treat the disease effectively are still lagging. The use of biomarkers (cerebrospinal fluid tests (CSF) and positron emission tomography scans (PET)), which are central to a diagnostic assessment for people with AD symptoms, as well as relevant diagnostic facilities are under-utilised. PET imaging is expensive and of limited availability, and CSF sampling may be considered invasive.
The European Brain Council’s ‘Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease: Detection and diagnosis’ White Paper has looked at the barriers to early diagnosis and how the healthcare systems infrastructure for detection and diagnosis of AD need to be transformed in order for people with AD to benefit from innovative solutions once they become approved for use. The Rethinking Schizophrenia project falls under the Rethinking the management of brain disorders series, research-driven projects offering policy recommendations to make tangible changes with the aim to improve the lives of people living with brain disorders, neurological and mental alike, across Europe. More details about the outcomes of the Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease project can be found in this article.
SpeakerGiovanni B Frisoni, neurologist
Clinical neurologist, Full Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and Director of the Memory Clinic of the Geneva University Hospital. Former Scientific Director at the National Alzheimer’s Centre in Brescia, Italy. Author of over 700 scientific papers listed in PubMed, imaging editor for Neurobiology of Aging, and founding editorial board member of The Lancet Neurology. Has led national and international projects funded by the European Commission, IMI, the Alzheimer’s Association, Italian and Swiss Ministry of Health, and industry. Chairman of Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium at International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in 2010 and 2011. Honorary member of the Austrian Neurological Society and of the French Society of Neurology, he has received the Investigator Award Winner of European Academy of Neurology in 2016.

Tech Tour Mental & Brain Health
2024-05-02 - 2024-05-03
The very first edition of the Tech Tour Mental & Brain Health will take place next 2-3 May 2024 at the Nova Business School in the Carcavelos Campus in Carcavelos, Portugal.
The Investment Programme & Event will aim to bring together 30-40 of the most promising Mental Health & Brain tech companies, as selected by 40 of the most active investors and corporate partners in the sector.
The Mental & Brain Health event agenda includes 2 days of:

pitches
meetings
keynotes
panel discussions
networking opportunities.

EBC Deputy Executive Director Stephanie Kramer will participate in a panel discussion “Is – or how can we make – mental health and brain health a government policy priority?” on 2nd of May at 19:00, in the Auditorium.
The members of the EBC network can benefit from 20% discount code. If you are part of our network, please get in contact with us at advocacy@braincouncil.eu.
Find out more!Discover the programme!
