European Brain Council (EBC)

EBC: Towards the European Partnership on Brain Health
2024-06-30 15:45 - 16:15 (Europe/Moscow)
Neurological and mental health disorders are a leading cause of mortality and disability putting a great burden on people living with these disorders as well as on healthcare systems and economies. Considering the costs of brain diseases for the European society, the EU and its Member States have made investments in brain research leading to an increase of initiatives. Those initiatives have generated considerable amounts of knowledge but the translation into new health interventions is hindered by the complexity of the challenge and by excessive fragmentation of the efforts.
Effective and efficient collaboration and cooperation among the various initiatives are often identified as a key success factor to achieve brain research full impact. There is a constant need for strengthening the information flow and accelerating the exchange of experience on the on-going and future projects as well as maintaining continuous dialogue between all the stakeholder groups and initiatives to allow that objectives are aligned, and needs are met.
The European Partnership on Brain Health will fully respond to these needs by bringing together the various stakeholders and major brain research initiatives. With the aim to further coordinate and structure the area of brain health research in Europe, the partners in the Coordination and Support Action (CSA) Brain Health developed an ambitious Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, outlining the strategic priorities, actions, and initiatives, while encouraging maximum engagement of member states and relevant players in the brain field – including psychiatrists and people living with brain disorders.
During this scientific theatre, an introduction to the European Brain Council and the CSA Brain Health will be given and we will focus deeper on the development process and content of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.
SpeakerKristien AartsKristien has been part of the European Brain Council since 2019 where she currently leads the research team. In the Chief Research & Innovation Officer strategic role, Kristien plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the organization’s work is grounded in scientific evidence, research, and innovation.
Her responsibilities include monitoring research funding, project applications, overseeing EU-funded projects, and developing a rare brain disease ecosystem. She also manages the Brain Innovation Days program and is actively creating an evidence-based brain health toolbox for the team.
Kristien has a PhD in Psychology from Ghent University (Belgium). With diverse experience at Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, the European Health Management Association and the University of Utrecht, Kristien brings expertise in brain research, neuropsychology, emotion, cognition, multisensory processing, mindfulness, clinical research management, and EU-project management.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Coordination and Support Action BrainHealthLEARN MORE ABOUT EBC AT EAN CONGRESS

Digital Care Pathways for Rare Brain Diseases, The Case of Phenylketonuria | 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology
2024-06-30 12:15 - 12:45 UTC | Helsinki, Finland
Date and time: Sunday, 30.06.2024, 12:15-12:45
Location: Scientific Theatre
The session will introduce the audience to the European Brain Council (EBC) and its activities on health services research and the value of education, digital care pathways for rare brain diseases.
The opportunities offered by data and digital health are multiplying. While barriers remain to unlocking their full potential, we are at an unprecedented moment of change. The European Health Data Space and the AI Act hold the promise of shaping a digital ecosystem that can accelerate the shift towards patient-centred, outcomes-focused, and sustainable healthcare in Europe, and improve patient safety and reduce avoidable harm. Patient care is undergoing a significant transformation, and three key factors – data, patient education and inclusivity – are at the forefront of this change. To gain a deeper understanding of these trends, we examined both patient and provider views. These insights offer a glimpse into the future of patient care. Digital Care Pathways for Rare Brain Diseases research project (2023-2024) – The Case of Phenylketonuria is coordinated by the European Brain Council. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the healthcare sector’s digital transformation agenda. The delivery of telemedicine services instead of many face-to-face procedures has been expanded and many healthcare services shifted online remotely. The study is looking at the unmet needs of patients related to information, education and communication in the management and monitoring of Phenylketonuria (PKU) along the digital care pathways. We collected data from patients and caregivers in Ireland, Germany and Spain using a patient survey that was co-designed with PKU patient associations, to gather information about where and how can digital tools support PKU diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. While looking at the patient perspective, the clinician perspective is equally important. This project examines further what is the current state of digital transformation within healthcare systems and how to address the fundamental challenges that hinder the acceleration of the data-driven revolution.
SpeakersVinciane QuoidbachLecture Title: European Brain Council: Value of education, digital care pathways for rare brain diseases.
Vinciane Quoidbach is Research Project Manager – Public Health and Policy for the Value of Treatment for Brain Disorders Study at the European Brain Council. Vinciane holds a Master Degree in Hospital and Healthcare Management from Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Management from Manchester Business School. She also holds a Master Degree in Political Sciences and European Studies from University of Antwerp. Prior to this position, Vinciane worked in both public and private sector, at national and international level. She served the Belgian Federal Public Service Health, and the Federal Minister of Health Cabinet as Advisor in charge of public health policy and regulations development in the area of Cancer, Chronic Diseases and Rare Diseases as well as the Biopharmaceutical Company AbbVie as Health Initiatives Manager.
Bernadette Sheehan Gilroy Lecture Title: Can digital tools support care pathways for rare brain diseases? The case of Phenylketonuria
Bernadette Sheehan Gilroy is a Lecturer at Munster Technological University (MTU) Ireland, a PKU Researcher, Advocate and a graduate of the IPPOSI Patient Education Programme. Bernadette recently delivered a TEDx Talk on “The Empowering Role of Advocacy – A Parent’s Perspective” to broaden understanding and compassion around PKU. She is a MTU representative on the All Ireland Rare Disease Interdisciplinary Research Network. She has spoken at Irish and European Parliamentary events, co-led the development of a care pathway for PKU, and has been a PKU patient representative in the Health Technology Assessment process for access to medicines with the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. She has been involved in many campaigns to raise awareness of the unmet needs and significant challenges of the PKU and Rare Disease communities to improve patient and family experience. PKU, is a rare neurometabolic disorder that affects a person’s ability to metabolise protein and if left untreated can lead to devastating neurological complications.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VALUE OF TREATMENTLEARN MORE ABOUT EBC AT EAN CONGRESS

Towards a European Brain Health Plan | 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology
2024-06-29 11:30 - 12:30 UTC | Helsinki, Finland
Date and time: Monday, 29.06.2024, 11:30-12:30
Location: EAN TV
2024 is a pivotal year for brain health, research, and innovation, particularly at the policy level. 64 countries across the globe will exercise the right to vote across this year, EU Elections included. As we enter new governmental mandates across the continent, it is more important than ever to push the brain health agenda to the top of policy priority lists and reach the key decision makers to showcase just how important addressing and attending to the brain really is.
Brain disorders – encompassing neurological diseases and disorders and mental illnesses – are widespread, disabling, and difficult to treat. In fact, it is estimated that up to three 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. These conditions represent a high individual, social and economic burden and contribute immensely to the global burden of disease – in fact, as of 2024, neurological conditions alone are now the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide.
With this growing burden in mind, we need to not only find ways to address the ongoing issues but to work towards a society fully recognizing the potential of supporting citizens' brain health. At its best, optimal brain health allows people to thrive: 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 health, research, and innovation as an investment into prevention, wellness, and optimization, creating a better future for every citizen.
This session will bring together key voices from the brain community – clinicians, patients and political scientists – to discuss the work being done at the national and regional levels to advocate for brain health, exploring the challenges and sharing the achievements thus far.
SpeakersStephanie KramerAstri ArnesenProf. Claudio BassettiLecture Title: Establishing a National Brain Health Plan: Lessons Learned From Switzerland
Lecture Title: Patient-centred brain health strategies
Lecture Title: Establishing a National Brain Health Plan: Lessons Learned From Switzerland
Stephanie Kramer joined EBC in March 2016 within the projects team, eventually making the move to heading the Communications, Advocacy & Policy team until 2023. Aside from the day to day, Stephanie’s role as Deputy Director continues to oversee the Communications & Advocacy work, with a more strategic role focused on EBC’s global partnerships portfolio, external relations and larger-scale advocacy events.
Stephanie holds an LLM in International Law from the University of Edinburgh, and a BA in International Relations & Diplomacy from Schiller International University Heidelberg & Madrid. An expat since childhood, before starting her career in the Brussels bubble she had previous communications, external relations and project management experience at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna and private sector companies in the Netherlands and Chile.
Astri has been a patient representative and advocate since the mid-1980s. She served as President of the Norwegian Huntington Association from 2004-2014, joined the board of the European Huntington Association (EHA) in 2010, and was elected President in 2016. Currently, she works full time for EHA. Previously, she was head of a department providing expertise in special educational needs. Astri is a trained teacher in learning disabilities with additional degrees in developmental psychology, management, and innovative processes. She has a broad network within the HD community globally and is active in the rare disease field through Eurordis and the European Reference Networks (ERN), also serving on the steering committee for ePAGs (patient reps in ERNs).
Professor Claudio Bassetti has been full professor and chair of neurology at the University Hospital in Bern since 2012. He received his medical degree in Basel and trained in neurology in Bern and Lausanne. In 2000, he became professor and vice-chair of neurology in Zurich. In 2009 he founded the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland. He completed his research fellowships in basic neurophysiology in Basel and sleep in Ann Arbor, Boston and Madison. His major scientific interests are the relationship between sleep and neurological disorders, narcolepsy, and the teaching of general neurology. He uses clinical and experimental approaches and has published more than 500 articles and eight books. Prof. Bassetti has previously served as president of the European Neurological Society, European Sleep Research Society and Swiss Neurological Society, and founded the Swiss Federation of Clinical Neurosocieties. He is an elected member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, which he served as board member for eight years. He has been president of the European Academy of Neurology since 2020 and was appointed Dean of the Medical Faculty in Bern that same year.
LEARN MORE ABOUT EBC AT EAN CONGRESS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): advancing clinical decision making through wearables | 10th Congress of the EAN
2024-06-29 - 2024-07-02 | Helsinki, Finland
EBC is pleased to hold a poster presentation "Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): advancing clinical decision making through wearables" at the upcoming 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology. The Conference will take place from 29 June until 2 July April 2024 in Helsinki (Finland).
Poster will represent the BRAINTEASER project.
BRAINTEASER is a Horizon 2020-funded project harnessing the value of big data to develop AI-based solutions for people with MS and ALS. As a project partner, the European Brain Council currently leads liaison activities with relevant European (EU) and global projects and initiatives with the aim of identifying key priorities in the field and speaking with one voice to foster evidence-based policymaking and improve EU healthcare systems.
Authors: D. Faye, K. Aarts, S. Kramer, F. Destrebecq
LEARN MORE ABOUT BRAINTEASER PROJECTLEARN MORE ABOUT EBC AT EAN CONGRESS

10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology
2024-06-29 - 2024-07-02
The 10th annual congress of the European Academy of Neurology will take place in Helsinki (Finland) and online on 29 June – 2 July, 2024.
The Overarching Theme for EAN 2024 is ‘Neuromodulation: advances and opportunities in neurological diseases’, with numerous sessions planned around this important and engaging topic.
As usual, the congress programme will be bursting with Symposia, Workshops, Teaching Sessions, and much more, including some exciting Named Lectures from eminent invited speakers.
EBC looks forward to being part of the exhibition area and holding the following sessions:

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): advancing clinical decision making through wearables, poster presentation
Assessing the Digital Care Pathways Unmet Needs for Rare Brain Diseases. The Case of Phenylketonuria, poster presentation, 2 July, 12:52
Toward a European Brain Health Plan, EAN TV Studio Session, 29 June 2024, 11:30-12:30
Digital Care Pathways for Rare Brain Diseases. The Case of Phenylketonuria, Scientific Theatre, 30 June 2024, 12:15-12:45
EBC: Towards the European Partnership on Brain Health, Scientific Theatre, 30 June 2024, 15:45-16:15
Uniting Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Innovations through Collaborative Endeavours, Scientific Theatre, 1 July 2024, 14:05-14:35

For more information about EAN 2024 – including programme – please explore the congress website!
Find out more!

Enhancing Global Partnerships in Brain Research | 2024 FENS Forum Networking Reception
2024-06-27 18:45 - 20:15 UTC | Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress, Messepl. 1, Wien, 1020, Austria
Location: HALL E, Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna Austria
Across the globe, society is facing brain challenges like never before. Brain disorders – neurological and mental alike – are widespread, highly disabling and often difficult to treat. 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 common. These conditions represent a high individual, social and economic burden and contribute to the global disease burden and disability.
Improving the health and well-being of citizens has become the top priority for many governments and brain health should not be left behind. Enhancing global brain research collaboration can spur innovation and quicken effective outcomes to the benefit of people living with brain conditions everywhere.
Over the last few years, EBC has served as a convener for experts in the brain community to share best practices, exchange ongoing work and align priorities to forge a joint path forward to understand and address the brain rather than in silos across continents.
To move past discussion and work towards explicit and tangible next steps in solidifying global efforts in brain research, EBC is actively involved in engaging the community in relevant areas for action, including advocating for the recognition of brain health as an urgent priority in planning for Global Action Plans and national brain health plans/strategies and the development of policy recommendations to guide national, regional and global policymakers towards better addressing brain health in the future. Part of this is through direct engagement within the Coordination and Support Action BrainHealth, launched at the end of 2023 to prepare the future European Brain Health Partnership.
This event, aimed to bring the global brain research community together on the occasion of the FENS Forum to network and build synergies in an informal setting, will also feature a short panel discussion with key stakeholders working across continents to unite the brain research community globally.
EBC Networking Event at the FENS Forum 2024 - Final
Download the ProgrammeSpeakersGeorge BarettoIBRO Latin America Regional Committee (LARC) Dr George Barreto earned his PhD in Neuroscience (2009) from the Universidad Complutense Madrid (Spain) studying the effects of neurosteroids on reactive glia with traumatic brain injury. His Post-doctoral training in Neuroscience at Stanford University School of Medicine (2009-2011) focused on addressing the role of astrocytes activation following stroke and enhance astrocytic functions targeting neuronal protection. Nowadays Dr George Barreto is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Cell Biology/Immunology in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick (UL, Ireland) and a member of the Health Research Institute from the same University. He is also the ERASMUS contact point within the Dept and member of the EDF Steering Committee and Events and Media subgroup, the Chair of Action Plan subgroup in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Forum Committee, and the Athena Swan Steering Committee at UL. Dr Barreto is also a member of the IBRO Latin America Regional Committee (LARC) and served as President of the Colombian Neuroscience Society (COLNE) in 2014-2018. He has served in numerous grants panels and editorial boards and is nowadays the Section Editor in Neuroendocrinology for Pharmacological Research.
His main research interests are to better understand how natural and synthetic androgens and estrogens affect brain functions, particularly on how these hormones control the mitochondrial functions in the healthy and diseased brain during lifespan in a sex-dependent manner (UN SDGs 3 and 5).
Ulrike BußhoffCoordinator, CSA BrainHealth Dr. Ulrike Busshoff is Head of the International Health Research Department at the DLR Project Management Agency (DLR-PT), Germany. She oversees national, European and international research funding programmes in the area of brain health and global health. Besides conceptualizing and executing research funding programs on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research she is also responsible for overarching topics like patient and public involvement, quality assurance in biomedical research, and ethical issues. Dr. Busshoff is the coordinator of the ERA-Net NEURON (Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research) that comprises ministries and funding agencies from 27 countries in and beyond Europe. Members in this network collaborate along a common research agenda, and with support by the European Commission to jointly fund research, networking and training activities in the area of neurological and mental disorders. Since 2023, Dr. Busshoff is also the coordinator of the CSA BrainHealth. This EU funded network conceptualizes and prepares a European Partnership for Brain Health. This large-scale endeavour will support brain health research and innovation with the ultimate goal to preserve and promote brain health. She serves also as member of the Advisory Board EU-Africa PerMed, an EU funded coordination and support action fostering joint projects in personalised medicine research between Europe and Africa. Dr. Busshoff holds a PhD in neurobiology from the University of Heidelberg, including research stays in the Netherlands as well as South Korea.
Stephanie KramerDeputy Executive Director EBC Stephanie Kramer joined EBC in March 2016 within the projects team, eventually making the move to heading the Communications, Advocacy & Policy team until 2023. Aside from the day to day, Stephanie’s role as Deputy Director continues to oversee the Communications & Advocacy work, with a more strategic role focused on EBC’s global partnerships portfolio, external relations and larger-scale advocacy events.
Stephanie holds an LLM in International Law from the University of Edinburgh, and a BA in International Relations & Diplomacy from Schiller International University Heidelberg & Madrid. An expat since childhood, before starting her career in the Brussels bubble she had previous communications, external relations and project management experience at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna and private sector companies in the Netherlands and Chile.
Mahmoud Bukar MainaSociety of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA) Dr Mahmoud Bukar Maina is an Independent Research Fellow Research Fellow at Sussex Neuroscience (UK) and visiting scientist at Yobe State University (Nigeria). He obtained a BSc in Human Anatomy from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Sussex, UK. His research majorly focuses on understanding the basic mechanism of disease in Alzheimer’s disease, with a special focus on the role of Tau, amyloid beta and APOE. Concurrently, his work partly focuses on generating human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain models from indigenous African populations to understand Dementia mechanisms.
Dr Maina is also passionate about open science and inspiring/training the next generation of African scientists. He recently established the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre in Nigeria (BioRTC – www.BioRTC.com) to facilitate neuroscience research in Africa. In addition, he is the Outreach Coordinator for TReND in Africa, the founder of Science Communication Hub Nigeria and the African Science Literacy Network to increase access to science role models and public understanding of science in Africa. His work and science engagement activities have been supported by the Wellcome Trust, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the University of Sussex. He has received many awards, including the Royal Society of Biology Science Communication Award in 2017, the young African of the year nomination for the Future Awards Africa, the New England Biolabs Passion for Science Humanitarian Duty Award in 2019 and the 2022 ALBA-FKNE Diversity Prize for promotion of basic neuroscience in Africa. In 2020, he was endorsed by the Royal Society as a Global Talent.
John J. NgaiDirector NIH BRAIN Initiative Dr John J. Ngai, Ph.D., is the Director of the NIH’s Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies®(BRAIN) Initiative. Dr. Ngai earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from Pomona College, Claremont, California, and Ph.D. in biology from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech and at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons before starting his faculty position at the University of California at Berkeley. During more than 25 years as a Berkeley faculty member, Dr. Ngai has trained 20 undergraduate students, 24 graduate students and 15 postdoctoral fellows in addition to teaching well over 1,000 students in the classroom. His work has led to the publication of more than 70 scientific articles in some of the field’s most prestigious journals and 10 U.S. and international patents. Dr. Ngai has received many awards including from the Sloan Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, and McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. As a faculty member, Dr. Ngai has served as the director of Berkeley’s Neuroscience Graduate Program and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. He has also provided extensive service on NIH study sections, councils and steering groups, including as previous co-chair of the NIH BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Consortium Steering Group. Dr. Ngai oversees the long-term strategy and day-to-day operations of the NIH BRAIN Initiative as it strives to revolutionize our understanding of the brain in both health and disease.
Suzanne DicksonPresident EBC

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.

10th European Alcohol Policy Conference
2024-06-27 - 2024-06-28 | Ljubljana, Slovenia
About the event
The 10th European Alcohol Policy Conference (EAPC) is scheduled to take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on the 27th and 28th of June 2024. This conference is organized by Eurocare in collaboration with the Youth Health Organisation and will be hosted at the InterContinental Hotel (located at Slovenska cesta 59, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia). Additionally, preceding the conference, the Annual General Meeting of Eurocare members will convene in Ljubljana on the 26th of June.
Policymakers, advocates, researchers, patients, youth, and health practitioners will gather in Ljubljana to address the challenges of reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with a special focus on alcohol policies.
Early bird registration fees will commence at 250 EUR per participant.
Aim
The 10th European Alcohol Policy Conference serves as a vital platform for policymakers, advocates, researchers, patients, youth, and health practitioners to collectively address the challenges of reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by effectively managing their main risk factors, with a special focus on alcohol policies. Through discussions on topics like the Commercial Determinants of Health, interventions related to packaging and labelling regulations, awareness campaigns, and effective measures against corporate lobbying at EU and national level, the conference aims to foster mutual learning and respect, ultimately leading to comprehensive strategies to reduce NCDs.
Background
Building upon the successes of its predecessors, the 10th European Alcohol Policy Conference comes at a crucial time, coinciding with significant developments such as the new EU mandate, the continuation of the European Framework of Action on Alcohol 2022-2025, the launch of the Member States Joint Action Prevent Non-communicable Diseases, as well as international discussions on alcohol labelling within the Codex Alimentarius Commission. With mounting evidence showcasing the impact of commercial entities on health outcomes, it’s imperative to address the complexities of alcohol policy within the broader context of NCD prevention.
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Prioritizing Brain Health in Youth: Bringing Neuroscience to Society and Informing Policy | 2024 FENS Forum Mini Conference
2024-06-25 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
EBC is pleased to hold a Mini Conference ‘Prioritizing Brain Health in Youth: Bringing Neuroscience to Society and Informing Policy‘ at the upcoming FENS Forum. The event will take place on 25 June 2024 at 10:00-12:00.
Location: HALL B, Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna Austria
According to OECD half of the population will have to contend with mental health problems at some point in their life. Two-thirds of mental health disorders manifest before age 25. Good brain health plays a significant role in an individual’s well-being and profoundly impacts the collective economy and society. Today there is an urgent action needed on failing youth mental health. Neuroscience and brain development are key to address the situation. Understanding neural circuits is critical for gaining insights into the etiology of mental disorders. Brain development does not stop at birth and some aspects continue throughout infancy, childhood, and adolescence, allowing the full development of cognitive functions. Different determinants related to physical health, healthy environments, safety and security, life-long learning, and social connection as well as access to quality services influence the way our brains develop, adapt, and respond to stress and adversity. Ongoing progress in neurobiology and cognitive neuroscience allow the design of better prevention and intervention strategies to help avoid brain deficits and/or limit their impact and maintain brain health.
Although effective early detection and interventions exist, 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 services and discontinuity of care. Policies and programs to prevent and mitigate the negative impacts on schooling, employment, families, and risky behaviors are also paramount. The European Commission’s communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health released in June 2023 is a step forward but requires more commitment to boost children and young adult’s mental health. The European Brain Council (EBC) and the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) will convene a Mini Conference on 25 June at the upcoming FENS Forum 2024 in Vienna to address these challenges. The event will explore what the opportunities are of incorporating a transdiagnostic and biopsychosocial-informed perspective. The meeting will bring together neuroscientists, clinicians, researchers, policymakers, patients & caregivers to raise awareness on brain health, bridging the gap between research, policy, and society.
Final Programme and Speakers FENS
DISCOVER THE PROGRAMME AND THE SPEAKERSAll FENS Forum participants can join the Mini Conference without extra registration. Registration for external participants has closed. Those that registered on time will have access to the FENS Forum 2024 for the whole day of 25 June 2024.

FENS Forum 2024
2024-06-25 - 2024-06-29 | Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress, Messepl. 1, Wien, 1020, Austria
The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), the Austrian Neuroscience Association (ANA) and the Hungarian Neuroscience Society are delighted to welcome you to the FENS Forum 2024, taking place in Vienna, Austria, from 25-29 June 2024.
The FENS Forum is Europe’s largest neuroscience congress, covering all areas of neuroscience from basic to translational research. FENS Forum 2024 will feature an exciting programme of plenary and special lectures, scientific symposia, technical workshops, special interest events, career development and networking opportunities and so much more!
EBC looks forward to being part of the exhibition area and holding the following sessions at the Forum:

Prioritizing Brain Health in Youth: Bringing Neuroscience to Society and Informing Policy, Mini Conference, 25 June 2024, 10:00-12:00
Discover the European Brain Council at the FENS Booth, 26 June 2024, 13:30-14:15
Enhancing Global Partnerships in Brain Research, Networking Reception, 27 June, 18:45-20:15

Find out more

2024 Thematic Networks: Pitch webinar - Meet the leaders, learn about their proposals, EUHPP Live Webinar
2024-06-24 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Online
The European Commission is organising the 2024 Thematic Networks Pitch webinar – Meet the leaders, learn about their proposals on June 24, 2024. The following four Thematic Networks will be presented:

“Advancing Precision Medicine for Europe’s Cancer Patients with AIpowered Imaging”
“Profiling Cancer Genomes using AI and Natural Language Processing – Methodologies for Hotspot Identification”
“Beyond Boundaries: A Global Continuum for healthy generations”
“Towards an EU Coordination Plan for the Brain”

This will be the opportunity for EBC to explain the goals and scope of its new Thematic Network, Towards an EU Coordination Plan for the Brain. More details can be found on the European Commission website, or by clicking on the button below.
More information & Agenda

2024 European Elections
2024-06-06 - 2024-06-09
While brain disorders cost the European Union an estimated €800 billion every year (a number widely considered to be outdated and much higher as of 2024), we have yet to have a full understanding of their underlying mechanisms and of the brain itself, mainly due to how incredibly complex this organ is. Consequently, a large number of brain conditions remain without a disease-modifying therapy or cure.
Instead of divesting in a cost, to meet this growing burden, policymakers and society at large should view the prioritization and support of brain research as an investment into prevention, wellness and optimization, creating a better future for each and every one of their constituents. Concerted action to improve access to prevention, effective and timely diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitative and supportive care is sorely needed to achieve potential savings and improve EU citizens’ quality of life. Brain conditions, neurological and mental alike, must be made an European priority, through both policymaking and economic prioritisation.
The upcoming 2024 European Election is thus a crucial milestone for the entire brain community. By participating in the electoral process, we can shape the future of brain health, research, and innovation in the EU, ultimately leading to better outcomes for individuals and societies alike. On this page, you will find relevant materials to help you engage in this process, and making sure the voice of our community is heard.
2024 Elections ManifestoGlobal Call to actionPledge for scienceBetween 6–9 June 2024, millions of Europeans will participate in shaping the future of European democracy on the occasion of the European elections.
It is a unique moment when we can all collectively decide on the future of the European Union. Voting is always important, be it at local, national or European level. It is an excellent opportunity to have your say on topics you care about.
It can be easy to forget how many people are impacted by the outcome of the European elections. The European Parliament adopts laws that affect everyone: large countries and small communities, powerful companies and young start-ups, the global and the local.
EU laws tackle most people’s priorities: the environment, security, migration, social policies, consumer rights, economy, rule of law and many more. Today, every important national topic also has a European angle.
Your vote will decide which Members of the European Parliament will represent you in preparing new laws and will influence the election of the European Commission. These decisions will shape your daily life and that of many others.
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Brussels 20KM Run – #Move4YrBrain
2024-05-26 09:30 - 14:30 UTC | Parc du Cinquantenaire, Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
The European Brain Foundation joins forces with the European Brain Council to shed light on the benefits of physical exercise for the brain, reactivating the #Move4YrBrain campaign. Physical activity and healthy lifestyles have a clear and demonstrated impact on brain health. Whether you’re running, walking, or jogging, let’s lace up our shoes, hit the pavement, and boost our brain health together!
Share your runs, walks, or jogs with us using #Move4YrBrain or by joining our Strava group. We encourage each and every one of you to start – or keep – exercising and share your pictures on social media with the hashtag #Move4YrBrain, or our website. T-shirts can be made available upon request.
As part of the #Move4YrBrain Campaign, members of the EBC team will also take part in the 20KM of Brussels on May 26, a sport event dedicated to handisport, runners and walkers.
Registrations to the 20km of Brussels are now officially sold out. The last race numbers will go on sale on 2 May at 9am on the organizers’ website.
Join the Team20KM of BrusselsMove4YrBrain

HealthTech For Patients
2024-05-16 13:00 - 16:00 UTC | Online
HealthTech For Patients (HTFP) serves as a platform for patients to express their needs and discover innovations in healthcare by reuniting health innovation stakeholders. The goal is to put the patient at the center of innovation. This event aims to bridge the gap between healthcare professionals and patients, establishing an open exchange platform that enables professionals to better understand the perspectives, needs, and experiences of patients.
The theme of this year’s edition is “Inside Mental Health: Causes and Environment” with two insightful roundtable discussions:

“The Impact of Illness on Mental Health: From Screening to Post-Treatment”
“Mental Health in a Challenging World: The Impact of Environment”

EBC Executive Director Frédéric Destrebecq is pleased to be a speaker in the Keynote on Clinical Aspect of the first roundtable discussion.
PROGRAMMEREGISTRATIONMORE INFORMATION

10th European Stroke Organisation Conference – ESOC 2024
2024-05-15 - 2024-05-17 | Congress Center and Messe Basel, Messeplatz, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
ESOC is Europe’s leading forum for advances in research and clinical care of patients with cerebrovascular diseases. ESOC 2024, hosted exclusively onsite in Basel, Switzerland, presents an exceptional conference experience, providing an outstanding scientific programme with major clinical trials, workshops, and debates aimed at connecting colleagues across various disciplines, institutes, and countries.
More informationRegistration

12th European Conference on Rare Diseases & Orphan Products
2024-05-15 - 2024-05-16
The 12th European Conference on Rare Diseases & Orphan Products (ECRD) is the largest, patient-led, rare disease policy-shaping event held in Europe.
By bringing together people with rare diseases and patient advocates, policy makers, healthcare industry representatives, clinicians, regulators and Member State representatives, EURORDIS harnesses the power of this extensive network to shape goal-driven rare disease policies of the future.
With over 1000 participants, the Conference is an unrivalled opportunity to network and exchange invaluable insights within the rare disease community. Through collaborative efforts, these discussions culminate in clear policy recommendations that can influence both EU and national policies.
Get ready for the next ECRD, a fully hybrid conference taking place on 15 & 16 May 2024 online and at The Square in Brussels.
Registration is now open with a limited number of 300 places available to join us in person and early-bird fees available until 2 February!
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Belgian Brain Council Symposium | Altruistic Data Association
2024-05-14 - 2024-05-15 | University Foundation, Rue d'Egmont 11, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
On May 14 and 15, 2024, the Belgian Brain Council is organizing a symposium that will officially inaugurate the creation of an Altruistic Data Association. This creation is the result of the application of the European Data Governance Act (DGA), which encourages the voluntary sharing of data for altruistic purposes such as scientific research or the improvement of public services.
This symposium will present the fruit of our interactions with the political world, scientific experts and the trust placed in the BBC by its 25 patient associations and 22 scientific societies. This symposium is aimed at a wide audience interested in data sharing in the healthcare sector. There are 150 places available.
The political debates and the session where patient associations have their say will be translated into French and Dutch in real time. The scientific session will be in English. Online participants will be able to ask questions via the Slido platform. Reservations will be open from March 15, 2024. The program includes the active participation of politicians, scientists, patient associations, members of the European Commission, the Belgian Health Data Agency and the Brain Councils of 5 other member states who have decided to join forces. It will be a hybrid event, meaning it can be taken online or in person.
RegistrationProgramme

16th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society
2024-05-11 - 2024-05-16 | Vancouver, Canada
Neuromodulation: Harnessing the Power of the Nervous System

The theme will emphasize the field’s transformative force on disease treatment and proven therapies delivered with refined and personalized techniques.
The 16th INS World Congress (INS 2024), will bring together over 1,500 scientists, researchers, engineers, device developers, and healthcare providers to advance the neuromodulation field. Witness the best scientific and teaching programs and ground-breaking research. The theme will emphasize the field’s transformative force on disease treatment and proven therapies delivered with refined and personalized techniques.

More information and registration

3rd International Conference on Neurological Disorders and Neurorestoration
2024-05-09 - 2024-05-12 | Brijuni National Park, Croatia, Brijuni, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
The International Conference on Neurological Disorders and Neurorestoration will be held from 9th – 12th May 2023 in Brijuni National Park, Croatia.
This unique international meeting will cover a wide range of areas connected to neurology, neuroscience and neurorestoration, such as neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, ischemic diseases, paroxysmal and extrapyramidal diseases. The School of Medicine of the University of Zagreb, supported by all clinics for neurology of the Zagreb Clinical and Hospital Centers, is the main organizer of the conference.
The conference will be organized in conjunction with the 10th Academy Meeting of National Brain Councils that will be held from 8th – 9th May.
More information about the event will be available soon.
PDF Presentation

10th Academy of National Brain Councils
2024-05-08 - 2024-05-09 | Pula, Croatia, Pula, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Look Back at the 10th National Brain Councils AcademyThe 10th National Brain Councils Academy (NBCs) was held from 8 to 9 May 2024 in Pula, more precisely on the island of Brijuni in Croatia. This year, the meeting was integrated into the 3rd International Conference on Neurological Disorders and Neurorestoration, which took place from 9 to 12 May 2024.

This annual event brought together several representatives from European NBCs, both online and in person. No less than 11 countries were represented, including Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Furthermore, we were pleased to welcome Karim Berkouk (Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission) and to receive a video message from Dr Neerja Chowdhary (Technical Officer, World Health Organization (WHO). The themes of their sessions were respectively “Update of the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders” and “Analysis of the Impact of AI in Science Policies for Neuroscience and Health”. During the meeting, the NBCs shared their insights on the good practices and the national strategies for advancing brain health in Europe. They provided updates on their respective national brain health plans.
Additionally, the European Brain Council (EBC) presented an overview of its EU Elections Manifesto 2024, highlighting the importance of placing brain health and research at the top of the policy agenda, both at the EU and national levels.

“We call on the European Parliament and European Commission 2024-2029 to support policy making towards equitable and quality brain health to combat brain challenges, promote societal cohesion, boost economic productivity and guide the EU to the role of global leader in brain research.”– Frédéric Destrebecq, Executive Director, European Brain Council

The focus of the second part of the programme shifted towards data, with a panel discussion dedicated to the establishment of the European Brain Health Data Hub, an association proposing to share patient data among European health institutions. The aim of this new initiative is to enhance research on mental health, particularly by addressing gaps in data availability. This initiative from the Belgian Brain Council, led by Roland Pochet (Secretary General, Belgian Brain Council) and Gregory Lewkowick (Professor, University of Brussels) was endorsed by the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Labour, Pierre-Yves Dermagne.

Finally, the meeting of the 10th NBCs Academy was all the more important this year, as it took place ahead of a major milestone, the European elections, set to take place on 6-9 June 2024. This will be a crucial opportunity for the brain community to shape the future of European brain health, research, and innovation.

Learn more about National Brain CouncilsLearn moreLearn more

Be Open About Animal Research Day
2024-05-03
The European Animal Research Association (EARA)’s fourth edition of ‘Be Open About Animal Research Day’ (#BOARD24) will take place on Friday 3 May 2024.
#BOARD24 is a global, 24-hour social media campaign that celebrates openness by biomedical institutions in communicating animal research. Participants from around the world share their stories and experiences of being open about animal research with the public, including case studies, videos and events.
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.
