Biology of Brain Disorders (BBD) 2019: Frontiers in Innovation
Between 16th and 25th of June 2019, 30 students and 15 speakers of 17 different nationalities participated in the 4th edition of Eurolife School, the Eurolife Summer School 2019 titled Biology of Brain Disorders (BBD) 2019: Frontiers in Innovation held by the Trinity College Dublin.
For the 4th time, participants and presenters from different institutions and other countries gathered to manifest the objectives of the Eurolife Network – to enhance scientific interactions and contribute towards scientific developments. 5 students received the Eurolife grant to participate in this Eurolife Summer School.
Hear from the Eurolife Grantees and learn what they have to say about the event
The event, mostly sponsored by EIT Health, constituted part of a series created to promote the education in the mechanisms altered across brain disorders. Top speakers from industry and academia presented the basic and advanced state of research in the field. Thanks to the support of EIT Health, participants could also take part in the training in Innovation delivered in TCD by the Tangent Team. The scientific talks were held in Slane Castle, Co. Meath (16th-21st of June) while the innovation workshop/entrepreneurship training in Trinity College Dublin Business School (22nd-25th of June). The blending of science and creative thinking was a success and the students had an empowering experience during which they learned new insights in the field of brain disorders and new ways of approaching solutions.
Summer schools are very important experiences for graduate education. They give the students the opportunity to learn, network, and establish connections with peers and scientists from all over the world. This experience offered students a transformational learning environment, which fostered their personal and professional growth and provided with skills to translate their knowledge and ideas into innovative strategies for diagnostic and treatment of brain disorders. This was an empowering experience to embrace the challenges and opportunities of innovation for the care of brain disorders.
For more information regarding the BBD series contact Brain.Disorders@tcd.ie
For a glimpse of the BBD2019 event, view the video HERE.
More about the event
Scientific speakers:
Prof Claudia Bagni, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Prof Kevin Fox, Cardiff University, UK
Prof John Cryan, University of Cork, Ireland
Dr Jina Swartz, Global Clinical Development, MSD
Prof Laura Ballerini, International School of Advanced Studies, Italy
Prof Scott Russo, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA
Dr Clare Kelly, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Dr Kongfatt Wong-Lin, University of Ulster, UK
Dr Omar Kwhaja, Hoffmann-LaRoche, Switzerland
Prof Inna Slutsky, Tel Aviv University, Isreal
Innovation workshop presenters:
Joan Connolly, Learning Experience Designer, Tangent, TCD
Dr Karl Thomas, Creativity and Innovation Coach, Tangent, TCD
Learning objectives
Biology of Brain Disorders 2019 was a scientific and training event which proposed an alternative view of brain disorders, with a focus on mechanisms operating across different disorders rather than the pathophysiology of each specific disorder. The main goal was to deepen our understanding of brain pathologies and to consider treatments currently used in some disorders for repositioning to others.
Together with basic lectures given by leaders in neuroscience, participants were taught idea generation, translation and validation; creative problem solving (including Design Thinking); storytelling and communications; lean business methodologies; and leadership development.