Center for Brain Research becomes new member of ENI-NET

(Vienna, 3rd October 2014) Multiple departments in the Center for Brain Research at the Medical University of Vienna have joined forces to form a neuroscience excellence centre that qualifies to become a new member of the Network of European Neuroscience Institutes (ENI-NET).

ENI-NET was founded in 2005 in order to encourage young scientists in the field of neurosciences to establish independent research groups and to support their mobility and interactions at European level. The network now comprises 23 of the most prestigious establishments in the field of neurosciences in 15 European countries both in the domains of clinical and fundamental research.

Tibor Harkany, Head of the Department of Molecular Neurosciences at the Centre for Brain Research, is delighted by the center's inclusion into the illustrious circle: "It is tremendous recognition that we have now been included in this unique group of successful organisations. This can only benefit us in terms of our activities, funding and recruitment of junior staff. "One of our aims is to strengthen translational neuroscience and form an essential bridge between fundamental research centres and clinical Institutes within our University. This is particularly timely considering the investment our University has recently made to neuroscience research by establishing the Medical Neuroscience Cluster and the Center for Addiction Research and Science. But, more broadly, Our our primary mission is toencompasses the fostering of foster young talent in Austria by sand spearheading local, national and international collaborations."

The successful application was made on the basis of the Departments of Cognitive Neuroscience, Molecular Neurosciences and Neurophysiology adopting a unique, shared infrastructure and scientific vision, and nominating four outstanding junior researchers (Igor Adameyko, Ruth Drdla-Schutting, Erik Keimpema, Balint Lasztoczi) to become "ENI-NET Young Investigators". The approval of all of the MedUni Vienna candidates shows the strength of local talent in Neuroscience, and should form the basis of new strategic initiatives at our University.

The official approval of the ENI-NET steering board for the installation of ENI-NET Vienna was received on September 29.

The Center for Brain Research
The Center for Brain Research is devoted to the advancement of translational neurosciences. We investigate the properties and functions of the central nervous system in health and disease. Our focus is on clinically relevant topics such as mechanisms of acute and chronic pain (Dept. of Neurophysiology), immune surveillance of the nervous system (Dept. of Neuroimmunology), peroxisome-dependent malfunction of the nervous system (Dept. Pathobiology of the Nervous System), synaptic mechanisms of psychiatric and neurological diseases (Dept. of Molecular Neurosciences), synaptic mechanisms of learning and memory (Dept. of Neuronal Cell Biology) and the neuronal basis of cognitive functions (Dept. of Cognitive Neurobiology).
The work of independent research groups at the center extends the spectrum of our research expertise to molecular mechanisms of synapse formation (Sect. Synapse Formation) and to new imaging methods for brain research (Sect. Bioelectronics).


» Department of Molecular Neurosciences

» ENI-NET