5/25/2011 -> 6/4/2011

The Neuroscience School Program of the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) is pleased to offer advanced neuroscience courses for former graduates (Alumni) and other young investigators from countries with special needs. From May 25 - June 6 2011, students from Africa and Latin America will participate in a specialized neuroscience school in Quebec City that will focus on Neurodegenerative Disorders and Brain Trauma. This opportunity is made possible by the support of the IBRO North American Regional Committee and several Canadian institutions. The School is intended for 12-14 young promising trainees with clear leadership potential in their home country’s scientific community.

Educational Objectives:

• To help understand basic mechanisms related to neurodegenerative disorders and brain trauma and their implications for therapy.
• To present and discuss the students’ own research.
• To foster long-lasting links with some of Canada’s top neuroscientists and institutions.
• To forge new contacts between investigators in Canada, Africa, and Latin America.

Scientific Organizers
Organizing Committee of Canadian IBRO Schools of Neuroscience

• Albert J. Aguayo (Past President of IBRO), Chair
• Ellis Cooper (McGill University)
• Jonathan Dostrovsky (University of Toronto)
• Ante L. Padjen (McGill University, Director of IBRO IT)
• Jane Roskams (University of British Columbia)
• Cathy Morris (University of Ottawa)
   

Funding provided by

• IBRO US/Canada Regional Committee (USCRC)
• Brain@McGill
• Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University
• Fondation André Delambre
• University of Toronto Neuroscience Program
• Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceutical

1. Prior to travelling to Quebec City, students will spend 5 days in Montreal attending interactive sessions whose main aim is to prepare for the Québec City courses and labs and the Canadian Neuroscience Meeting. These interactive sessions, coordinated by Dr. E. Cooper, will largely involve a review of basic neuroscience mechanisms, and discussions of relevant research articles and methodologies related to the theme of the School. 
   
2. A special feature of this School is its integration with the 5th Annual Canadian Neuroscience Meeting to be held in Quebec City from May 30-June 3, 2011. The Annual Meeting is organized by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN). Approximately 1000 brain researchers will attend, and all students enrolled in this School will be full participants of this meeting, presenting their own work on a poster, attending scientific sessions, and participating in interactive sessions with selected speakers. The organizers of the Annual Canadian Neuroscience Meeting have waived the registration fee for all students attending the School. 
   
3. The Quebec City advanced course will focus on basic mechanisms related to neural neurodegenerative disorders and brain trauma and their implications for therapy. The School, coordinated by Dr. Guy Drolet, consists of a series of lectures as well as lab demonstrations of in vitro and in vivo experimentation. 
   

The Montreal Faculty:

• Albert J. Aguayo (IBRO)
• Ellis Cooper (Electrophysiology)
• Linda Cooper (Publishing...)
• Jack Diamond (Alzheimer's Disease)
• Adriana Di Polo (Nerve regeneration)
• Edward Fon (Parkinson's Disease)
• Alyson Fournier (Nerve regeneration, MS)
• Julio Martinez-Trujillo (Systems and Cognitive neuroscience)
• R. Anne McKinney (Cell biology)
• Ante L. Padjen (ALS, Neuronal Modeling)
• David Ragsdale (Electrophysiology)
• Donald Van Meyel (Neural stem cells)
  

The Québec City Faculty:

• Francesca Cicchetti (Inflammation, neuroprotection and graft implants in animal models of parkinsonian and Huntington’s disease)
• Nicolas Dupré (Neuromuscular and neurogenetic disorders )
• Sébastien Hébert (MicroRNA in neurodegenerative disorders)
• Jean-Pierre Julien (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia)
• Jasna Kriz (Real-time imaging of neuroinflammation and regeneration processes in ischemic injury and in chronic neurodegeneration)
• Steve Lacroix (Inflammation, spinal injury, functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury)
• Benoit Lapointe (Neuroinflammation in ischemic injury)
• Geoges Lévesque (Alzheimer’s disease)
• Emmanuel Planel (Tauopathology)
• Cyril Schneider (Brain injury & neuroreadaptation using neuromodulation; and TMS, new avenues in functional recovery for motor systems, language disorders and memory)
• Luc Vallières (Demyelinating Disorders) 
  

Who should apply?

• Priority is given to IBRO Alumni residing in Africa and Latin America. The applicants should be fluent in English (written/spoken), have a degree in basic or clinical sciences, and be involved in neuroscience research. 
  
• Students are chosen on the basis of their academic records and their potential for leadership in the scientific community of their home country. The criteria include: academic achievements, publications, letters of reference, and in particular, the statement of how this School will benefit the applicant’s own research career. 
  
• Students selected to attend the School have their travel and living expenses (housing and meals) covered by the School. Visas and other immigration arrangements are the responsibility of the students.