EBRAINS is pleased to announce that the University of Padua has joined the EBRAINS AISBL as an associate member.

The membership will give the University of Padua the opportunity to co-design future iterations of EBRAINS’ cutting-edge tools and services. These state-of-the-art capabilities – which include an extensive range of brain data sets, a multilevel brain atlas, modelling and simulation tools, and access to high-performance computing resources and robotics and neuromorphic platforms – aim to help European researchers to address major challenges in brain health.

Founded in 1222, the University of Padua (UNIPD) is one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious seats of learning and has a long tradition and consolidated reputation for scientific excellence.

The European Commission has signed a grant agreement to fund EBRAINS with €38 million from January 2024 to 2026. The project involves 59 partner institutions from 16 European countries, and the University of Padua, through the PNC, is one of the WP leaders.

EBRAINS (European Brain Research Infrastructures) is an EU co-funded collaborative research platform designed to advance neuroscience and brain health. The new project aims to establish a new standard for brain atlases, gather, and connect multimodal neuroscientific and clinical data, and advance the development of digital twin approaches.

The PNC & PhD Retreat 2023 take place from 30 November to 2 December 2023 at Villa Parco Bolasco (Castelfranco Veneto, Treviso). It will be a fundamental moment for PNC members, PhD students, and Postdoctoral Fellows for focusing on the goals achieved and the path still ahead. They will have the possibility to share their ideas, perspectives, and experience.

by Dr Loren Koçillari (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – IIT, Trento, and Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf)

When: November 6, 2023, at 4:30 pm

Where: Sala Seminari VIMM (Building A, Ground Floor, Via Orus 2, Padova)

Functional connectivity (FC) plays a crucial role in understanding how correlated activity between brain regions supports neural information processing and communication. Previous research has primarily focused on redundant FC, typically using Pearson correlations to examine the similarity of activity across pairs of regions. However, recent studies have started exploring synergistic FC, which refers to the information that arises when two regions are considered together. In this presentation, I report our work [doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-43075-6_5] focalizes on the interplay between synergy and redundancy at the individual neuron level within the mouse’s primary auditory cortex during a sound discrimination task.

When: November 10, 2023 – starting at 9:00 am

Where: Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello (Sestiere San Marco, Campiello Pisani 2810, Venice)

Abstract: Partendo dal ritrovamento nella Germania sud-occidentale di “flauti” risalenti a circa 40 000 anni fa, ottenuti in generale dalle ossa lunghe delle ali di rapaci, il simposio verterà sulle ragioni che hanno spinto il genere Homo a creare sistemi musicali prima dei graffiti e delle piccole sculture del neolitico. Questo ha dato origine alla cultura musicale, facendone forse la forma più primigenia del pensiero simbolico: il tema dominante è quindi il legame tra il cervello e la musica. Altri due temi d’intervento, altrettanto cruciali, sono: da un lato, stabilire quale delle due specie del genere Homo – i Sapiens e i Neanderthal – abbiano prodotto gli strumenti; dall’altro, identificare le ragioni alla base dell’origine della musica, che è legata all’evoluzione del pensiero: se si correlavano allo sviluppo di specifiche aree cerebrali implicate nella creazione dei suoni, e/o alla sfera emozionale, e/o al progresso del linguaggio.

by Prof. Paolo Bonato (Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston MA)

When: November 2, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari VIMM (Building A, Ground Floor, Via Orus 2, Padova)

In this talk, we will review the use of robotics in rehabilitation medicine with a focus on retraining motor function in patients with neurological conditions ranging from stroke to cerebral palsy. We will argue that the prediction of patients’ response to robot-assisted motor training should account for the mechanisms underlying the short-term and long-term response of each patient to the forces generated by the robot.

by Dr. Valter Tucci (Genetics and Epigenetics of Behavior (GEB) Laboratory, Italian Institute of Technology – IIT, Genoa)

When: October 19, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari VIMM (Building A, Ground Floor, Via Orus 2, Padova)

Genomic imprinting, a widely recognized phenomenon in epigenetics, leads to the transcriptional silencing of either maternally or paternally inherited alleles. Our research proposes the hypothesis that imprinting has played a crucial role in shaping the evolutionary dynamics of mammalian sleep.
Within our laboratory, we explore this phenomenon at various levels, utilizing in vitro 2D and 3D models, as well as in vivo EEG and behavioural assessments.

When: September 30, 2023 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Where: Palazzo del Bo, Via VIII Febbraio 2, Padova PD

Abstract: The University of Padua presents the 2023 edition of the Science4All Festival, which aims at communicating science in a simple but engaging way. The public will meet researchers from the University of Padua and participate in scientific experiments through workshops, games and other activities. All activities are free.

The Padova Neuroscience Center and our PhD Program in Neuroscience will be present at Palazzo Bo (booth No 21) and they will present “Alla scoperta del cervello“, a series of activities showing how research methods and new discoveries have improved our knowledge of the brain.

When: September 28, 2023 – starting at 10:30 am

Where: Aula Clinica Psichiatrica, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova

Abstract: The seminar aims to connect pre-clinical and clinical research for a better understanding of the neurobiology of anorexia nervosa. Topics covered will include the investigation of biological and morphological factors using a specific rodent model (activity-based anorexia), as well as an examination of how different pathophysiological factors can affect the development of the disorder and its key symptoms.

The seminar is targeted at physicians, psychologists, healthcare professionals, and students.

by Prof. Larry Abbott (William Bloor Professor of Theoretical Neuroscience and Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics (in Biological Sciences), Principal Investigator at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute and Codirector of Columbia’s Kavli Institute for Brain Science)

When: September 28, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Aula Magna “Lepschy” (Building DEI/D, 1st floor – Complesso di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, Via Gradenigo 6B, Padova)

Navigation requires orienting oneself relative to landmarks in the environment, evaluating relevant sensory data, remembering goals, and convert all this information into motor commands that direct locomotion.

I will present models, highly constrained by connectomic, physiological and behavioral data, of how these functions are accomplished in the fly brain.

by Prof. Camillo Porcaro (Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova)

When: September 21, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Aula Magna Clinica Neurologica (Via Giustiniani 5, Padova)

In the last two decades, ongoing brain fluctuations at rest (i.e. in the absence of external stimulation and response demands) have consistently been documented to be organised into large-scale networks, each of them characterised by specific structural and functional architectures. These are known as resting-state networks (RSNs) and have been widely reported in numerous neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies. Furthermore, alterations to RSNs have been observed during healthy ageing as well as in many neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders.

by Prof. Andrea Serino (University Hospital of Lausanne – CHUV)

When: July 6, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Aula Magna Ederle (Via Belzoni 160, Padova)

Peripersonal space (PPS) is the region where body-environment interactions predominantly occur. It is represented by a specialized neural system that integrates external cues and tactile stimuli, acting as a fundamental interface between individuals and their surroundings.

This presentation examines the neural and computational mechanisms of PPS in humans, along with its primary functions and properties. I will present data about the dynamic nature of PPS and its optimization for body-environment interactions. I will explore the reciprocal relationship between PPS and social interactions, emphasizing its involvement in social cognition and susceptibility to social modulation.

by Prof. Michela Fagiolini (Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital and Specialty Chief Editor of Frontiers of Neuroscience Neurodevelopment)

When: June 29, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari VIMM (Building A, Ground Floor, Via Orus 2, Padova)

Understanding the mechanisms underlying experience-dependent brain development and refinement in neurodevelopmental disorders can guide the design of effective target therapies. Over the past years, we have discovered a clear visual cortical phenotype in mouse models of Rett Syndrome(RTT), a monogenic neurodevelopmental disorder, and demonstrated its rescue by environmental, genetic, and pharmacological manipulation of the major inhibitory circuits, Parvalbumin-positive cortical circuits. These results reveal a specific role for MECP2 in the experience-dependent refinement of cortical circuits by regulating the excitation of pivotal inhibitory neurons.

by Prof. Ben Harvey (University of Utrecht)

When: June 22, 2023, at 3:00 pm

Where: Aula T2-CLA (Via Venezia 16, Padova)

Ultra-high field MRI (at 7T or more) gives exceptionally clear measurement of the structure and responses of the human brain. This excellent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is often used to image brain structure and function at very high resolution. However, at more conventional resolutions (between 1.5 and 2 mm), 7T fMRI allows us to characterize neural responses in much greater detail than 3T fMRI for several reasons. First, the spread of the 7T BOLD signal is far smaller than at 3T, giving a far more spatially specific signal even at the same nominal resolution.

by Prof. Giovanna Citti (University of Bologna)

When: March 23rd, 2023 at 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari at VIMM (Via Orus 2, padova)

Abstract: In this seminar I present a geometric model of the motor cortex, joint work with Mazzetti and Sarti.
The first studies of this area, due to Georgopoulos et alii, proved that neurons are sensible to kinematic
variables, as for example direction of motion, velocity or acceleration. More recently, it has
been experimentally proved by Churchland et alii and by Harpaz et alii that the selectivity of neurons
changes in time, giving rise to selectivity of short trajectories of the hand, called movement
fragments.

When: March 16th, 2023 from 10.30 am and March 24th, 2023 from 4.00 pm

Where: Sala dei Giganti, Palazzo Liviano, Padova (March 16th) and Scuola della Carità, Parrocchia san Francesco, Padova (March 24th)

Abstract: “La nuova era del cervello” è il tema dell’edizione 2023 della Settimana mondiale del cervello, che propone due giornate ricche di eventi dedicati alla cittadinanza.

Giovedì 16 marzo 2023: Al mattino didattica per avvicinare i ragazzi ai meccanismi di funzionamento del cervello, soprattutto per sfruttare al meglio le innumerevoli capacità, e un momento musicale con studenti e docenti. Nel pomeriggio un filosofo e uno scienziato si sfideranno nell’interpretazione dei segreti del sonno e dei sogni, fino al punto da confrontarsi su ciò che si sa, si vorrebbe sapere o si può solo accarezzare con l’anima.

When: March 15th and 16th, 2023 – starting at 3:30 p.m.

Where: Aula Ippolito Nievo, Palazzo Bo, Padova

Abstract: Torna l’appuntamento con i seminari della Brain Awareness Week, la settimana internazionale di divulgazione delle neuroscienze.

Gli interventi saranno tenuti da giovani ricercatori dell’Università di Padova appartenenti a cinque diversi dipartimenti accomunati però dallo studio del cervello. I relatori avranno il piacere di accompagnarvi nell’affascinante mondo dei neuroni, nelle loro interazioni sino ai processi cognitivi alla base del nostro pensiero.

L ‘evento, gratuito ed aperto a tutti, si svolge in presenza presso l’Aula Ippolito Nievo, Palazzo Bo.

Link alla notizia su “ilbo live”

Proff. Alessandro Martini, Paolo Mazzarello, Eugenio Mira, and Albert Mudry – School of Medicine – Padova

When: November 22nd, 5:00 pm, 2022

Where: Aula Morgagni del Policlinico, Via Giustiniani 2, Padova

Abstract: In this book the biography is followed by a synopsis of scientists who followed in Alfonso Corti’s footsteps through the present, offered together with beautiful anatomic reproductions of Corti’s organ. Important followers were Nobel Prize winner Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Swedish anatomist Gustaf Retzius, nominated for the Nobel Prize nine times. Several others have provided new insights into the physiology, biochemistry, and especially, genetics involved in the coordinated development of this organ.

Closing Meeting of PD_Pal PROJECT, Grant Agreement No 825785

When: Nov 25 and 26, 2022

Where: Palazzo della Salute, Via San Francesco 90, Padova

Abstract: There is a growing awareness of the potential benefit of palliative care interventions in Parkinson’s disease, given its incurable nature and current treatment strategies, which are primarily symptomatic. The high burden of non-motor symptoms that are difficult to manage, the high distress of caregivers, and the high utilization of medical services especially in the last years of life have become evident. Similar to cancer patients, albeit for a longer duration, PD patients have significant (and mounting) unmet physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs and encounter great problems in care coordination and continuity of care.

When: Sept 30, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and Oct 1, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

Where: Palazzo del Bo, Via VIII Febbraio 2, Padova PD

Abstract: Promossa dall’Università di Padova, la manifestazione Science4All è rivolta a tutta la cittadinanza e mira a comunicare la scienza in modo semplice e divertente con eventi a libero accesso. Nei pomeriggi e nelle sere del 30 settembre e dell’1 ottobre le ricercatrici e i ricercatori dell’Ateneo incontrano tutti i curiosi nelle sedi di Palazzo del Bo, del Complesso Beato Pellegrino e del meraviglioso Orto botanico, patrimonio mondiale UNESCO.

Il Padova Neuroscience Center e la Scuola di Dottorato in Neuroscience saranno presenti a Palazzo del Bo con lo stand “La meraviglia del cervello” per mostrare alcune metodologie di ricerca e le scoperte che hanno migliorato la comprensione del cervello.

When: Sep 26, 2022 starting at 9:00 a.m.

Where: Scuola di Psicologia – Via Venezia, 12, 35131 Padova PD

Abstract: Il XXX congresso della Associazione Italiana di Psicologia si terrà presso la Scuola di Psicologia dell’Università di Padova: le giornate congressuali inizieranno martedì 27 settembre e termineranno venerdì 30 settembre 2022. Lunedì 26 settembre il congresso sarà già attivo: la giornata sarà dedicata alla registrazione e a workshop pre-congressuali.

Il congresso alternerà momenti di scambio tra le Sezioni e momenti di Sezione. Le mattinate (martedì, mercoledì, giovedì e venerdì) saranno per la maggioranza dedicate a momenti scientifici plenari, caratterizzati da simposi di carattere interdisciplinare e relazioni di ricercatrici e ricercatori di chiara fama.