NanoBrain-Retreat auf Burg Reichenstein am Rhein

The second NanoBrain retreat took place at Burg Reichenstein on January 19 and 20. Project managers and young researchers from the Leibniz ScienceCampus NanoBrain came together for two days to discuss current developments and future goals of the project in depth. Six Mainz-based research institutes have pooled their expertise in the Leibniz ScienceCampus NanoBrain. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, experts from the fields of neuroscience, molecular biology, immunology, and chemistry are working together to develop innovative and targeted therapeutic strategies for stress-related depressive disorders.

Participants included researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz University Medical Center, the Institute for Translational Oncology (TRON) gGmbH, the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P), the Institute for Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, and the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research.

The retreat was accompanied by a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), which is made up of international researchers. Among the guests were three of the five members of the Scientific Advisory Board: Prof. Caroline Menard from Université Laval in Quebec, Canada, Prof. Hong Chen from the University of Washington in St. Louis, USA, and Prof. Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke from Ghent University and the VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Belgium. Together with the researchers from NanoBrain, the members of the Scientific Advisory Board discussed the development of nanoparticles for the targeted transport of active substances across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the use of ultrasound for the targeted opening of the BBB, and the identification of signaling pathways in the brain and in the BBB itself that are involved in the regulation of stress resilience.

The retreat offered all participants the opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange on ongoing activities and scientific progress. Other focal points included scientific public relations, measures for internationalization, and targeted career advancement for young researchers. In addition, the discussion focused on the strategic goals for the second funding period, which aim at significant progress in the research field of “Engineering Mental Health.”

The program included poster sessions, presentations, and intensive discussions on current results, future project goals, and solutions to technical challenges. The retreat thus provided a valuable platform for scientific exchange, networking, and joint strategic planning.

Further information about the Leibniz ScienceCampus NanoBrain is available here.