Organisation

The Research Institute BCN-BRAIN (‘Research Institute for Neurosciences and Healthy Ageing’) was established in its present form in 2005. Research Institute BCN-BRAIN is one of the four institutes in the Graduate School of Medical Sciences (GSMS) of the University of Groningen (RUG). The three other institutes in the Graduate School of Medical Sciences are: 1. Research Institute GUIDE (central theme: Chronic Diseases and Drug Exploration), 2. Research Institute SHARE (central theme: Health Research and Epidemiology) and 3. Research Institute W.J. Kolff (central theme: Biomaterials). The institute is part of the university based multidisciplinary/ interfaculty Research School Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN).

 

 

BCN-BRAIN harbours both clinical and biomedical neuroscience research. It ranges from molecular research in C. Elegans to cognitive studies in humans. This allows a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the (normal ageing phenomena of the) healthy brain and to answer neurological and psychiatric disease-related questions. Based on integrated research lines, preclinical- and clinical researchers collaborate both in biomedical and patient-oriented research. Through cooperation within the interfaculty neuroscience Research School BCN this is further supplemented with behavioural, physiological, physical, psychological, and mathematical research and know-how. With regard to the neurological and psychiatric diseases that are studied, the emphasis is on neurodegenerative diseases, mood disorders and schizophrenia.