European and U.S. Researchers Map Plans for Studying the Human Brain
San Diego, Aug. 9, 2013 -- In a first-of-its-kind academic forum, an international audience of more than 60 distinguished scientists gathered at the University of California, San Diego to discuss the future of brain-mapping research and trans-Atlantic collaborations.
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Fabien Agenes, the French Embassy’s scientific attaché for life sciences based at the Consulate General of France in Los Angeles, kicked off the full day of presentations by highlighting the ambitious European and U.S. brain-mapping programs. “The two initiatives share the common goal of achieving a more comprehensive understanding of the human brain for improved diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions afflicting the brain,” Agenes told the audience.
The European and U.S. brain-mapping initiatives only kicked into high gear in early 2013. In January the European Commission announced plans to spend approximately one billion euros ($1.4 billion) over the next 10 years on the Human Brain Project. The BRAIN Initiative proposed by the Obama Administration in April – after a brief mention in the President’s State of the Union address in February – carries a price tag of $110 million in 2014 alone, with overall costs yet to be determined. The U.S. initiative’s first-year costs will be channeled through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
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The UCSD division of Calit2, now known as the Qualcomm Institute, is actively supporting CBAM.
Symposium speakers from UC San Diego also included Jacobs School of Engineering bioengineering professor Todd Coleman (talking about in-situ imaging technology); Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics (PING) co-leader Terry Jernigan (the brain’s developmental and behavioral mechanisms); CBAM’s and PING’s Anders Dale (developments in imaging); genomics researcher Jonathan Sebat (about brain development and gene expression); and neuroscientist/computational biologist, Mark Ellisman.
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Other speakers included an expert on cognition, John Reynolds of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Olaf Sporns of Indiana University (computational technologies); and Caltech nanoengineering professor Michael Roukes (nanotechnology and collaborative research). Overlapping areas of interest to researchers on both sides of the Atlantic included the use of genetics to better understand the factors that drive developmental changes in autism, schizophrenia, and other brain disorders, as well as how wireless sensors and spatial arrays could be used to track body temperature and the electrical activities of the heart via novel, computer-brain interfaces.
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In discussing the ethical implications of such research, particularly with regard to genetics research related to brain disorders, Changeux asked the gathered scientists: “Should we inform the patient or the family of the patient of the results of genetic [testing] outcomes, or not? Should we make a distinction between the good genes and the bad genes?” He went on to ask whether ethics could permit genetic testing to be considered by researchers and individuals seeking to improve performance on academics or other metrics, or how brain-mapping data might potentially lead to workplace or educational discrimination “We will have to answer these questions,” he concluded.
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“The Office for Science and Technology of the Embassy of France in the United States is pleased to serve as a catalyst for bringing researchers and ideas together in a forum such as this symposium,” added French diplomat Agenes. “The American brain-mapping program can be implemented in conjunction with the European project. We must embrace this opportunity for synergistic research.”
By Emily Bass, Qualcomm Institute
Related Links
Office for Science and Technology, Embassy of France in the USA
Office for Science and Technology, Consulate General of France in Los Angeles
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind
Human Brain Project
Brain Initiative — National Institutes of Health
Media Contacts
Doug Ramsey, 858-822-5825, dramsey@ucsd.edu