Events for the Public

The Berlin Brains lecture series is jointly organized by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Max Delbrück Center, the Sonderforschungsbereich 1315 (SFB 1315) and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (BCCN Berlin).

If you missed the Berlin Brains talks in 2024, you can still watch them on YouTube:

Dein Gehirn hört immer zu
Speaker:
Dr. Livia de Hoz - Neurowissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum (NWFZ), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Carolin Gehr - Neurowissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum (NWFZ), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Nervennahrung - wie das Gehirn Appetit kontrolliert
Speaker:
Dr. Rachel Lippert - Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) I Leiterin der Nachwuchsgruppe Neuronale Schaltkreise
Dr. Robert Chesters - Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE)

Hirnschrittmacher - Eine Frage der Einstellung?
Speaker:
Dr. Lucia Feldmann, Klinik für Neurologie mit Experimenteller Neurologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Dr. Jan Roediger, Klinik für Neurologie mit Experimenteller Neurologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Unruhiger Blick, stabile Sicht: Die Kameraarbeit unserer Augen
Speaker:
Prof. Martin Rolfs, AG Aktive Wahrnehmung und Kognition am Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Dr. Nina Hanning, AG Aktive Wahrnehmung und Kognition am Institut für Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Sex and Gender in Mental Health: Why Sex Matters
Speaker:
Dr. Hanna Hörnberg - Research Group Leader of the "Molecular and Cellular Basis of Behavior" lab at the Max Delbrück Center 
Dr. Tobias Pohl - Max Delbrück Center 

On June 22, 2024, Berlin's scientific institutions opened their doors for the Long Night of Sciences. The varied, evening-long program attracted numerous visitors.

Our special highlight was the "Excellent Pub Quiz" - organized by the Berlin Clusters of Excellence - which was a lot of fun and very popular.

Participants were able to immerse themselves in the fascinating research worlds of the clusters, answer tricky questions and win exciting prizes. The quiz rounds were not only educational, but also entertaining and encouraged the exchange of ideas about different fields of scientific research.

The atmosphere during the pub quiz was lively and full of enthusiasm. Many teams formed spontaneously and the collaborative and competitive spirit contributed to the good mood.

We are already looking forward to next year and would like to thank everyone who took part in the evening's quiz with such enthusiasm.

On Saturday, June 8, 2024, 3-7 p.m. Soapbox Science Berlin once again highlighted diversity in science with an event at Holzmarkt 25. The event offered 12 scientists from various disciplines a platform to engage with the audience through captivating talks about their scientific projects. Representing the neurosciences this year was Fiona O'Donovan (AG Heim, Charité).

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin were sponsors of the event.

Speakers: Larissa Souza Arantes, Harihar Jaishree, Audrey Kahn, Maria Kallimani, Sarah Kramer, Ana Lomashvili, Annita Louloupi, Marjan Mirahmadi, Fiona O’Donovan, Isabela Recio, Eleftheria Saplaoura, Ahuvit Trumper

Speaker E. Saplaoura (Photo E. Martinez Ruiz)

This year Soapbox Science Berlin and NeuroCure teamed up on a new project to reach out to high school students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to foster curiosity about science and spark interest in science as a possible career.

More information you will find here.

The brain is the most complex organ of our body. How does it work, how do you research it and how do you actually become a neuroscientist? These were the questions 15 girls aged 13-16 asked themselves at this year's Girls' Day on April 25, 2024.

To provide the girls an overview into everyday research, three NeuroCure scientists presented their research areas. In the lab, they demonstrated what fish and flies have to do with brain research and what we can learn from our blood.

They also talked about why they chose this profession, what they like about it and what they might have imagined to be completely different. We were delighted with the great interest and the many questions.

The International Brain Awareness Week, held from March 12th to March 17th, was an inspiring celebration of neuroscience hosted by NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences in collaboration with other esteemed Berlin science institutions. The week-long event featured a diverse array of activities including captivating lectures, an enlightening exhibition, and the kick-off session of the NeuroTalk – Wissenschaft meets Öffentlichkeit series.

At the Charité Campus Mitte's CCO, attendees were treated to the visually stunning exhibition titled "The Beautiful Mind," showcasing captivating large-format photographs of microscopic images, including breathtaking depictions of neurons captured at leading neuroscience facilities worldwide, alongside remarkable images crafted by NeuroCure scientists.

The kickoff event for the NeuroTalk series, held on March 11th, focused on myasthenia gravis. Approximately 70 participants had the opportunity to delve into the latest research findings through informative presentations, laboratory tours, and interactive workshops. These workshops fostered valuable discussions on patient needs and solicited innovative ideas for potential research projects. Encouraged by its resounding success, plans are underway for future events in fall 2024, focusing on autoimmune encephalitis.

On March 12th, Chris Baldassano presented his talk titled "Using prior knowledge to construct neural representations, make predictions, and encode memories". Drawing from recent research in his lab, Baldassano showcased a blend of behavioral, eye-tracking, and neuroimaging techniques to elucidate the mechanisms underlying our ability to harness temporal structure for predictive processing and memory consolidation.

On March 14th, the BerlinBrains lecture titled “Nerve Food - How the Brain Controls Appetite” captivated audiences with presentations by Rachel Lippert and Robert Chesters from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam Rehbrücke (DIFE).

The resounding success of all events underscores the vibrant enthusiasm for neuroscience within our community.

The kick-off event for the NeuroTalk event series took place in March 2024. The focus was on the disease myasthenia gravis. Around 70 patients/relatives had the opportunity to listen to presentations on the latest research findings and take part in laboratory tours or workshops. In the workshops, needs from the patient's perspective were discussed and ideas for possible research projects were gathered. Due to the great success, further events are planned. The next event is planned with a focus on autoimmune encephalitis.  

Link to the trailer

On November 7, 2024, the Berlin Excellence Clusters hosted a Science Slam during Berlin Science Week, and it was a resounding success! The event highlighted the fun and engaging side of science, drawing a large and enthusiastic audience. Scientists from the seven Clusters presented their research in creative and entertaining ways, demonstrating just how exciting science can be.

Around 200 people gathered at Roadrunner's Paradise to enjoy the slammers’ performances. This year, Niels von Wardenburg (Prüß Lab) and Alice Podestà (Schmitz Lab) represented NeuroCure, each delivering an impressive and exciting presentation. All the performances were outstanding, but it was Alice Podestà who ultimately took home the win with her captivating talk, “Travel to Nowhere”, where she explained the complexities of epilepsy in the human brain.

If you missed the event, don't worry! You can check out the photos and video highlights on our YouTube channel.

The Berlin Brains lecture series was jointly organized by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Max Delbrück Center, the Sonderforschungsbereich 1315 (SFB 1315) and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (BCCN Berlin).
If you missed the Berlin Brains talks in 2023, you can still watch them on YouTube:

Die heimlichen Helfer des Gehirns - Welche Rolle spielen Mikrogliazellen bei psychiatrischen Erkrankungen?

Prof. Dr. med. Josef Priller, Leiter des Fachbereichs Translation und Neurotechnologie und Leiter der Arbeitsgruppe Neuropsychiatrie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
PD Dr. rer. nat. Dr. Susanne Wolf, Leiterin der Arbeitsgruppe Psychoneuroimmunologie, Max Delbrück Center für Molekulare Medizin in der Helmholtz Gemeinschaft

Talk on YouTube

Rare needs Care - Wie digitale Medizin neue Perspektiven für seltene Erkrankungen eröffnet

Dr. Sophie Lehnerer, Klinik für Neurologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Dr. Maike Stein, Klinik für Neurologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Talk on YouTube

Der Feind in meinem Kopf – Wenn Antikörper das Gedächtnis angreife

Prof. Dr. med. Harald Prüß, Klinik für Neurologie mit Experimenteller Neurologie – Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Berlin
Dr. med. Friederike Arlt, Klinik für Neurologie mit Experimenteller Neurologie – Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Berlin

Talk on YouTube

Künstliche natürliche Intelligenz - Wie funktioniert Lernen in künstlichen und biologischen neuronalen Netzen?

Prof. Dr. Robert Gütig, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin und Berliner Institut für Gesundheitsforschung(BIH)
Rosa Zimmermann, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin und Berliner Institut für Gesundheitsforschung(BIH)
Timo Wunderlich, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin und Berliner Institut für Gesundheitsforschung(BIH)

Talk on YouTube

Die Ampel für's Gehirn - Warum Nervenzellen Verkehrsregeln brauchen

Prof Dr. Marina Mikhaylova, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Head Optobiology
Nathalie Hertrich, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Talk on YouTube

On November 2 the Berlin Excellence Clusters organized a science slam during the Berlin Science Week 2023.  Early career scientists from the six Clusters presented their research projects in an engaging and entertaining way. Around 400 people came to see the science slammer at Holzmarkt. This year, Tania Fernandez del Valle Alquicira and Gilberto Solorza Buenrostro competed for NeuroCure! It was fun. All the performances were mind-blowing! The great success demonstrated how much interest there is for science.

On November 4 and November 10, 2023, Soapbox Science Berlin and LGBTQ+ STEM Berlin joined forces during Berlin Science Week for two joint events, one at the Natural History Museum and one at the Holzmarkt, to showcase the power of diversity both in scientists and in their research.

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

The mission of LGBTQ+ STEM Berlin is to increase the visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals in STEM and connect the community, starting with Berlin.

NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin were sponsers of the event.

Speakers: Aranzazu Arias-Rojas, Bengisu Berispek, Manisha Biswas, Laura Boreggio, Ale Garin-Fernandez, Nina Grexa, Ulrike Löber, Subham Mukherjee, Neher Aseem Parimoo

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, this year's Soapbox Science Berlin event took place at Potsdamer Platz. The event offered 12 scientists from various disciplines a platform to engage with the audience through captivating talks about their scientific projects. Representing the neurosciences this year were Hanna Dubrovska (AG Dean, DZNE) and Manisha Biswas (student, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, HU).

The event attracted a diverse and large audience and was a remarkable opportunity to bring the scientific community closer with the general public!

Speakers: Mandy Mangler, Adelina-Elisa Olbrich, Aziza Ben Halima, Hanna Dubrovska, Joana Grah, Inga Lödige, Samantha Mendosa, Elisa Maggio, Lynn Govaert, Veronica Diez Diaz, Anna Alessandra Monaco, Flor Yanelli, Manisha Biswas

Speaker M. Biswas (Photo K. Mason)

The International Brain Awareness Week took place from March 13th to March 17th. Along with other Berlin science institutions, NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences presented a rich program with lectures, an exhibition, a hackathon and a talk at the  Humboldt  Labor.

We had a few very interesting talks:
Dr. Linneweber presented his research on the consequences of variable brain wiring for individuality, Dr. Wolf and Prof. Dr. Priller talked about the role of microglial cells in psychiatric disorders, doctoral student Lara Fleck and Prof. Heim presented the influences of the environment in early development on brain functions and the link with neurological diseases in old age.

On March 17th there was a Mental Health Hackathon, where neuroscientists, psychologists, therapists, urban planners and game designers were called to come together and design neighborhoods for better mental health and well-being.

Finally, at the CCO in the Charité Campus Mitte, we presented the exhibition “The beautiful mind”, featuring large-format photographs of microscopic images, such as of neurons, taken at various neuroscience facilities around the world, including images created by NeuroCure scientists.

All events were a success! We are already looking forward for next year’s edition of the Brain Awareness Week.

On Thursday, November 10th, as part of the Berlin Science Week, NeuroCure participated in the Cluster Science Slam. A big crowd gathered at Roadrunners’ Paradise and had the chance to learn from 8 scientists introducing their research. The topics spaced from neuroscience to mathematics and were presented in a fun and entertaining way. 

The winner, who was selected by the audience, was Antonia Groneberg, a NeuroCure candidate. 

During the Long Night of the Sciences (LNDW) 2022 on July 2nd, from 5 pm to midnight, scientific and science-related institutions in Berlin and Potsdam opened their doors and invited visitors to more than 2,000 experiments, lectures, science shows, guided tours and much more. This year, the guiding idea of the LNDW was Science as a response to fake news, conspiracy theories and fatal errors.

On this occasion, Berlin’s seven clusters of excellence presented themselves at the Humboldt Laboratory. As part of the “Meet the Scientist” series, scientists presented their outstanding research projects – in dialogue with the public. What is the significance of the war in Ukraine for liberal social orders? How does a flower know when it is time to bloom? Are active materials the stuff of our future? How can geometry lead to a more beautiful cityscape? And what happens after a stroke?

For NeuroCure neuroscientist Anna Kufner talked about her research and about what happens after a stroke.

We also hosted the exhibition "The Beautiful Mind" in the CCO at Campus Mitte. The exhibition shows large-format photographs of microscopic images of neurons, for example, taken at various neuroscience facilities around the world, including images created by NeuroCure scientists.

On June 18, 2022, 2-5 p.m. Soapbox Science Berlin celebrated its sixth year in Berlin with an event at Potsdamer Platz showing the power of diversity in scientists and their research. Speaker Alexandra Tzilivaki from the Schmitz Lab talked to the audience about “Using computational modelling to understand how the brain makes memories”.

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin were sponsers of the event.

Speakers: Maike Paetzel-Prüsmann, Serena Giardino, Hongyan Zhao, Anita Waltho, Tatiana Levinson, Erika Martinez Ruiz, Wanda Caló, Camila Mazzoni, Alexandra Tzilivaki, Henrike Indrischek, Maya Ben-Yami, Neha Aggarwal

Speaker A. Tzilivaki (Photo K. Mason)

NeuroCure had the chance to organize several events at the Mall Anders.
The temporary learning lab in the Wilma Mall, initiated and supported by the Berlin University Alliance, leaves the spatial context of university buildings to increase interconnections with the urban community. 

NeuroCure exhibition, quiz, science slam, meet the scientist and Pecha Kucha events: https://mall-anders.berlin/About-Description

The international week of the Brain - the “Brain Awareness Week” - took place from March 12th - 19th 2022. This year once again the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin and NeuroCure present together with various research institutions in Berlin a diverse program including lectures, workshops and movies for people of all ages. 

Programme

Monday, March 14th 2022, 19:00
Location: Il Kino, Nansenstraße 22, 12049 Berlin
Film "My Love Affair with the Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond” (in English)

Tuesday, March 15th 2022, 18:00
Location: online event with the SFB 1315, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Scientific talk in English: "Developmental Circuit Mechanisms of Adaptive Threat Avoidance", Prof. Laura DeNardo, Los Angeles

Wednesday, March 16th 2022, 10:00 - 12:00
Location: Yorck Kino, Kino für Schulen
Cinema for schools, film: "Ich bin dein Mensch" followed by a discussion/Q&A on technology and psychology with Prof. Ivo Boblan and Prof. Antje Ducki from the HTW in Berlin (from 10th grade)

Thursday, March 17th 2022, 16:00 - 18:00
Location: Humboldt Forum, Schloßplatz, 10178 Berlin
Meet the scientist - Scientific talk in English: "Would you take the blue or the red pill? Serotonin and brain function", with Dr. Prateep Beed

Friday, March 18th 2022, 19:00
Location: URANIA, An der Urania 17, 10787 Berlin
Berlin Brains Lecture "Misfolded Protein Origami - How Misfolded Proteins Harm Our Brain", Prof. Erich Wanker and Dr. Anne Ast (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz-Association (MDC))

The "Berlin Brains" lecture series at URANIA is jointly organized by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, the Sonderforschungsbereich 1315 (SFB 1315) and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (BCCN Berlin). This lecture series increases the visibility of the neurosciences in Berlin and highlights the funding invested in these areas. In 2022 neuroscientists from Berlin will present their work.

Previous "Berlin Brains" lecture series: 2015, 2016, 2018,2019,2020, 2021; 2022

You can find the entire 2022 program of the series here.

The Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin in cooperation with Luna Productions invite you to join us for a screening of the award-winning science documentary:

“My Love Affair with the Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond”

When:
Friday, 11 February 22
4.30 pm
In English 

Where:
online

Register: here

(we will send you the zoom link)

The event is free of charge

We invite the audience to discuss the film and about being a woman in science afterwards with Dr. Marta Orlando, Charité Berlin and Kim Mason (NeuroCure), Charité Berlin.

Dr. Marta Orlando currently works as a postdoctoral researcher at Charité University Hospital in Berlin. She performs electron microscopy analysis to investigate activity-induced membrane and protein structural plasticity at high spatial and temporal resolution.
She obtained a PhD in neuroscience at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genova, a Master and Bachelor in Medical Biotechnology at the University of Milan.
She is very passionate about education and brain science outreach as a means to empower society.

Kim Mason is the equal opportunity and diversity officer at the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure. She coordinates the Cluster’s efforts to recruit more women and other underrepresented groups to the Berlin neuroscience community; to retain them in science especially through measures to combine career and family; to empower their career development; and to promote greater visibility of their contributions to science.

About the film
Meet Dr. Marian Diamond … and prepare to be smitten. Experience for yourself why she describes her 60 year career researching the human brain as “pure joy.” It is no exaggeration to say that Dr. Diamond changed science and society in dramatic ways over the course of her career. Her groundbreaking work is all the more remarkable as it began when so few women entered science at all. Shouted at from the back of the conference hall by noteworthy male academics as she presented her research, and disparaged in the scientific journals of a more conservative era, Dr. Diamond simply did the work and followed where her curiosity led her, bringing about a worldwide paradigm shift or two in the process. As she points out, in order to get to the answers that matter, you have to start by asking the right questions.

Part biography, part scientific adventure story, part inspirational tale; this is a story of a worthy role model - a woman who has lived joyously at the forefront of scientific exploration and education, finding and sharing fact-based good news about the brain.

As part of this year's Berlin Science Week, NeuroCure was invited to the Humboldt Lab to present the "NC Research Station". On four days, scientists explained their research.

On November 1st, Prof. Dr. Andrea Kuhn and Dr. Lucia Feldmann presented their research on new therapeutic options for patients with movement disorders.

On November 3rd, Christian Ebner introduced his research concerning the physiological properties of pyramidal cells of the cerebral cortex. 

On November 4th, Dr. Prateep Beed presented his work on neuronal circuits in health and disease. 

On November 10th, Dr. David Owald introduced his work on which molecular and cell biological processes control memory formation and how addiction can develop.

Besides the talks, people were invited to interact with the research station, where they could learn about the main functions of the brain, the latest research methods and their applications. 

On Saturday, November 6, 2021, 12-2 p.m. - with masks and social distancing - Soapbox Science Berlin and LGBTQ+ STEM Berlin joined forces during Berlin Science Week for a joint event at Invaliden Park to showcase the power of diversity both in scientists and their research.

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

The mission of LGBTQ+ STEM Berlin is to increase the visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals in STEM and connect the community, starting with Berlin.

NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin were sponsers of the event.

Speakers: Diana Alatriste Gonzáles, Nadia Elghobashi-Meinhardt, Jasper Grendel, Rachel Lippert, Leona Nest, Eleftheria Saplaoura, Marwa Shumo, Alex Trettin

Speaker D. Alastriste Gonzales (Photo K. Mason)

In the lecture series Mitwissenschaft, scientists from various fields share their cutting-edge research with the audience.

On June 17, 2021, NeuroCure researchers were guests at the Humboldt Forum to talk with moderator Volker Wieprecht about neurological and psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's or depression. Isabel Dziobek, Christian Rosenmund and Craig Garner answered questions on the topic in a lively manner: How do such clinical pictures occur, what are the mechanisms behind them and how can new therapies be developed?

Missed the event? Then find out here what is in the head and why neurons can fire (only in German).

The international week of the Brain - the “Brain Awareness Week” - take place from March 14th - 21th 2021. This year once again the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin and NeuroCure present together with various research institutions in Berlin a diverse program including lectures, workshops and movies for people of all ages. 

Program:

March 14-21, 2021
Visit the Lab: Movies about our science

March 16, 2021
Scientific lecture in English: "Ways to think about the Brain", Prof. György Buzsáki, New York University
Dr. Jochen Müller reads from his book "Ich glaub mich der Schlag trifft: Warum das Gehirn tut, was es tun soll, oder manchmal auch nicht".

March 18, 2021
Movie: "Little Joe" in which a scientist creates a red flower that brings good luck. Followed by expert discussion (Prof. Henrik Walter, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin).

March 19, 2021
Student workshop - Visit the lab

March 23, 2021
Berlin Brains lecture " We have to talk? We have to listen! - What we can learn from songbirds, Dr. Daniela Vallentin and Dr. Fabian Heim

The "Berlin Brains" lecture series at URANIA is jointly organized by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, the SFB 1315 and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin. This lecture series increases the visibility of the neurosciences in Berlin and highlights the funding invested in these areas. In 2021 neuroscientists from Berlin will present their work.

Previous "Berlin Brains" lecture series: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020

Thomas Willnow and Agnieszka Rybak-Wolf discuss how a better understanding of hereditary factors should help to identify people at increased risk for Alzheimer's dementia at an early stage, and how preventive measures can help to prevent an outbreak of the disease (streaming link).

Franziska Scheibe and Andreas Meisel report on their work in neurointensive care (streaming link).

Daniela Vallentin and Fabian Heim show what we can learn from birds by listening to how they train their songs (streaming link).

David Owald and Carlotta Pribbenow report on their research on the brain of the fruit fly Drosophila and which molecular and cell biological principles contribute to memory formation or fatigue (streaming link).

Kerstin Ritter and Fabian Eitel explain the basic principles of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (streaming link).

You can find the entire program of the series here.

As part of this year's Berlin Science Week NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neuroscience Berlin presented a theater evening. The event took place on November 3, 2020, 20:00 at tak Theater Aufbau Kreuzberg.

"Don`t put your rabbits far from the wood - by Jörn Klare" is a thought-provoking play that explores the effects of dementia on the individual and the family, followed by a panel discussion with the production team and neuroscientists Dr. Miranka Wirth and Dr. Susanne Wegmann.

Further information can be found here.

Some impressions of the theater evening

The "Berlin Brains" lecture series at URANIA is organized jointly by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin. This lecture series increases the visibility of the neurosciences in Berlin and highlights the funding invested in these areas. In 2020 neuroscientists from Berlin will present their work.

Previous "Berlin Brains" lecture series: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019

Under the motto "Slammin like there’s no tomorrow", our Science Slam-Science Rocks event kicked off this years Science Week on Friday, November 01, 2019.

Between 7 PM and 2 AM, Roadrunner's Paradise swayed and rocked as the slammers used all their powers to entertain the audience, giving unique talks on everything from mathematics to neuroscience. Costumes, props, movies, power-point presentations and other experimental setups – it was all allowed. Only time set the limits – every slammer had ten minutes at most before the audience decided which presentation was best!

All the contributions were outstanding, making it a tough decision for the crowd that came down to the wire. In the end, Kazi Atikur from the Einstein Center for Neurosciences pulled across the finish line for the win, receiving the most votes from the audience. As Kazi told it in his slam, Spiderman gets angry and causes autoimmune diseases, but only so he can make amends for what he’s done.
Second place went to Prateep Beed from the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence for his presentation about taking Extasy seriously in Berlin ... staying up late and knowing it’s the happiness hormone serotonin that’s keeping us awake.
Neuroscientist Susanne Wegmann from the DZNE captured 3rd place. She took a positive look at the pension years in her slam, discussing the research she’s doing on dementia. When there’s too much stress, the flow stops and the drops get stuck, but she showed it’s possible to relax again.

The event was moderated by well-known slammer Jochen Müller and jointly organized by the Einstein Center for Neuroscience and the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence. The event was a blast this year. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Flyer

Photos: Stephan Niespodziany

This year at the 19th International Literature Festival in Berlin, Mustafa Kahlifa (author "The Shell") speaks with the writer Yassin Al Haj Saleh and Ulrike Kluge, professor for psychological and medical integration and Migration research at the Charité, about his "differentiated, detailed, and sometimes difficult to endure report" and the psychological effects of escape and imprisonment. Kahlifa's book is about a Young syrian, who is imprisoned at the airport in Damascus. Only after thirteen years, he manages to escape torture and solitary confinement.  Ulrike Kluge represents Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinz, who is also a member of the board of the cluster of excellence NeuroCure.

Date: 17.09.2019, 18:00 - 19:30
Location: Collegium Hungaricum, Dorotheenstraße 12, 10117 Berlin
Admission is free.

In Cooperation with the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin.

Larisa Bender moderates the conversation.

Further information: www.literaturfestival.com

During the Long Night of the Sciences (LNDW) on June 15th, from 5pm until midnight, over sixty scientific institutions across Berlin and Potsdam-Telegrafenberg opened their doors to the public and offered more than 100 hands-on venues with the motto: marvel, touch and understand.

The Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences, the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, the Center for Stroke Research Berlin, and the Berlin School of Mind & Brain joined together this year to present a booth at the CCO building on Charité Campus Mitte.

We called it “Kopfsache: Test your knowledge!" We offered handicrafts, quizzes and hands-on experiments. Visitors found a varied program made to whet their appetite for science and research that surely left everyone curious for more!

Additional highlights this year include opportunities to get a glimpse of the behind the scenes of research. Tours of diverse labs, and a variety of exhibits and lectures rounded out the experience for a fun-filled evening.

Some impressions of the LNDW 2019:

On Saturday, September 19, 2019, 2-5 p.m., Soapbox Science Berlin staged its fourth event in the German capital, this time at the World Clock on Alexanderplatz. Attracting their biggest crowd to date – over 1000 visitors – twelve female scientists from around the globe stepped onto their soapboxes to showcase their science to the public on a range of topics from neuroscience to physics, superbugs to dinosaurs, our changing environment to the search for greener systems, and much more. 

Soapbox Science is novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into a hub of scientific learning and discussion.

The event was co-sponsored by NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin.

Speakers:
Giulia Codenotti, Rosa Doran, Yara Haridy, Heike Kalesse, Selin Kubilay, Sarah Loos, Fatuma Mohamed, Elisa Schaum, Maria Teresa Bautista Solans, Tanja Straka, Linn Voß, Susanne Wegmann

Speaker S. Wegmann (Photo K. Mason)

On Saturday, March 23, 2019, individuals living with MS gathered together at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin to meet with scientists from the DMSG Landesverbänden. The day’s motto was “Self-help Meets Science,” and the message was clear – even with all the positive progress science is making, the following statement still rings true:
“Whatever the future of drug therapy in multiple sclerosis may be, it will always be necessary to treat the patient as well as the disease.” (McAlpine, 1972).
And in that respect, the day had much to offer. In addition to lectures from well-known neuroscientists, participants had the opportunity to attend workshops, visit labs, and engage in further discussions with those at the top of their fields. “Spurwechsel,” an exhibit from the DMSG Landesverbänden of North Rhine-Westphalia, was also on display.
Altogether, the day was a unique opportunity for those affected by MS to receive valuable information directly from scientists, and from with one another, which they can now use in their everyday lives. The day was unique for the scientists too, as it gave them a chance to learn directly from those most affected by MS and hear more about the needs of the patients their research revolves around.
The event was jointly organized by the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence and the DMSG Landesverband Berlin e.V.

Brain Awareness Week 2019 - A recap of this year's week of the brain.

The international week of the Brain - the “Brain Awareness Week” - took place from March 11th - 17th 2019 (http://www.baw-berlin.de/). This year once again the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin and NeuroCure presented together with various research institutions in Berlin a diverse program including lectures, workshops and movies for people of all ages.

In one of the well-attended workshops, pupils got the opportunity to explore nerve cells through a microscope or to encounter a magnetic resonance imaging unit and its field of application. In another workshop, the team of the mobile stroke unit (STEMO) explained the students everything important about strokes and their special needs for care and let them explore their unit, which consists of a CT-scanner inside a truck.

The Exhibition “The Beautiful Mind” at the Einstein Center Digital Future showed large sized photographs of nerve cells under the microscopes of labs all around the globe. By means of immunohistochemistry, they could show movements and change within certain cells.

We hope that you got the opportunity to take part in one of the events and we are looking forward to next year’s Brain Awareness Week!

The "Berlin Brains" lecture series at URANIA is organized jointly by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin. This lecture series increases the visibility of the neurosciences in Berlin and highlights the funding invested in these areas. In 2019 female neuroscientists from Berlin will present their work.

Previous "Berlin Brains" lecture series: 2015, 2016, 2018

This year at the 18th International Literature Festival in Berlin, neuroscientist Prof. Dr. Christoph Stein talked with Harald Staun about "The medicines of today are the drugs of tomorrow". The event took place in September 10, 2018 (9 pm) at the Kaminzimmer des Literaturhauses Berlin in the special series "The Politics of Drugs". The event was free to the public.

The promise of complete freedom from pain and the demands of a performance-oriented society have led to an unparalleled epidemic of opioid addiction in the USA. Every month, thousands of people die from an overdose. In Germany, too, overall consumption has increased at a similar rate. Although opioids are prescribed mainly for chronic pain, they do not have a significant impact on reducing it. What are the alternatives?

Christoph Stein is Director of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and a member of the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin. His research focuses on pain research and therapy, anesthesia, and opioid therapy.

Harald Staun is editor at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Sunday newspaper in Berlin and moderates the conversation.

The event was financially supported by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin.

Further information: www.literaturfestival.com

On Friday, June 1st, 2018 between 2 and 5 p.m. at the Park at Gleisdreieck, female scientists from different corners of the world stepped onto their soapboxes and fascinated the crowds with their passion for research. In this novel public outreach platform that promotes women scientists and transforms public spaces into arenas for learning and scientific debate, twelve speakers gave talks on topics from neuropathology and psychiatry, to physics and informatics, to ecology and climate impact.
This third Soapbox Science event in Berlin was co-sponsored by NeuroCure and the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin.

Speakers:
Foteini Vervelidou, Gabrielle Thomas, Pascale Eede, Divya Seernani, Ana-Maria Olteteanu, Ilona M. Otto, Ana Alonso, Anna Jäger, Sandra Kerbler, Morelia Urlaub, Teresa Morganti, Maja Grubisic

Photo C. Blum

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is a global campaign that informs about the progress and benefits of brain research. Every year in March, brain researchers present their work to the public and answer questions about the brain and about their research.

This year Brain Awareness Week Berlin took place from March 12-17. The event was jointly organized by the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, the Center for Stroke Research Berlin, and the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure. Admission for all events was free.

Participating Berlin science institutions presented a varied program during the action week, including lectures, workshops, and films for school children and adults. More information about the program is available at http://www.baw-berlin.de/.

Brain Awareness Week Berlin is financially supported by the DANA Foundation and the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).

 Book presentation in the Buchhändlerkeller and the exhibition "The Beautiful Mind" 

Lecture and workshop for school children

The "Berlin Brains" lecture series at URANIA is organized jointly by the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, and the Center for Stroke Research Berlin. This lecture series increases the visibility of the neurosciences in Berlin and highlights the funding invested in these areas. The next lecture series will take place in 2019.

Previous "Berlin Brains" lecture series: 2015, 2016, 2018

On Tuesday November 7th, 2017, 12 - 2 pm at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz, Soapbox Science staged its second event in Berlin, this time as part of Berlin Science Week (see the 2017 highlights video). Visitors joined us for talks on subjects ranging from structural biology and neuroscience to ecology and climate change. This event, which was free to the public, was co-sponsored by NeuroCure, the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, and the IGB Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in support of women in science.

Soapbox Science is a novel public outreach platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do. Soapbox Science events transform public areas into an arena for public learning and scientific debate; they follow the format of London Hyde Park’s Speaker’s Corner, which is historically an arena for public debate. With Soapbox Science, we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy, learn from, heckle, question, probe, interact with and be inspired by some of our leading scientists. No middleman, no powerpoint slide, no amphitheatre – just remarkable women in science who are there to amaze you with their latest discoveries, and to answer the science questions you have been burning to ask.

Speakers:
Mariana Cerdeira, Wing Ying Chow, Teresa De Marzo, Sophie Dithmer, Anja Eggert, Constance Holman, Zara Khan, Katarzyna Winek

Photos: Cecilia Kruszynski

The 17th International Literature Festival Berlin took place from September 6 - 16th, 2017. Approximately 200 authors present their work at the festival every year. NeuroCure was represented this year in the "Science and the Humanities" section, which focuses on the presentation of scientific thinking, scientific results, and disputes. NeuroCure contributors in 2017 included:

06.09. / 09:00 pm / Haus der Berliner Festspiele
Dietmar Schmitz teaches us reverence for the brain.

07.09. / 06:00 pm / Haus der Berliner Festspiele
Ulrich Dirnagl and Jochen Müller: »Ich glaub, mich trifft der Schlag« Professor meets science slammer to talk about the brain.

12.09. / 06:00 pm / Buchhändlerkeller
John-Dylan Haynes talks about the brain's language: consciousness, art and subjectivity.

www.literaturfestival.com

Dietmar Schmitz teaches us reverence for the brain.

Ulrich Dirnagl and Jochen Müller: »Ich glaub, mich trifft der Schlag«.

John-Dylan Haynes talks about the brain's language: consciousness, art and subjectivity.

Charité Science Slam
18:00  Infectiology & Immunology
19:00  Regenerative Medicine
20:00  ***Neurosciences***
21:00  Final!
> Flyer

> Program Flyer Neurosciences CCM (German)
www.langenachtderwissenschaften.de

NeuroCure booth at LNDW 2017 in the CCO building (Photos Stephan Niespodzia)

Polaroids LNDW 2017