OncologyIMEC, VIB And K.U.Leuven Launch Pioneering Brain Research
IMEC, Europe"s leading independent
nanoelectronics research center, VIB, Flanders" leading life science
institute, and the Leuven University, K.U.Leuven, set up a joint basic
research initiative to unravel the neuronal circuitry of the human
brain: Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF). Supported by the
Flemish Government, NERF will look into fundamental neuroscientific
questions through collaborative, interdisciplinary research combining
nanoelectronics with neurobiology. It intends to push the boundaries of
science, by zooming in on the working of neurons at an unprecedented
level of detail. In the long run, NERF will generate new insights in the
functional mapping of the brain, as well as research methodologies and
technologies for medical applications, i.e. diagnostics and treatment of
disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system.
NERF will be housed on the IMEC campus where researchers will work in
cross-disciplinary teams, benefitting from IMEC"s state-of-the-art clean
room infrastructure and a new 1,000m2 neurolab. NERF will be organized
around teams of top-notch researchers doing world-class basic research.
They will be able to work closely together with a wide range of experts
from the 3 founding fathers, providing a unique leverage. By 2014, NERF
aims to expand its team to about 50 international top-researchers. NERF
starts off with a 3 million euro research grant from the Flemish
Government for the first 3 years. IMEC, VIB and K.U.Leuven will equally
invest in NERF.
"NERF fully leverages and complements IMEC"s semiconductor research and
infrastructure and that makes it unique in comparison to other
neuroscience centers. Today, both neurobiology and nanoelectronics work
at the same dimensions. Therefore, it becomes possible to develop
nanoscale structures that "listen in" to neural circuits, learn their
"language", actively communicate with them and thus detect pathology at
an earlier stage than currently possible," said Kris Verstreken,
director Human++/BioNanoElectronics at IMEC. "NERF researchers will
unravel the functioning of the brain and the peripheral nervous system
through intensive application of these new tools. This will yield vital
knowledge for the pharmaceutical and medical industry and is crucial for
the study of pathology such as Parkinson"s disease, Alzheimer"s disease
or even for psychiatric disorders. Advanced therapies are often a
serendipitous result of such fundamental research."
"NERF will focus on basic neurobiological questions, best addressed
through an interdisciplinary approach using cell biology, genetics,
nanoelectronics and nanoscale engineering. Combining these approaches in
one new grassroots initiative is for the time being unique in the world
-- and quite exciting, as can be seen from the very enthusiastic
response of the research community involved worldwide", says Jo Bury,
Managing Director of VIB. "We capitalize on the tremendous opportunity
of having the background technologies and approaches available at high
excellence level in the research labs of the 3 founding partners of NERF."
"The link of neurobiology and nanoelectronics with the imaging,
data-mining and translational medicine competencies available at
K.U.Leuven, makes our partnership unique and highly promising. We are
convinced that NERF will become the cornerstone of a vibrant, path
breaking community of scientists and engineers. We all look forward to
this unique research journey;" says Koenraad Debackere, Managing
Director of K.U.Leuven R&D.
NERF will officially take off on October 29, 2009 with a first assembly
of the scientific advisory board. On this occasion the founding partners
organize a unique neuroelectronics workshop to discuss the research
roadmap of NERF with some 50 top world experts in different disciplines
of importance to the success of NERF.
IMEC, VIB and K.U.Leuven