Launched in 2013, the BRAIN Initiative (BRAIN) in the United States aimed to unlock the mysteries of the brain and develop new treatments for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. The success of this program is evidenced by the accelerated discoveries and development of interventions that are happening in real time. However, a recent 40% cut in funding for BRAIN threatens this once-in-a-generation opportunity to solve fundamental mysteries of the brain and achieve treatment breakthroughs that we once thought impossible.

IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Yves De Koninck, to discuss the relationship between the Canadian Brain Research Strategy (CBRS) and the International Brain Initiative (IBI) in advancing global neuroscience collaboration.

The IBI Crosscultural Working Group Lead, Dr. Melissa L. Perreault, presented Two-Eyed Seeing and Other Dual Perspectives in Neuroscience at the 2024 Advancing Indigenous People in STEM (AISES) Canada East Conference held on Nov 1 - 3, 2024 at Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada.

IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Anthony Hannan, to discuss the relationship between the Australian Brain Alliance (ABA) and International Brain Initiative (IBI) in advancing global neuroscience collaboration.

The IBI Executive Committee, Affiliates, Funding Advisory Council, and Partners gathered at the recent IBI Summit.

Dr. Judy Illes had the pleasure to serve on the Scientific Advisory Board of EuroBioImaging this past week at the EMBL in Heidelberg.

IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, participated in the World Health Organization consultation on neurotechnologies on October 1, 2024, and chaired the breakout group focused on advances in neuroimaging.

In the recent World’s Top 2% Scientists List by Stanford University, IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, has been recognized among the top 2% most-cited scientists globally.

IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, and IBI Crosscultural and Neuroethics Working Group Leads, Dr. Olivia Matshabane and Dr. Marcello Ienca, served on UNESCO's recent Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting (Aug 2024) to prepare a first draft of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology.

The International Brain Initiative (IBI) welcomes the Aotearoa Brain Project (New Zealand) and Neurocenter Finland as its new Affiliates!

IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Ja Wook Koo, on behalf also of Dr. Jong Cheol Rah and Dr. Heon Seok, to discuss the relationship between the Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI) and International Brain Initiative (IBI) in advancing global neuroscience collaboration and the recently held IBI Daegu Conference 2024 – Psychiatric Brain Mapping in Health & Disease.

IBI Chair, Dr. Judy Illes, recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Katrin Amunts and Dr. Jan G. Bjaalie to discuss the relationship between EBRAINS and the International Brain Initiative (IBI) in advancing global neuroscience collaboration.

The Canadian Brain Research Strategy’s Dr. Caroline Ménard wins the 2024 CAN New Investigator Award for groundbreaking research on stress vulnerability and resilience.

Welcome to the new online home of the International Brain Initiative!

Brain Awareness Week 2024 Highlights