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Issue No. 88 BNA Bulletin Spring 2020 THE VOICE OF BRITISH NEUROSCIENCE TODAY Curious for answers The neurobiology of curiosity Painful truths The genetics of pain PLUS: Neuropixels Neurofeedback for pain FENS 2020 11-15 July 2020 | Glasgow, UK Organised by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Hosted by the British Neuroscience Association (BNA) DATES & DEADLINES 20 April 2020: Final deadline for submission of Forum events 23 June 2020: Deadline for late registration Where European neuroscience meets the world REGISTER NOW REGISTRATION OPEN 20 plenary and special lectures 56 parallel symposia 3,500 abstracts The FENS Forum is Europe’s premier neuroscience meeting. It covers all domains in modern neuroscience, from basic to translational research. For further information, please visit www.fens.org/2020 and follow us on social media #FENS2020 www.fens.org/2020 Contents Issue No. 88 BNA Bulletin Spring 2020 BNA Bulletin THE VOICE OF BRITISH NEUROSCIENCE TODAY Editor: Curious for answers Ian Jones, Jinja Publishing Ltd The neurobiology of curiosity Design and production: Painful truths The genetics of pain Jag Matharu, News Research PLUS: Thin Air Productions Ltd Neuropixels Neurofeedback for pain FENS 2020 Advertising in the BNA Bulletin: Contact the BNA office 05 24 ([email protected]) for advertising Message from David Bennett: rates and submission criteria. the President and The genetics of pain Copyright: © The British Neuroscience Association. Chief Executive Extracts may be reproduced only with permission of the BNA. John Tenniel’s illustration 26 from The Nursery ‘Alice’ (1889), ISSN: 1475-8679 06–08 Matteo Carandini: a shortened version of Alice’s Neuroscience news Neuropixels and Adventures in Wonderland BNA Office adapted by Lewis Carroll for Anne Cooke distributed brain young children. Curiosity was University of Bristol function too much for young Alice. Dorothy Hodgkin Building See page 30 for more on the Whitson Street neuroscience of curiosity. Bristol BS1 3NY Image: WikiMedia Commons. Web: www.bna.org.uk Analysis 28 The British Neuroscience Aleksandra Association is a registered charity (1103852) and a Vučković: registered company (04307833) 09 Neurofeedback limited by guarantee. FENS 2020 control of chronic pain BNA Council and National Committee 10 BNA COUNCIL The BNA’s year 30 Annette Dolphin (UCL): President of pain Matthias Gruber: Rik Henson (Cambridge): President-Elect The neuroscience Stafford Lightman (Bristol): Immediate Past President of curiosity Zoe Kourtzi (Cambridge): Secretary 11 Catherine Harmer (Oxford): Treasurer Brain and Anthony Isles (Cardiff): Communications Neuroscience 32 Anne Lingford-Hughes (Imperial): Professional Liaison Advances Irene Tracey: Sarah Guthrie (Sussex) and Hugh Piggins (Bristol): A life in science Meetings Secretary Rosamund Langston (Dundee): Group Co-ordinator Narender Ramnani (Royal Holloway, University of London): 12 Research Policy BNA Christmas Alan M Palmer, Kevin Cox, Manfred Berners: Symposium and Independent Trustees prize winners Et cetera NATIONAL COMMITTEE Crawford Winlove (Exeter): Education and Engagement Secretary 14-17 34 Elizabeth Coulthard: Membership Secretary and Out and About Undergraduate Neurology Advisor and postgraduate Natalie Doig (Oxford): Students and Early Careers Representative prize winners Emma Yhnell (Cardiff): Equal Opportunities and 18–23 Diversity Representative Bright Brains BNA EXECUTIVE Anne Cooke: Chief Executive Sophie Sykes-Jerrold: Development Director Alex Campbell: Head of Communications and Marketing Louise Tratt: Executive Officer Lydia Bown: BNA Outreach Ambassador Elena Toma: BNA Outreach Ambassador www.bna.org.uk Spring 2020 BNA Bulletin 03 04 BNA Bulletin Spring 2020 www.bna.org.uk News Message from the President and Chief Executive Manifesto launch Dear BNA Members We’ve had an incredible winter, despite the record rainfall! One of the highlights was the launch of our high-profile campaign, ‘Credibility in Neuroscience’, with an event at the House of Commons in late November. In front of a broad guest list of politicians, media, academics and members, we unveiled our manifesto – with the aim to raise awareness and enable all neuroscientists to stay informed about credibility. You can keep up to date with all things ‘InCredible’ at www.bnacredibility.org.uk. The BNA launched its ‘Credibility in Neuroscience’ We’ve also been working hard on advocacy. A recent example manifesto at an evening reception at the House of has been our contribution, via our Trustee for Research Policy, Commons on 25 November 2019, with guest speakers Narender Ramnani, to a POSTnote on brain–computer interfaces, including BNA Patron Lord Winston and Dorothy focusing on the underpinning technology, its applications, Bishop (Oxford) as well as BNA Chief Executive and the associated ethical and regulatory challenges. Anne Cooke. Of course, central to our campaigning work is making sure The vision of our manifesto is for neuroscience we properly represent your voice, as members. That’s why research to be as robust, reliable, replicable and it’s always a treat to speak to so many of you at our annual reproducible as possible. It is backed by three Christmas Symposium. The latest symposium, on pain, was a commitments: to support a shift in research particular success. Held at iconic Bush House at King’s College culture that is welcomed and desired by the whole London, the meeting included speakers from institutions across neuroscience research community; to equip all the UK and Europe, and featured on Radio 4’s All in the Mind. neuroscientists with the skills, knowledge, tools Looking forward, we’re currently in full throttle as host and processes they need to carry out credible society for FENS 2020 (11–15 July). We’re proud to be helping to neuroscientific research; and to change the landscape host ‘introductory courses’ on 10 July 2020. These accessible in which neuroscientists operate so that the introductions, delivered by internationally renowned researchers, influences that drive neuroscience research also will increase your knowledge and perhaps even stimulate a drive the most credible research. change in career direction. Plus, we’re also helping to stage Thanks to generous funding from the Gatsby a city-wide ‘Great Glasgow Brain Fest’ for the wider public. Charitable Foundation, we are developing a Don’t forget, as members you benefit from discounted significant programme of activities, promoting and registration rates. supporting credibility in neuroscience research over Another date for your diary: 14 May 2020. At Eli Lilly’s Research the next ten years. Further information about our Centre in Surrey, we’ll be hosting ‘New treatments for pain’, manifesto, planned activities and credibility more a meeting bringing together the commercial, academic, and generally can be found on our dedicated new not-for-profit sectors. The aim is to share current knowledge, website (www.bnacredibility.org.uk). identify future directions, and enable collaboration, providing delegates with practical ways to accelerate their own work. See our website for full details. Today in As you can see, there’s a lot going on! Our members remain at the heart of our work, so do get in touch if there’s anything Parliament we can help you with. It’s only by strengthening and growing our very special, collaborative and innovative neuroscience In October 2019, the BNA was accepted as a member community that we can continue to advance neuroscience of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee in the UK and beyond. (P&SC). Established in 1939, this committee is a key interface between scientists and parliamentarians, and will provide valuable opportunities for the BNA to inform discussion and decision-making in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords on issues related to neuroscience. The BNA will be represented on the P&SC by Narender Ramnani, Trustee for Research Policy. Annette Dolphin Anne Cooke President Chief Executive www.bna.org.uk Spring 2020 BNA Bulletin 05 News supported by the Gatsby Charitable further information. Never the Foundation and Wellcome, which aims to This initiative is a key part of our bridge the gap between clinical psychiatry commitment to enabling greater twain and neuroscience. Bristol delegates sharing of information and growing the had the opportunity to hear about the connection between associate members In November 2019, the BNA and the latest ground-breaking research and and scientists. If you have a question Sainsbury–Wellcome Centre at UCL its implications for understanding and you would like answered, send it to teamed up to organise a lunchtime treating psychiatric conditions, as well [email protected]. event on the implications of the as to network with scientific and clinical Research Excellence Framework (REF) colleagues. See bit.ly/2H1Y2LC for more for reproducibility. ‘Never the twain details of the Integrating Neuroscience Brain Fest shall meet’ featured presentations from Project. open science advocate Marcus Munafo As well as a rich menu of scientific goodies, (Bristol), BNA President-Elect Rik Henson the BNA’s Host Society Committee is (Cambridge) and Helena Mills, Head of Brain teasers planning a full programme of public events REF Policy at Research England. BNA associate members can now take – under the banner of the ‘Great Glasgow advantage of an enhanced version of Brain Fest’. The main event will be held the ‘Ask a Scientist’ service. Associate on the weekend before FENS, 4–5 July, Neuro
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