Federation of European Neuroscience Societies FENS FENS has

Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) FENS has been established in 1998 to advance research and education in neuroscience in Europe. http: //www. fens. org

FENS represents a large number of national European neuroscience societies and several monodisciplinary societies. 28 national member societies: Armenian Neuroscience Society Austrian Neuroscience Association Belgium Society of Neuroscience Brain Research Society of Finland British Neuroscience Association Croatian Society for Neuroscience Czech Neuroscience Society Danish Society for Neuroscience Dutch Neurofederation Georgian Neuroscience Association German Neuroscience Society Hellenic Society for Neuroscience Hungarian Neuroscience Society Israel Society for Neurosciences National Neuroscience Society of Romania Neuroscience Society of Turkey Norwegian Neuroscience Society Polish Neuroscience Society Russian Physiological Society Slovak Society for Neuroscience Slovenian Neuroscience Association Sociedad Española de Neurociencia Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurosciências Società Italiana di Neuroscienze Societé des Neurosciences Swedish Neuroscience Network Swiss Society for Neuroscience Ukranian Society for Neuroscience

7 Monodisciplinary Societies: EBBS European Brain and Behaviour Society EBPS European Behavioural Pharmacology Society ECNP European College of Neuropsychopharmacology ESN European Society of Neurochemistry Euro-CNS European Confederation of Neuropathological Societies FEPS Federation of Psychophysiology Societies IBANGS The International Behavioural and Neural Genetic Society FENS represents more than 17. 000 European neuroscientists.

FENS is governed by the FENS Council. The FENS Council is formed by representatives of all member societies. The FENS administration is delegated to the Executive Committee, elected by the Council. Members of the Executive Committee are elected for two years, and can be re-elected only once. The Executive Committee is supported by three offices based in Berlin, Bordeaux and Kuopio.

FENS Executive Committee 2006 -2008 President Secretary-General Treasurer Richard Morris, United Kingdom Asla Pitkänen, Finland Alois Saria, Austria President-elect Helmut Kettenmann, Germany Past President Tamás Freund, Hungary Chair Programme Committee Chair Schools Committee Chair NENS Committee Eckart Gundelfinger, Germany Susan Sara, France Denise Manahan-Vaughan, Germany

FENS Activities: FENS Forum FENS NENS (Network of European Neuroscience Schools) FENS PENS (Programme of European Neurosience Schools) European Journal of Neuroscience (EJN) FENS Awards FENS Services

FENS Forum Every two years, in summer, FENS organises a large European meeting, called the FENS Forum. Every second year the FENS Forum attracts up to 5. 000 participants. FENS members are entitled to participate in the FENS forum at the reduced members rate. 1998 - Berlin, June 27 - July 1 2000 - Brighton, June 24 - 28 2002 - Paris, July 13 - 17 2004 - Lisbon, July 10 – 14 2006 – Vienna, July 8 - 12 2008 - Geneva, July 12 – 16 2010 – Amsterdam, July 3 - 7

Facts on FENS Forum 2006 in Vienna Total number of participants: 5. 145 Number of students: approx. 2. 000 Participating countries: approx. 70 Strongest participation from Germany (approx. 850), France (approx. 480), UK (approx. 460), Italy (approx. 430), Spain (approx. 400) Poster: 3289 Symposia: 56 Plenaries and Lectures: 18 Number of Exhibitors: 102 Exhibition Area: 1053 qm

NENS (Network of European Neuroscience Schools) These are the goals of NENS: the promotion of European higher education in neuroscience assisting in generating quality standards in neuroscience programmes encouraging and supporting mobility among students and teachers increasing choices and opportunities for students (and teachers) improving the cooperation among current and future European scientists generating new and significant knowledge in the field laying the basis for obtaining funding within EU programmes (e. g. M. Curie) More than 140 programmes are listed in the programme directory on the FENS homepage.

PENS (Programme of European Neurosience Schools) PENS is a collaboration between FENS and IBRO PENS combines previous activities of FENS (FENS Schools Programme) and IBRO (WERC and CEERC-sponsored schools) PENS supports Schools and Courses that cover broad aspects in the Neurosciences. Particular emphasis is laid on an active involvement of the students. ****PENS Schools 2009: Call for Organizers now open**** PENS is sponsored by: Deadline: July 31, 2008 www. fens. org/pens/form

NEUROTRAIN Neurosience Training in Europe Topic of the programme: brain function and dysfunction linked by neuroplasticity as common key mechanism in adult brain development, e. g. for learning and memory as well as for the recovery of the injured brain. Satellite Event of the FENS Forum 2006 in Vienna Training Course in Portugal (early summer 2007) Training Course in Croatia (fall 2007) Training Course in Austria (summer 2008) Supported by the European Commission, Research Directorate General, Marie Curie Conferences and Training Courses, Contract No. MSCF-CT-2005 -029703

European Journal of Neuroscience (EJN) EJN is the official journal of FENS published by Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. Free access to EJN online is offered to the individual members of the FENS member societies. Print subscriptions to EJN are also offered at advantageous rates to FENS members.

FENS Awards FENS biennially launches four research awards. The call for application for all four awards is open in the odd years in spring. Boehringer Ingelheim FENS Research Award This award is donated by the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. This award of 25. 000 Euro is bestowed to a young scientist under 40 years of age. GSK Neuroscience Award This award is donated by Glaxo. Smith. Kline, in recognition of outstanding and innovative scientific work in neural stem cell research. The prize money is 25. 000 Euro. There is no age limit. FENS EJN Award This award is donated by Wiley-Blackwell, publishers of EJN. This personal prize of 18. 000 Euro is bestowed to a senior scientist. FENS EJN Young Investigator Prize This award is donated by Wiley-Blackwell, publishers of EJN. This personal prize of 12. 000 Euro is bestowed to a young scientist. The age limit is 40 years.

Brain Awareness Week The directors of the Dana Foundation approved a grant in the amount of 24. 000 Euros to FENS, which was supplemented with 5. 000 Euros by FENS. This money enabled FENS to fund small grants to European Brain Awareness Week partner organizations for public programming during the campaign in 2008. FENS distributed these grants in a competitive procedure. A call for applications was launched and 34 projects in 16 different European countries were selected for support.

FENS Services Offers for members at a glance FENS members can register at reduced rates for the FENS Forum. FENS members have access to EJN online free of charge and can subscribe to the print edition at a reduced rate. FENS members can apply for one of the free abstracts slots for the Annual meetings of the American Society for Neuroscience. Slot holders can register for the Sf. N meeting at reduced rates. FENS members can subscribe at very attractive discounts to several leading neuroscience journals. FENS members receive regularly the FENS e-mailings with job ads, the EJN table of contents, the FENS News etc. FENS members can apply for stipends for the FENS Forum.

FENS Relations FENS has close relationship with several societies and associations: International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) European Brain Council (EBC) European Commission (EC) European Dana Alliance for the Brain American Society for Neuroscience

FENS Offices FENS Office Berlin Prof. Dr. Helmut Kettenmann (Meino Gibson / Annika Buchheister) MDC Robert-Rössle-Str. 10 13092 Berlin Tel. : 0049 30 9406 3133 / 3336 e-mail: gibson@mdc-berlin. de a. buchheister@mdc-berlin. de FENS Office Bordeaux Dr. Dominique Poulain FENS Executive Director (Clémence Fouquet) Université Victor Segalen 146 rue Léo Saignat F-33076 Bordeaux cédex France Tel. : 0033 557 573 731 e-mail: fensforum@bordeaux. inserm. fr Tasks: Fens Homepage, e-mail Tasks: Consultancy activities, service, EJN online, FENS awards, Electronic handling of the FENS financial matters, printed matters, Forum, online registration, NENS, PENS handling of symposium proposals, abstract handling FENS Office Kuopio Prof. Dr. Asla Pitkänen (Sari Koskelo) University of Kuopio A. I. Virtanen Institute P. O. Box 1627 Fin-70211 Kuopio Finland Tel. : 00358 17 163 296 e. Mail: asla. pitkanen@uku. fi Tasks: International affairs, council meetings, executive committee meetings, travel grants, fellowships

. . . we wish you a pleasant stay in Geneva! FENS Forum 2008 July 12 – 16, 2008

. . . we hope to see you again in Amsterdam! FENS Forum 2010 July 3 – 7, 2010