Kalender

The brain relies on a diverse group of cells called GABAergic interneurons to maintain balance and regulate communication between neurons. These specialized cells play a crucial role in brain function, and when they don’t work properly, they have been linked to epilepsy and cognitive deficits in many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.Despite their importance, we are only beginning to understand how these cells develop, connect, and adapt. In this talk, I will share insights from our research on how interneurons form, how their numbers are controlled, and how they integrate into brain circuits to support healthy function.About Oscar MarínOscar Marín is a Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology at King’s College London. He graduated in Biology and obtained a PhD in Neuroscience from Universidad Complutense in Madrid (Spain), followed by postdoctoral training at UCSF (USA). He was a group leader at the Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante (Spain) before joining King’s in 2014. In 2005, he was selected as one of the founding members of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council, where he served until 2010. He is a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Oscar is known for his discoveries concerning the development of the cerebral cortex, with special reference to the development of inhibitory interneurons. His discoveries have provided a novel conceptual paradigm that illuminates current research on the origin of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. He serves on several editorial and advisory boards and has received multiple prizes, including the Rey Jaime I Award for Basic Research (2011), Prix Roger de Spoelberch (2014), the Cajal Medal from the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences (2017), the ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award (2023), and the FENS-EJN Award (2024).VenueThe DIAS Auditorium, SDU Campus OdenseThis event is open for all. No registration needed.

There is increasing evidence that most scientific research does not meet standards of reproducibility and transparency. Concurrently, there are many efforts to improve the reproducibility, transparency, and eventually the credibility and usefulness of scientific evidence. Peer review is a central mechanism for vetting, correcting, and improving science. However, it has met with a broadening range of challenges, as 7 million papers are published every year, publication systems are over-commercialized, and reviewers are overfatigued. Many scholars argue that research assessment in general, if done properly for individuals and institutions, can be a major tool for enhancing research design, conduct, and outcomes. A central quest is whether proper incentives are provided and reinforced. Many ideas are proposed for changing peer review and research assessment, but few of them have solid evidence.About John P.A. IoannidisJohn P.A. Ioannidis, MD, DSc was born in New York City and raised in Athens, Greece. He trained at Athens College, University of Athens (medicine and DSc in biopathology), Harvard and Tufts (internal medicine, infectious diseases), and then held positions at NIH, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Harvard, Imperial College, and University of Ioannina. He moved to Stanford in 2010 where he is Professor of Medicine, of Epidemiology and Population Heath, and (by courtesy) of Biomedical Data Science. He launched the Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) in 2013. He has served as President of the Society for Research Synthesis Methodology and of the Association of American Physicians, as editorial board member of many leading journals and as Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. He has been elected to many honorific academies and has received 6 honorary doctoral degrees and many awards. He is the author of ten literary books, three of them shortlisted for best book of the year Anagnostis awards in Greece. His work aims to improve research methods and practices and to enhance approaches to integrating information and generating reliable evidence. VenueThe DIAS Auditorium, SDU Campus OdenseThis event is open for all. No registration needed.