"The ""SynaNet"" EU Funded project – ""Neurologic and Psychiatric Disorders: from synapses to networks"" – aims the promotion of collaborative multidisciplinary and translational research by enhancing effective knowledge transfer, exchange of best research practices, and the mobility of early stage researchers between the Instituto de Medicina Molecular (IMM) in Lisbon, Portugal, and leading partners at: the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) in Kuopio, Finland; the University of Rome, La Sapienza (URS) in Rome, Italy; the Lancaster University (ULANC) in Lancaster, UK.
Researchers integrating this offer a broad range of research and training opportunities, from molecules to brain function and cognition, from membrane excitability to network activity, from the bench to the bedside and they cover basic knowledge of disease mechanisms and applied research (biomarker identification, target drug discovery and clinical trial design, neurotechnologies, neuroimaging).
""SynaNet"" project has all the required ingredients for enhancing effective knowledge transfer and exchange of best practice between research institutions and leading partners.
The objectives of SynaNet project may be summarized as:
1. To foster collaborative multidisciplinary research and technology exchange between the different partners.
2. To foster translational research among the different groups.
3. To promote student mobility including shared supervision of PhD and Post-Doc projects.
4. To create conditions for successful joint research grant applications.
5. To create connections between PhD schools.
SynaNet achievements
Objective 1: At least 19 joint collaborative projects emerged among partners; 8 shared supervision of PhD students emerged.
Objective 2: The collaborative projects were fostered by SynaNet, and the results already achieved lead to better understanding, at the synaptic level, several neurologic and psychiatric disorders as Alzheimer disease, Amyotrophic Latera Sclerosis, Rett Syndrome, Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Chronic cannabinoid use related cognitive dysfunction. Some of these projects encompass more than one research group at iMM, approaching basic and clinical researchers at iMM.
Objective 3: a) A total of 38 short term scientific missions (STSM) that involved mobility between beneficiaries took place; several to perform or initiate relevant tasks for PhD projects
Objective 4: 8 Joint projects applied for additional funding. The success rate was high (5 were successful, 2 await decision, 1 was not financed)
Objective 5: PhD students that were involved in SynaNet actions belong to different PhD Schools. During STSM students closely interacted with students at the other beneficiary institutions. Also, the interactions in annual meetings, Summer Schools and workshops were intense. The possibility to tight bonds with other colleagues from other institutions was highlighted by the students in the quality assessments at the end of the workshops and annual meetings
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