Kick-Off Meeting of the CRC 1540 Exploring Brain Mechanics
On March 17th, 2023, the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1540 “Exploring Brain Mechanics (EBM)” held its kick-off meeting at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology (IISB) in Erlangen. The event was attended by researchers from the fields of engineering, physics, biology, medicine, and clinics who are involved in the project. The goal of the CRC 1540 ‘Exploring Brain Mechanics’ is to combine the expertise of professionals from Erlangen and Berlin and use mechanics-based approaches to improve our understanding of the central nervous system’s function. In the long run, this should lay the foundation for improving the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders.
The meeting began with presentations by the spokespersons of EBM, Paul Steinmann and Silvia Budday, who introduced the focal research areas and the overall structure of the research center.
Following this, Friedrich Paulsen, as spokesperson for the integrated Research Training Group, presented the integrated graduate program, focusing on the qualification program and upcoming events.
Afterwards, the project leaders introduced their respective projects in short presentations. During the coffee and lunch breaks, the participants had the opportunity to get information at the project posters while enjoying snacks and drinks and to exchange ideas with all the other researchers.
In the afternoon, the doctoral researchers’ representatives were elected. Shanice Heidenreich was elected as the 1st doctoral researchers’ representative and Soheil Firooz was elected as her deputy. During the same meeting, a social media group was formed, which will be responsible for managing the EBM Twitter and Instagram accounts. Simultaneously, the quarterly meeting of the EBM Executive Board was held.
The kick-off meeting concluded with a joint dinner at an Italian restaurant in Erlangen.
Overall, the kick-off meeting of the CRC 1540 was a great success, providing a platform for researchers to exchange ideas and insights, while also fostering the development of a strong and cohesive research community.
