This October, Łukasiewicz – PORT will welcome young brain researchers from around the world to Wrocław, Poland. The five-day ISN-PORT Neuroscience School will focus on the role of metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases, combining expert lectures, hands-on workshops, and personalized mentoring. Applications are open until September 12, 2025.
Focus on Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases — such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — are among the greatest challenges of modern medicine, affecting an increasing number of people in aging societies.
Growing evidence suggests that metabolic disturbances play a crucial role in their development, influencing neuronal survival, glial cell function, and the maintenance of brain homeostasis. Recent research, however, reveals that certain metabolic factors previously considered detrimental — such as diabetes or dyslipidemia — may, in specific contexts, have neuroprotective effects. This opens entirely new directions for research and therapy.
What’s in the Program?
The first edition of the ISN-PORT Neuroscience School, taking place October 20-24, 2025 in Wrocław, will explore the complex role of metabolic pathways in neurodegenerative diseases.
Over the course of an intensive five-day training, participants will deepen their understanding of topics at the intersection of neurochemistry, molecular biology, and translational medicine, while gaining valuable practical skills.
Highlights include:
- Lectures by world-class experts from institutions such as UTHealth Houston, Amsterdam UMC, and University of Salamanca
- Thematic sessions on biomarkers, proteostasis, astrocyte and neuron metabolism, omics, and neuroimaging
- Practical workshops in transcriptomic analysis, confocal microscopy, and cellular metabolism assessment
- Poster presentations
- Mentoring sessions and a networking meeting
Who Can Apply?
The school is open to Master’s students, PhD candidates, and early-career postdoctoral researchers from across Europe with experience in fields such as neurobiology, neurochemistry, bioinformatics, or translational medicine.
Applications are open until September 12, 2025.
The school is organized by the Łukasiewicz – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development and the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN).
