Brain & Mind networks
Neurocenter Finland is a collaborative network of seven universities and five wellbeing services counties, which include university hospitals. The strategic direction of its operations is decided by the Management Group of Neurocenter Finland, consisting of representatives from the contracting organizations.
Operational activities are carried out through six regional Brain & Mind networks located in Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Oulu, Tampere, and Turku. The coordination of collaboration between these regional networks at the national and international level is managed by the Coordination Unit of Neurocenter Finland, which is part of the University of Eastern Finland.
Bridging basic, clinical and technology research in neuroscience
The neuroscience network in the Capital region is formed by the multidisciplinary basic research at the University of Helsinki, the technological and neuroscience research at Aalto University, and the clinical research at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS). It is estimated that over half of Finnish neuroscience research takes place in the capital region. In addition, HUS is the largest hospital district in Finland, and the HUS catchment area serves over 1.6 million residents, thus being a major organisation also on a Europe-wide level.
The neuroscience research in the capital region is supported by a strong and versatile research infrastructure, particularly focused on cellular and animal disease modelling, as well as imaging of animals and human subjects. In addition the HUS data lake and Helsinki Biobank offer a significant source of patient data and samples for research.
The aim of the increased collaboration in neuroscience research is to improve our understanding of how the brain and nervous system function in health and disease, as well as to create preventative methods, accurate diagnostics and more effective treatments and rehabilitation for diseases affecting the nervous system.
The distinguishing feature of Jyväskylä is tight interdisciplinary collaboration and a wide concept of well-being.
Jyväskylä showcases internationally acclaimed, high-level sport science. Thus, our focus in health sciences lies on protective factors such as physical activity. Jyväskylä has a long history in the study of learning difficulties. Our neuroscience is spearheaded by the study of learning and other cognitive functions, development, and physical activity. The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä is the only one of its kind in Finland. At the time of writing, two Centers of Excellence – InterLearn and Music, Mind, Body and Brain – operate from Jyväskylä. At the intersection between neuroscience, psychology, sport science, education and computational sciences our unique approach is to acknowledge the bidirectional interaction between body and brain systems underlying human mind in health and disease.
As an organization, the core mission of Jyväskylä Brain&Mind is to unify and offer infrastructure, education and training for neuroscientists over faculty boundaries. We offer education from undergraduate studies to a doctoral degree in cognitive neuroscience. Jyväskylä University houses state-of-the-art neuroimaging equipment, particularly powerful in following neural activation over time. Our infrastructure encompasses EEG, MEG, TMS, eye tracking and motion capture. We collaborate with Niilo Mäki Institute and Hospital Nova, whose MRI laboratory is available also for research use, and also conduct neurophysiological studies.
Our overall goal is to produce cutting-edge research in our fields of specialty.
Jyväskylä Brain & Mind -website
Kuopio Brain & Mind – Neurocenter Finland network in Eastern Finland
Internationally recognized genetic, biomarker and translational research into brain and mental diseases is carried out in Eastern Finland. The unique expertise and competitive infrastructure of basic research can be found both at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and companies in the field of biotechnology. Clinical research in neuroscience and psychiatry is carried out at Kuopio University Hospital (KUH), UEF’s clinical brain research unit, central hospitals and primary care using versatilely metabolomics and brain imaging. Forensic psychiatry research is of a high standard and strongly networked internationally.
Bridging basic, clinical and technology research in neuroscience
The neuroscience network in the Capital region is formed by the multidisciplinary basic research at the University of Helsinki, the technological and neuroscience research at Aalto University, and the clinical research at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS). It is estimated that over half of Finnish neuroscience research takes place in the capital region. In addition, HUS is the largest hospital district in Finland, and the HUS catchment area serves over 1.6 million residents, thus being a major organisation also on a Europe-wide level.
The neuroscience research in the capital region is supported by a strong and versatile research infrastructure, particularly focused on cellular and animal disease modelling, as well as imaging of animals and human subjects. In addition the HUS data lake and Helsinki Biobank offer a significant source of patient data and samples for research.
The aim of the increased collaboration in neuroscience research is to improve our understanding of how the brain and nervous system function in health and disease, as well as to create preventative methods, accurate diagnostics and more effective treatments and rehabilitation for diseases affecting the nervous system.
A pioneer in the study of rare neurological diseases
Medical expertise in Northern Finland is concentrated at Oulu University Hospital and the University of Oulu, as well as their research organization (Oulu Medical Research Center, MRC). For decades, significant research has been conducted in Oulu in the field of several rare neurological diseases.
In addition, the region’s strengths are multidisciplinary, with specific areas of expertise in neuroscience, diagnostics, ICT and mobile and gaming, a strong health technology sector and research-supporting infrastructures such as biobanks, the underlying genome center, patient registries, population cohorts and cohorts.
Forerunner in multidisciplinary research and innovation
Tampere has a unique concentration of wide variety of neuroscience research fields, and plenty of multidisciplinary neuroscience research collaborations over organisational borders. The region is especially known for its research in
- computational and theoretical neuroscience and body-on-chip-models to study the mechanisms of the nervous system
- neurogenetics, psychology and child- and adolescent psychiatry
- neuromodulation-treatments and their effects to the brain, brain health and epilepsy
- neuromuscular diseases, sleep, and behavioural neurology
- cerebrovascular diseases, brain tumours and neurotraumatology
- cognitive, affective and social neurosciences
- electrophysiological measurements and stimulation methods and imaging
- human-technology interaction
Such broad knowledge-base coupled with the strong innovation-supporting ecosystem in the Tampere-region ensures new research ideas are readily being transformed into new innovations and start-ups.
Turku Brain & Mind – Neurocenter west
The regional node of Neurocenter Finland in Western Finland operates under Turku Brain and Mind Center. Turku Brain and Mind Center (TBMC) was founded in 2011 and it gathers more than twenty research groups from various fields of Neuroscience in Turku. TBMC researchers work in multi-disciplinary teams to explore the mechanisms underlying brain function in health and disease. TBMC organizes Neuroscience education at the University of Turku, including a Master’s Degree program in Human Neuroscience.
The Neuroscience field in Turku covers a wide range of disciplines, such as clinical neurosciences, psychiatry, nuclear medicine, anesthesiology, clinical pharmacology, clinical neurophysiology, psychology and logopedics. Research topics include brain development, cognitive processes, emotions, consciousness, visual perception, sleep, music in neurology, obesity, psychotic disorders, addictions, neurodegenerative disorders, neuroimmunology, neurotraumatology, neuropathic pain and brain stimulation.
Turku is one of the leading research centers in Biomedical Imaging in Europe. Turku PET Center is a Finnish National Research Institute for PET imaging. Turku PET Center hosts a radiochemistry department dedicated for radiotracer development and production, and several state-of-the-art PET scanners, including a PET-MRI and a whole-body PET scanner (Quadra) which will be installed in 2022. Turku University Hospital and University of Turku host several MRI scanners, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices, and the only navigated TMS device with robotic targeting system in the Nordic countries. In addition, a High Intensity Focused Ultrasound device for the brain and Neurological indications (Neuro-HIFU) will be installed in 2022, also first in Scandinavia and Baltic countries.
