The Mediterranean Neuroscience Society (MNS) works towards three main objectives:

• First, strengthen exchanges between mediterranean neuroscientists;
• Second, promote education in the neurosciences and increase public awareness of progress made;
• Third, sustain scientific, training and networking events, such as, in particular, the biennial Mediterranean Neuroscience Conference.

Research on brain function in health and disease is among the priorities for today’s societies, and several indicators put the mediterranean research area among strategic issues for the European Union (EU).

To reach these objectives, the MNS’s policy is to work in close cooperation with existing national and international Neuroscience Societies. In particular, we are proud member of the International Brain Research Organization – IBRO and also act in synergy with the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies – FENS.

Many South-North collaborations and networks have emerged in recent years through bilateral and multi-lateral actions, supported by the EU or by international and national actions, whether for setting up teaching curricula (e.g. Tempus programs), or by building human potential (e.g. FP7, H2020). Many other initiatives of cooperation (e.g. Neurobridges) have seen the light of day, initiated by groups of motivated individuals, believing in the importance of scientific cooperation as a way to alleviate political distress between cultures with a long history of recent conflicts.

The MNS is created to support and help strengthen existing and new projects that bring together neuroscientists from all shores of the Mediterranean:

• by offering travel stipends and prizes to young scientists, especially from the southern areas of the Mediterranean;
• by actively organizing events dedicated to north-south networking and scientific exchange, as well as advanced student training;
• by enhancing the visibility of north-south collaborations and projects, spotlighting them in “bottom-up” contributed symposia during the MNS conference or in satellite events; 
• by providing an efficient interface and access to larger societies such as IBRO and FENS.

MNS will organize the next Mediterranean Conference in 2021 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The last Mediterranean Conference of Neuroscience was organized in 2019 in Marrakech (Morocco), preceded by editions in 2017 in St. Julian (Malta), Pula-Sardinia (Italy) in 2015, Istanbul (Turkey) in 2012, Alexandria (Egypt) in 2009. MNS plans to further open future Mediterranean Conferences to showcase the richness and creativity of Mediterranean research in all types of neuroscience, as well as of strategies to improve cross-Mediterranean cooperation.

Join our effort!