Neuroscience and Mental Health: Spotlight on Wales
20th September 2024
A vibrant, forward-thinking community of neuroscientists, making connections across the sector to help define and deliver the future of neuroscience.
The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is the largest UK organisation connecting, representing and promoting neuroscience and neuroscientists across the globe.
The BNA is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive neuroscience community, making connections between academia, industry, the clinic and wider society, and moving world-class neuroscience research up the agenda.
We have over 2,750 members whose interests cover the whole range of neuroscience, from ion channels to whole animal behaviour to real-life applications in the clinic and beyond.
We make connections between individuals, academia, industry, clinicians, medical charities, policy-makers, funding agencies and wider society through our three core values to inform, connect and influence:
Some examples of where and how the BNA is making a difference in neuroscience (and beyond):
This unique event brings together 20+ organisations and 1,200 people+, features all areas of fundamental research in neuroscience and psychology, from both academia and the commercial sector, plus clinical expertise in neurology and psychiatry, at a single, shared celebration of global neuroscience - PLUS a programme of public events too. There's literally nothing else like it!
See more about the BNA2023, BNA2021, BNA2019, BNA2017, BNA2015 and BNA2013 Festivals.
The BNA community now has nearly 3,000 members, more than doubling in the last 6-7 years. There's something for everyone, including those who don't work in neuroscience in a professional capacity but are fascinated in the brain and nervous system. if you haven't yet joined us, why not?!
The BNA was the first ever organisation to have prereg posters at a large international meeting - and, moreover, to evaluate their effectiveness in a study subsequently published in Nature Human Behaviour. An ever-increasing number of organisations are now adopting prereg posters, where researchers have the chance to discuss their plans for research rather than the results, at their own meetings and events.
The BNA's 'BBB' initiative, 'Building Bridges Between: Industry and Academia', has created an extensive network of organisations and individuals all working together to promote research development in its most efficient form, create career pathways, and improve the impact of neuroscience. An example outcome of BBB is creating the 'Guiding Principles for Robust Target Validation in Psychiatry' publication.
Launched in direct response to the neuroscience community on how to improve inclusion of underrepresented ethnic groups, the BNA Scholars Programme support students and early career researchers to thrive in neuroscience, and to build a supportive community through networking opportunities, bursaries and mentorship. It has turned into an examplar programme and is having wide-reaching impact across the sector.
Recognising that, "to help society create a survivable future, we neuroscientists can and must play our part"1, the BNA Green Neuroscience Working Group is actively changing the way the BNA works, the environmental impact of neuroscience research itself, and supporting individuals to make changes themselves, for instance through offering 'Train over Plane' green travel bursaries.