BNA2025 Festival of Neuroscience: Programme Overview

The BNA2025 Festival of Neuroscience delivered a rich and diverse scientific programme, thoughtfully curated by the Programme Organising Committee. The content showcased the full spectrum of neuroscience, from basic and translational research to clinical advances in neurology, psychiatry, and psychology, including contributions from those with lived experience.

A variety of session formats were used to encourage cross-sector knowledge exchange among academia, clinical practice, and industry. These included plenary lectures, keynote presentations, symposia, panel discussions, poster sessions, “meet the expert” opportunities, and career development events.

The Festival’s poster programme highlighted over 350 submissions across 16 themes, reflecting both the high quality and wide-ranging nature of neuroscience research.

Partners

BNA2025 was supported by 23 partner organisations, including major contributors such as Parkinson’s UK and the Guarantors of Brain, who organised sessions within the main scientific programme. In total, around 60 organisations took part in the Festival, including exhibitors and supporters who did not exhibit.

Scientific Programme Highlights

Hosted in Liverpool, the event featured eight prestigious plenary lectures and a total of 50 symposia, workshops, and special sessions distributed across 16 thematic areas. The complete programme is available online below:

New for 2025

BNA2025 introduced several new features, all of which received positive feedback from attendees:

  • The Reading Zone (Queen’s Reading Room)

  • Career Zone Theatre

  • Editorial Speed Review

  • Inform, Connect, and Influence Zones

BYOB – Bring Your Own Brain

Organised by the Liverpool Neuroscience Group, the BYOB public engagement programme ran alongside the main Festival and included a wide array of events:

  • Meet the Scientists

  • Public Lecture: History of Neuroscience in Liverpool

  • In Touch with the Body

  • Eureka! Science + Discovery

  • Brain Charity Coffee Morning & Talks

  • Minds Reimagined: Art in Science Exhibition

  • Move Your Body, Boost Your Brain

  • Neuronights at LEAF

  • What is Blindness? The World Unseen

  • Words Beyond Vision: Inclusive Reading Event at the Central Library

  • Remember Me: Exploring Memory and the Brain

  • Reading for a Happier, Healthier, and More Socially Connected World