Firstly, we wish to thank IBRO-APRC for providing the opportunity and financial support to the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selangor, Malaysia to organise the 2018 Associate School of Neuroscience. It is our honour to be part of IBRO-APRC’s global effort in promoting and supporting neuroscience training, teaching, collaborative research and advocacy. We are also privileged to be able to enrich the life journey of many young aspiring neuroscientists in this region. The positive feedback from the IBRO-APRC Associate School 2016 alumni has been the main impetus for our second Associate School of Neuroscience of 2018. Building on the foundation of our previous theme “Dawn of an Aging World - Nipping Neurodegeneration in the Bud”, we wish to further extend the scope with the theme “Lifelong Maintenance of Brain Health: Bridging the Gaps amongst the Young, the Old and those in Between”.
Owing to extension of life expectancy and ageing of the general populations in both developed and developing countries, many chronic and progressive physical and mental conditions including neurological disorders are getting increasingly profound. Neurological disorders which basically comprise developmental, psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases have emerged as leading contributors of global disease burden, impacting communities from social, cultural and economic perspectives.
Neurological disorders are chronic and incurable conditions whose disabling effects may continue for years or even decades. It is now known that many neurological disorders begin to develop years before the symptoms appear. Neuroscience research should therefore target not only neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, in which the prevalence in ageing populations will inevitably increase, but also the brain of young people, both healthy and impaired.
This year’s Associate School aims to provide a holistic learning and research experience on the importance of lifelong maintenance of brain health for young, aspiring neuroscientists. Participants will be updated on the latest molecular, fundamental, clinical, behavioural and bioinformatics development of transdisciplinary research. The acquisition of theoretical knowledge will be further enhanced with hands-on exposure and demonstration session of sophisticated techniques that are essential for research on neurological disorders. We hope to forge successful future research collaboration by promoting active networking amongst all those involved in this Associate School.
Chair and Organising Committee,
IBRO-APRC Associate School 2018
Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM Selangor
Malaysia