IMEC, Europe's leading
independent nanoelectronics research center, VIB, Flanders' leading life
science institute, and the Leuven University, K.U.Leuven, set up a joint basic
research initiative to unravel the neuronal circuitry of the human brain: Neuroelectronics
Research Flanders (NERF). Supported by the Flemish Government, NERF will look
into fundamental neuroscientific questions through collaborative, interdisciplinary
research combining nanoelectronics with neurobiology. It intends to push the
boundaries of science, by zooming in on the working of neurons at an unprecedented
level of detail. In the long run, NERF will generate new insights in the functional
mapping of the brain, as well as research methodologies and technologies for
medical applications, i.e. diagnostics and treatment of disorders of the central
and peripheral nervous system.
NERF will be housed on the IMEC campus where researchers will work in cross-disciplinary
teams, benefitting from IMEC's state-of-the-art clean room infrastructure
and a new 1,000m2 neurolab. NERF will be organized around teams of top-notch
researchers doing world-class basic research. They will be able to work closely
together with a wide range of experts from the 3 founding fathers, providing
a unique leverage. By 2014, NERF aims to expand its team to about 50 international
top-researchers. NERF starts off with a 3 million euro research grant from the
Flemish Government for the first 3 years. IMEC, VIB and K.U.Leuven will equally
invest in NERF.
“NERF fully leverages and complements IMEC's semiconductor research
and infrastructure and that makes it unique in comparison to other neuroscience
centers. Today, both neurobiology and nanoelectronics work at the same dimensions.
Therefore, it becomes possible to develop nanoscale structures that “listen
in” to neural circuits, learn their “language”, actively communicate
with them and thus detect pathology at an earlier stage than currently possible,”
said Kris Verstreken, director Human++/BioNanoElectronics at IMEC. “NERF
researchers will unravel the functioning of the brain and the peripheral nervous
system through intensive application of these new tools. This will yield vital
knowledge for the pharmaceutical and medical industry and is crucial for the
study of pathology such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease
or even for psychiatric disorders. Advanced therapies are often a serendipitous
result of such fundamental research.”
“NERF will focus on basic neurobiological questions, best addressed through
an interdisciplinary approach using cell biology, genetics, nanoelectronics
and nanoscale engineering. Combining these approaches in one new grassroots
initiative is for the time being unique in the world – and quite exciting,
as can be seen from the very enthusiastic response of the research community
involved worldwide”, says Jo Bury, Managing Director of VIB. “We
capitalize on the tremendous opportunity of having the background technologies
and approaches available at high excellence level in the research labs of the
3 founding partners of NERF.”
“The link of neurobiology and nanoelectronics with the imaging, data-mining
and translational medicine competencies available at K.U.Leuven, makes our partnership
unique and highly promising. We are convinced that NERF will become the cornerstone
of a vibrant, path breaking community of scientists and engineers. We all look
forward to this unique research journey;” says Koenraad Debackere, Managing
Director of K.U.Leuven R&D.
NERF will officially take off on October 29, 2009 with a first assembly of
the scientific advisory board. On this occasion the founding partners organize
a unique neuroelectronics workshop to discuss the research roadmap of NERF with
some 50 top world experts in different disciplines of importance to the success
of NERF.