Providing an Intellectual Breakthrough

	Animal cell (fibroblast) on nanopatterned substrate

Converging technologies is an emerging multi-disciplinary research approach that is expected to provide an intellectual breakthrough in understanding how complex systems (e.g. the brain) interact with the environment and produce coherent behaviour. It is based on transforming tools and know-how among various research fields and technologies, such as NBIC (Nano Bio Info Cogno). Such an intellectual breakthrough requires deep comprehension of biology, biotechnology and biomedicine, physics and mathematics, computer science, information technology, nano-science and nanotechnology cognitive sciences and neuroscience, as well as wide range of engineering, and special attention to ethics, philosophy of science, etc.

 

The focus of this working group is an application driven research mainly in the neurodegenerative medicine area, while creating a research infrastructure at the confluence of NBIC domains. The development of transforming tools at interdisciplinary sectors could be applied to the understanding of specific systems at the nanoscale level, e.g. brain multilevel functioning, cognitive sciences, behavioural sciences, brain repair, early detection of degenerative disease and treatment development, etc.

Cooperation with Other Research Groups

Cooperation with other SRPA and SRPT groups is needed, especially in the fields of engineers, biologists, imaging, bio informatics and cognitive sciences. Three intersection projects have already been launched: optic nerve regeneration (in collaboration with Prof. Ari Barzilai, Tel Aviv University, Israel), investigation of mechanisms of dopaminergic neurodegeneration and neuroprotection (lead by Prof. Maria Klapa, FORTH, Greece), and the rehabilitation of cerebellar functionality by nano-interfaced model chip (lead by Prof. Matti Mintz, Tel Aviv University, Israel).