Editorial Article: Expert speakers draw thousands to the Virtual Neuroscience Summit 2020

---

Explore the latest neuroscience research and techniques here

Thousands of scientists from across the globe have joined leading manufacturers online to drive forward neuroscience research and explore the latest technologies. 

Headline topics at the successful Virtual Neuroscience Summit 2020 included Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, neurodegeneration, spatial and cellular genomics, live-cell analysis, protein quantification and more.

The new SelectScience^® Virtual Summits offer a crucial interactive platform for the science industry to continue to connect, share knowledge and provide technology solutions in order to advance science and health at this critical time. Held over two days, last week’s Neuroscience Summit featured talks by eminent speakers, technology workshops, virtual resource hubs from leading brands, as well as 1-on-1 webcam chats and dedicated networking sessions for attendees to maximize connections.  

Explaining the significance of the event, keynote speaker Dr. Omer Bayraktar, Group Leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “It is crucial to maintain scientific discourse with the wide research community during the COVID-19 pandemic and this virtual summit provides an excellent opportunity to share our research findings with a large audience.” 

Missed the live event? Don’t worry – all presentations are now available to view on demand>>

A total of 22 fascinating presentations each drew crowds of up to 380 live attendees, far more than most physical shows, while the themed networking sessions again proved a hit. 

Just a few of the talks available to watch on demand until Friday, December 18, include:

• Keynote: D-amino acids in the brain: What are they, how did they get there and what are they doing - Prof. Jonathan Sweedler, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Keynote: Mapping human tissue architecture using spatial genomics - Dr. Omer Bayraktar, Wellcome Sanger Institute 
• Once upon a time at the synapse: A tale of early dysfunction in PD - Dr. Dayne Beccano-Kelly, University of Oxford 
• Bioengineering 3D brain tissue models for functional studies - Dr. Min Tang-Schomer, Jackson Laboratory & Connecticut Children's Medical Center 
• Dissecting the cellular landscape of the Alzheimer’s brain: Disease-associated astrocytes- Dr. Naomi Habib, Hebrew University of Jerusalem 

SelectScience Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Kerry Parker, said: “It’s been fantastic to be able to offer a platform to these speakers right at the forefront of their fields and we would like to thank them all for taking the time to share their work with our audience.”

A number of leading manufacturers presented their latest technologies available in the field, including Corning, Malvern Panalytical, Bertin Instruments, Analytik Jena, Bio-Techne, MilliporeSigma, bit.bio, ZEISS, PHCbi, Leica Microsystems, Sutter Instrument, and The Jackson Laboratory. All presentations and resources are now available on demand.

Susana Alcantara, Senior Research Scientist at Sartorius, led a discussion on revealing CNS secrets via live-cell analysis. She said: “A new communication dynamic is currently emerging, and it is our opportunity to develop a successful virtual networking strategy which is inclusive, engaging and beneficial across the entire scientific community for now and upcoming times.”

Live Q&A sessions were a big hit and provided two-way communication between visitors, speakers, and manufacturers, allowing for valuable insights into the neuroscience community.

Speaker Dr. Min Tang-Schomer added: “As Louis Pasteur once famously said, ‘Science has no borders’. The COVID-19 pandemic will finally make worldwide exchange a reality. In this crisis, we are fortunate to have the opportunity of reaching out to the like-minded as well as the critics from all corners of the world. I’m looking forward to connecting with anyone interested in my research topic at this Summit.”

Attendees were able to collect a virtual swag bag of useful resources completely free of charge. These are also available on demand in the event hall.

Featured highlights from the summit include:

• Biophysical characterization of epigenetic protein interactions with chromatin using isothermal titration calorimetry: Download »
• Parkinson's research resources: Download »
• Brain research: Correlation of sample morphology and protein analysis: Download »
• DNA extraction: No beads required Download »
• InCellis smart cell imaging system Download »
• One-step RT-qPCR products for high-throughput research applications: Download »
• Multiplex detection of four Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in human CSF using a novel MILLIPLEX^® assay panel: Download »
• dPatch^® low-noise ultra-fast digital patch clamp amplifier system: Download »

Missed the live event? Don’t worry – all presentations are now available to view on demand>>

Plus, coming soon: Look out for the Virtual Biopharmaceutical Summit, launching December 8. Register free here>>