BRAIN 24/7 aims to build a strong European network of academics committed to advancing research and education on the topic of brain function and mental health. What sets BRAIN 24/7 apart from other initiatives is its specific focus on the brain’s adaptive capacities and the constraints it faces in response to modern societal challenges—particularly in the domains of sleep, chronobiology and computational neurosciences.
In today’s rapidly evolving Western society, the constant influx of information, intensified workloads, and elevated stress levels are increasingly disrupting sleep and recovery. These environmental and cultural pressures are believed to have a profound impact on brain health and are frequently linked to neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders when experienced chronically.
BRAIN 24/7 addresses these pressing societal issues through integrated research, as well as the training and education of the next generation of scientists and clinicians. Our vision is to create a multidisciplinary and collaborative network of researchers, educators, and students by fostering knowledge exchange and offering collaborative opportunities across various career stages in both research and education.
To realize this vision, we are organizing:
- Annual network meetings
- Targeted workshops (both in-person and hybrid)
- A European training environment in translational neuroscience for PhD and Master’s students
In addition, we support mobility programs for staff and students among the Universities of Bern, Groningen, and Bordeaux. Furthermore, our outreach activities aim to bridge the gap between science and society by raising public awareness. For example, we are participating in the Night of Research in Bern in 2025.
Looking beyond the duration of ETN funding, our long-term goal is to establish a sustainable, multi-centre training program for students and early-career researchers. We aim to maintain an active, collaborative network that continues to drive innovation, foster diverse expertise, and promote brain health in contemporary society.
Participants and Stakeholders
Coordinator
Carolina Gutierrez Herrera, University of Bern
Other Partner Institutions
University of Groningen
University of Bordeaux
Team Composition
Carolina Gutierrez Herrera, Coordinator
Peter Meerlo, Co-coordinator
Cyril Herry, Co-coordinator
Stakeholders/External Partners
University Of Bern: Carolina Gutierrez Herrera, PD, PhD; Antoine Adamantidis, PhD; Markus Schimidt, MD, PhD; Athina Tzovara, PhD
University of Bordeaux: Cyril Heri, PhD; Lisa Roux, PhD; Athur Lebois PhD;
University of Groningen: Peter Meerlo, PhD, coordinator of the team at UG.
Nicole Gervais, PhD; Robbert Havekes,PhD; Roelof Hut,PhD; Sanne Moorman, PhD.
This collaboration is important because it allows us to combine the strengths and diverse expertise of the different academics and institutions involved. By bringing together experts, state-of-the-art technologies, and complementary academic environments, this network will improve our understanding of brain function and mental health, with an emphasis on the adaptive capacity of the brain in facing the daily challenges of modern society. Ultimately, this initiative aims to foster a productive academic network, enhance the quality of education and research, and create lasting partnerships that benefit all participants and institutions involved.
Objectives
Our objective is to build a robust scientific and training network that leverages the diverse expertise of the collaborating academics and Institutions. We focus on the challenges posed by a 24/7 modern society, including changes in life rhythms, constant engagement and availability, anxiety, and stress. By combining strengths in various fields, including chronobiology, sleep, learning and memory, we aim to advance our understanding of sleep and brain health through education, research and innovation. Our long-term perspective is to improve well-being under modern societal pressures.
- Establish a multidisciplinary and collaborative network for innovative research and education.
- Establish a teaching mobility and exchange program for students and staff.
- Develop outreach activities to society.
Contact
Contact persons
Carolina Gutierrez Herrera, Coordinator,
Peter Meerlo, Co-coordinator,
Cyril Herry, Co-coordinator,
Highlights of the Project
We chose to propose this particular project because the partnering universities and academics have complementary expertise and skills necessary to addresses the important societal issues that are central to our project. The demands of modern society have a big impact on brain function and mental health; and yet, the need for recovery and sleep is too often viewed as a luxury and not a necessity. Sleep is rarely integrated into education programs, and there is no existing network in the EU for promoting knowledge within the University programs, despite the increasing recognition of sleep as a major factor in health and disease.