Understanding the brain better

An afternoon dedicated to the Bochum neurosciences with lectures, information and hands-on activities.

How does playing the drums change the brain? How do isolation and loneliness affect nerve cells? What does the gut-brain axis have to do with chronic abdominal pain? And what new insights does research into multiple sclerosis offer?

Insights into a fascinating world – that’s what it’s all about once a year at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum when the neuroscientists invite you to the Event Centre.

The BRAIN DAY will take place again on 27 September 2023!

Visitors to BRAIN DAY will get to know the most complex human organ from completely new angles – from basic research to therapy. BRAIN DAY is a forum for patients, researchers, doctors and all interested guests to meet.

All Brain Day guests can look forward to a colourful programme of lectures and hands-on activities on current topics from the neurosciences between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. – live in the event centre of the Ruhr University Bochum (in the Mensa building). Please note: The language of the lectures is German.

Participation is free of charge. Please register at brain-news-igsn@rub.de or call 0234 32-26603 (Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

The BRAIN DAY experts in 2023 are PD Dr. Lara Schlaffke, Prof. Dr. Simon Faissner and Prof. Dr. Sigrid Elsenbruch from the RUB Medical Faculty and Prof. Dr. Dirk Scheele from the Faculty of Psychology. In half-hour lectures, the experts offer exciting insights into their everyday work and report on current research findings.

Between the lectures, there will be a varied supporting programme where all visitors are invited to talk to the neuroscientists of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum. You can find the complete programme for BRAIN DAY 2023 here (in German).

Neuroscience hands-on and experimental

The staff of the Neuropsychological Therapy Centre (NTC) of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum will provide information on diagnosis and treatment options after brain damage, for example due to stroke or craniocerebral trauma.

BRAIN DAY guests can try out live how the brain can be stimulated by non-invasive methods at the scientists of the Leibniz Institute for Human Factors Research.

The staff of the Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, provide fascinating insights into structures such as the hippocampus, cerebellum or pituitary gland. Microscopes, exhibits and diagrams are ready to explore and try out!

Things get active in halls 3 and 4 of the Event Centre: very real in the hands-on course of the sports scientists or with 3D video glasses and motion sensors in the virtual reality of the Department of Neurotechnology.

In Hall 1, self-help groups offer a wide range of information. On site at this year’s Brain Day: Alzheimer Gesellschaft Bochum, Aphasiker-Zentrum NRW, Autismus-Therapie-Zentrum Dortmund/Hagen, Der Paritätische, Selbsthilfe-Kontaktstelle Bochum, Deutsche GBS CIP Selbsthilfe, Deutsche Myasthenie Gesellschaft, Deutsche Parkinson Vereinigung, Leben mit Schädel-Hirn-Trauma, Selbsthilfegruppe Epilepsie Essen and SHG Schlaganfall Ratingen.

BRAIN DAY under new patronage

Until 2022, the BRAIN DAY was under the patronage of the Collaborative Research Centre 874 (SFB 874). Since this was terminated at the end of last year, BRAIN DAY will now be presented by the International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN) at the RUB. In 2023, it will be supported by the Research Department of Neuroscience at Ruhr-Universität Bochum.

The aim remains to make the exciting work of Bochum’s neuroscientists tangible for the interested public.

More information under Brain Day (ruhr-uni-bochum.de)