Spain

The EBRAINS Spanish node is led by the Polytechnic University of Madrid and consists of different universities, research centres, hospitals, and industrial companies operating in neuroscience and neuro-technology. The node aims to increase the interaction and links between its members and other neuroscientific actors worldwide, to generate opportunities for joint research and optimise the agenda of services that can be integrated with, and offered by, EBRAINS.   

The members are immersed in diverse research initiatives, including, among many others:   

• The combination of functional brain imaging techniques with patient injury data  
• Pharmacology, genetics and intracranial recordings to analyse human brain functions  
• The study of new non-pharmacological treatments for movement disorders, in particular for Parkinson's disease  
• The development of diagnostic tools to evaluate non-invasive and translational image-based biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases  
• The elaboration of prognostic tools based on artificial intelligence  
• The three-dimensional reconstruction of the structure of brain tissue to provide data on brain 3D synaptic organisation  
• The use of multiphotonic stimulation, with non-invasive infrared light, to target pharmacological actions 

The Node may also provide access to diverse and comprehensive computational imaging biobanks for brain research.   

In conclusion, the synergies arising from these research initiatives will contribute to positioning the Node as a strategic pillar of the Spanish Neuroscience system, as well as to facilitate a progressive and practical alignment of its research and innovation work to the European Commission policies and programs in Neuroscience, particularly concerning the fight against brain diseases. To achieve this, the Node's activities aim to generate a deeper understanding of the EBRAINS mission among other national players, including patients, and the public, thus contributing to a broader perception of the social, economic, and medical benefits of human brain research. 

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