The Center for Neuroscience and Cellular Biology Center of the University of Coimbra (CNC-UC) and the Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Research of Coimbra (iCBR), united by the CIBB research consortium, are promoting a new edition of the Brain Awareness Week, taking place during the month of March 2023.

The initiative aims to raise society's awareness of advances and scientific discoveries in the field of neurosciences, as well as to promote health literacy in the context of the brain. Brain Awareness Week is a worldwide event that takes place annually in March.

“Our researchers have taken on a huge commitment to society through their involvement in science communication initiatives. Brain Week is one of these initiatives - for more than 25 years we have been promoting scientific culture in the field of neurosciences in schools, bars, on the radio, in parks, on buses, with exhibitions, in the theater, among others”, elucidates Sara Varela Amaral, coordinator of the CIBB communication office and responsible for the initiative.

This year, the event has several face-to-face and online activities that aim to raise awareness of the importance of studying the brain and its fundamental role in a healthy life, as well as taking science and scientists to different places:

• “Opening Session SC 2023: Digital Brain from different perspectives”, a session promoted by the Portuguese Society of Neurosciences and the Portuguese Brain Council. The session takes place on March 13 at 6pm in an online format. The access link can be consulted here; (ID: 950 9993 4470; Access password: 621486);
• The "Neuroscientists go to schools" initiative, which consists of sessions promoted by neuroscientists with school audiences, associations and senior universities;
• Participation of neuroscientists in “Olhó o Robot" on RUC (Rádio Universidade de Coimbra), every Monday in March (9am-10am);
• 4th edition of “Brain Gain: Discovering Neurosciences”, on 15th and 22nd March, an online initiative aimed at higher education students that aims to enhance Portuguese research in Neurosciences. One of the main goals of the initiative is to inspire students to pursue careers in the field. Program and registration available here;
• World Sleep Day, marked this year on March 17. In this context, a documentary on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) will be presented at Casa de Cinema de Coimbra, at 9.30 pm. The quiz Dr. Why Portugal is also one of the activities contemplated, with the inclusion of questions about sleep, taking place in various parts of the country between 13 and 19 March. Still within the scope of the theme of sleep, the competition "Sleep is essential for health" and a card game, "SleepID", will be launched. The launch of the game will take place at the Fnac store, at Forum Coimbra, on March 18 at 6 pm;
• The “Healthy Aging Cocktail” will be a public session, in partnership with the MIA (Multidisciplinary Institute for Aging), to discuss aging in an informal context, on the 25th of March at 11am at the Mercado Municipal D. Pedro V.

Brain Awareness Week is an international initiative promoted by the Dana Foundation and the European Federation of Neuroscience Societies (FENS). In Portugal, it is promoted by the Portuguese Society of Neurosciences and by Ciência Viva and also has the support of the Interdisciplinary Research Institute of the University of Coimbra.

For more information about the Brain Awareness Week, you can follow the CNC-UC social networks.

Carolina Caetano