Research School for Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN)

Since 1987 the Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN) represents and coordinates the (interfaculty) neuroscience research of the University of Groningen. Its interdisciplinary research activities are performed at five different faculties: the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FWN), the Faculty of Medical Sciences/University Medical Center Groningen (FMW/UMCG), the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences (GMW), the Faculty of Philosophy (FW) and the Faculty of Arts (LET). The Research School BCN stimulates the integration of fundamental research and education addressing the neurobiological basis of behavioural and cognitive events. BCN researchers study the physiological and pathological processes of the nervous system using cellular, behavioural and modelling techniques. The research relates specifications of brain activity at molecular/cellular levels to analysis of physical and mental operations, up to the complex level of information processing. The questions that BCN researchers have set out to resolve are of crucial importance to our understanding of how the central nervous system regulates behaviour and cognition. BCN seeks to clarify in what way control systems are organized at different levels of behavioural processing, how these mechanisms affect neural circuits by changing local parameters (neurotransmission), and how the characteristics of behavioural control are affected under pathological conditions. The Research School BCN offers excellent master and PhD students a stimulating environment and an integrated programme of education, research training and research projects both at master and PhD level. Although research groups within BCN address basic neuroscience questions from different points of view, their common goal is to unravel the regulation of mental and physical behaviour by the central nervous system in a multidisciplinary approach. Our mission is to bring together behavioural, cognitive and neuroscience research at levels ranging from the molecular or cellular perspective up to the information processing and complex behaviour. The Research School BCN provides an international, interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Master that is hosted at the Graduate School of Sciences at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FWN) and trains students for a scientific carreer in Behavioural-, Cognitive- and Neurosciences. The BCN office organises a high quality, interfaculty neuroscience PhD training programme and organises master classes, lectures, symposia and publications, as well as educational activities aimed at the general public. The Research School BCN is the significant driving force of the Groningen neuroscience community. All in all BCN nurtures an inspired and well organized neuroscience community in Groningen that is well recognized in the Netherlands.