Coordination of the National Neuroscience Center at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio

The National Neurocenter Finland receives financial support from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. The goal is to build more effective social and health services, as well as scientific and commercial success. One of our FinnHealth specialists, Mikael von und zu Fraunberg, MD, PhD, Neurosurgeon, Adjunct Professor, is the director of the National Neuroscience Center. The total funding of these Ministries is 1,9 million €. The National Neuroscience Center gathers Finland's neuroscience research into an impressive entity.

In order for Finland to maintain its position at the forefront of the development of neuroscience and to find solutions to the growing challenges of brain disease, it is important to establish a strong and clearly organized neural expertise center in Finland. The Ministry of Education and Culture has granted the University of Eastern Finland a special grant for the preparation, coordination and start-up of the National Neuroscience Center. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy are also committed to funding the preparatory work.

The Neurocenter Finland has created six pilot projects concerning clinical research and treatment and also the preparation of the Neurocenter Finland activity concept. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has granted 900,000 € for this purpose.

The pilots promote the treatment of several brain diseases:

• the development of diagnosis and monitoring of cerebral hemorrhage
• translational piloting of the genetic risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease
• Biobank of national brain imaging
• are neurological diseases in Finland (Huntington’s disease and genetic motor neuron diseases)
• clinical, molecular genetic and translational adaptions of brain tumours
• from the cause of multiple sclerosis to the development of treatment possibilities

Neuroscience research in Finland is highly advanced and on par with international standards. However, the opportunities it offers are partially untapped. This is due to, among other things, the fragmentation of the research field. In order for Finland to maintain its position at the forefront of neuroscience development, Finland’s fragmented expertise in neuroscience must be utilized centrally and efficiently.

The establishment of the Neurocenter Finland aims to accelerate national and international research collaboration in the field of neuroscience, to connect research with practical patient care as well as with social and health innovations, and to promote new, brain health-related growth companies.

Neurocenter Finland aims to maintain comprehensive and up-to-date information online on research projects, infrastructure, methods, materials and innovations from Finland. Its activities are expected to contribute to research in the field and strengthen Finland’s competitiveness.

ERDF funding for the piloting of the Neurocenter operating models was confirmed

Developing the Neurocenter into a Knowledge Center for the Northern Savo Region project has received ERDF funding of EUR 0.65 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

The regional expertise center for neuroscience in the project will act as a pilot for nationally implemented operating models. The project will create structures to enhance the use of existing data resources, business cooperation and the development of innovation services.

In addition, a data bank containing information on neuroscience experts, methods and infrastructures will be established. There is a natural knowledge-based division of labor between the University of Eastern Finland, Savonia University of Applied Sciences and the University Hospital of Kuopio, which supports the strengthening of regional cooperation also in the long term.

- Support from the European Regional Development Fund will accelerate the strengthening of the entire Northern Savo health care center at national and international level, says Mikael von und zu Fraunberg, Director of the National Neuroscience Center.

Coordination of the National Neuroscience Center is addressed to the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio. The operation started early this year. The national coordination and pilot projects in different cities have been funded with EUR 1.9 million from various ministries.

More information about the Neurocenter:
https://neurocenterfinland.fi/en/
@NeurocenterFI