Science and Infrastructure Advisory Board
The Science and Infrastructure Advisory Board (SIAB) is an independent body that advises the HBP on all issues of scientific, technical and clinical importance for the aim and objectives of the HBP. This includes the HBP’s strategy and planning activities, promoting the optimal use of the research platforms and infrastructure facilities, and issues related to cooperation with other research institutions and initiatives. As building a sustainable Research Infrastructure for Brain Research is at the centre of the HBP, the SIAB also advises on the development of the research infrastructure EBRAINS, user engagement and embedding HBP in the international neuroscience landscape.
Gitte Moos Knudsen (SIAB Chair), Dept. Neurology and Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital
Field of Expertise: Translational Neurobiology, Clinical Neurobiology, neuroimaging
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
To resolve the complexities of the human brain, many brilliant scientists with different research fields need to work together. Particularly with such a large European Flagship programme as the HBP which spans over many excellent programs, research leadership and management is key. With the SIAB, my experience from different European funding programs has been taken to the next level – and the work with my many brilliant colleagues in the SIAB has been a truly rewarding experience.
Rosanne Edelenbosch, Rathenau Institute, The Hague
Field of Expertise: Science and Technology Studies, Responsible Research and Innovation, with a focus on medicine and neuroscience
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
At the Rathenau Institute, I do research and organize discussion to support public and political opinion forming on social aspects of science and technology. My work aims to better align innovation with societal needs and public values, and this is the perspective I bring to the Board.
Giacomo Indiveri, Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Field of Expertise: Neuromorphic Engineering, Computational Neuroscience, Spike-based Learning, Mixed-signal analog/digital electronic circuits
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
As a researcher interested in understanding biological neural processing systems by building realistic hardware "emulations" of them, I have always been intrigued by the approaches that the Human Brain Project chose to pursue. Being a SIAB member is a great opportunity to get a first-hand broad overview of the HBP neuromorphic computing approaches and of all its other fascinating activities.
Mark Parsons, Director of EPCC and Associate Dean for e-Research
Field of Expertise: HPC, highly distributed data intensive computing and novel hardware design.
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
The Human Brain Project has always fascinated me. My world of HPC is building ever more powerful supercomputers but as we approach the Exascale its clearer than ever before that the processing the human brain is capable of is completely different to that of a modern supercomputer. Exascale supercomputers will have millions of powerful cores and consume as much as 30MW of power and yet this still cannot simulate a human brain. How nature has evolved the “computer” each of us has to be so power efficient and, for many tasks, effective, fascinates me.
Carlo Rizzuto, Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium, Trieste
Field of Expertise: Low temperature Physics, superconductivity, magnetism and Material Sciences, European research Infrastructures
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
I am happy to be able to contribute in advising on the setting-up of the HBP's Research Infrastructure project. I have been involved in setting-up ESFRI and a number of open access Research infrastructures, and this one is definitely a very attractive and important challenge.
Kathleen Rockland, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine
Field of Expertise: Neuroscience, Cortical microstructure and connectional networks, Axonal topologies
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
I am enthusiastic about representing cellular neuroanatomy and connectivity within HBP. I am eager to join in bringing together national and international initiatives, as these work to open new inter-disciplinary avenues of investigation and cooperation, bridging across species (e.g., rodent and primate) and between biological and non-biological domains
Barbara Sahakian, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Medical Research Council
Field of Expertise: cognitive psychopharmacology, clinical neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry, neuroimaging, neuroethics
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
Based at the University of Cambridge Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, I conduct research in the fields of psychopharmacology, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry, neuroimaging and neuroethics. I am also a Fellow of the British Academy and the Academy of Medical Sciences and have an interest in neuroscience and mental health policy. The Human Brain Project is an exciting Project, as understanding the brain in health and disease is essential for better brain health and wellbeing for the individual, and for promoting a flourishing Society for everybody. As a member of the SIAB, I am able to contribute by advising on all aspects of the innovative and important HBP and also on the novel research infrastructure EBRAINS.
Wolf Singer, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt
Field of Expertise: Neurophysiology, System Neuroscience, Cognition
Cathrin Stöver, Co-chair of the EOSC Executive Board, GÉANT Representative
Field of Expertise: network connectivity and access, global R&E collaboration, Marketing Communications
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
The Human Brain Project is one of the most prestigious projects in the European Union and with added value beyond Europe. Projects, such as the HBP, consistently drive us to improving our digital infrastructures and optimising our support to science and innovation. It is a great honour to serve this initiative for the infrastructure and data management community, as it is a concrete realization of the EOSC project mission, to turn the research data from information to knowledge, to do better science. Open Science, data management, and FAIR in action, via good implementation will open a new era for research and research result dissemination.
One of GÉANT’s organisational values is community. We collaborate with our partners around the world proofing every day that science has no borders. I am very glad to be able to bring this mission and experience to the HBP community.
Arthur Toga, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California
Field of Expertise: Neuroimaging, Computer Science, Visualisation, Neurology
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
The opportunity to participate in one of the most ambitious and important programs in neuroscience is an honor and privilege. I deeply appreciate the progress and contributions this program offers to scientists around the world and look forward to seeing more.
Christoph von der Malsburg, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies
Field of Expertise: Physics and Neuroscience, Neural Networks, Computer Vision
Personal statement/ motivation for being a SIAB member:
The function of the brain is my entire life's focus. If I can help in any way to make progress on this front I'm ready to invest time and effort.
