The researcher Isadora Cristina Ribeiro, from CEPID BRAINN, received the Young Researcher Award 2026 at the Congress on Brain, Behavior and Emotions, which took place from June 3 to 6 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The work presented by Isadora is titled “Brain functional connectivity is modulated by resistance training and is associated with blood biomarkers in mild cognitive impairment“, and evaluated whether there are differences in brain functional connectivity after resistance exercise in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, as well as whether there is a correlation between functional connectivity of brain networks and plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease.

Click the images to enlarge

The study, in addition to the Young Researcher Award, also received an honorable mention at the same event.

Visit the link below for more information about this line of studies by the researcher.

See also

FAPESP: Musculação protege o cérebro de idosos contra demência, sugere estudo

About the Award

The Young Researcher Award is an initiative of the Congress on Brain, Behavior and Emotions to promote and recognize the scientific production of new talents in the fields of neuroscience and mental health. At each edition, the event awards the papers and abstracts that receive the highest scores during the scientific evaluation.

See also

Aluna do BRAINN ganha prêmio no Congress on Brain, Behavior and Emotions 2024

On August 5th, 2025, the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and BRAINN, Brazil, hosted the scientific lecture “The genotype-phenotype association of epilepsy-associated brain lesions: the 2025 update”, delivered by Professor Ingmar Blümcke, MD, from Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Germany.

The presentation focused on the complexities involved in establishing clear genotype-phenotype correlations in epilepsy-associated brain lesions. Professor Blümcke emphasized that, in certain types of brain lesions, defining such relationships remains a major scientific and clinical challenge. This limitation highlights the ongoing need to continuously revise diagnostic classifications and clinical protocols, in parallel with the evolution of genetic research.

Throughout the lecture, recent findings were presented that support the relevance of integrating histopathological and genetic data to improve diagnostic precision.

The event contributed significantly to the academic environment by promoting discussion on the advances in epilepsy research and reinforcing the role of updated classification systems in enhancing patient care and research strategies.

Between 31 July and 3 August 2025, Campinas hosted the 15th edition of the International School of Neuropathology and Neuroimaging in Epilepsy (INES 2025), an initiative organized by the International Society of Neuropathology (ISN) in partnership with the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), and supported by CEPID BRAINN. The event aimed to provide advanced training for researchers and healthcare professionals in neuropathology, neuroimaging and neurosurgery applied to the diagnosis and treatment of focal epilepsy.

Program and practical activities

Activities took place at Unicamp’s Casa do Professor Visitante (CPV) and in the Neuroanatomy and Neuroimaging Laboratories, combining theoretical lectures, clinical case discussions and hands‑on sessions. The course brought together participants from a range of countries, including Brazil, Germany, Austria, Mexico, Honduras, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Canada, Colombia, India, Venezuela, Chile and the Dominican Republic, reinforcing the international character of the initiative and expanding the network of scientific collaboration among institutions across continents.

The scientific program was structured to cover fundamental concepts and recent advances related to the recognition, classification and characterization of brain lesions associated with focal epilepsy. Activities emphasized the integration of neuropathology, neuroimaging and neurosurgery, enabling participants to appreciate the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for accurate diagnosis and individualized therapeutic planning.

International collaborations

In addition to lectures delivered by specialists from Brazil, Germany and Austria, the course included practical sessions on magnetic resonance imaging interpretation, demonstrations of neuroanatomy applied to surgical access routes and training in the neuropathological assessment of surgical specimens. Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of samples allowed participants to correlate clinical, radiological and histopathological findings, strengthening understanding of the mechanisms involved in epileptogenesis and their relevance for clinical decision‑making.

A highlight was the participation of Prof. Ingmar Blümcke of Friedrich‑Alexander Universität Erlangen‑Nürnberg (Germany), an international authority in epilepsy neuropathology. His presence made a significant contribution to the scientific update of participants and to the reinforcement of international collaborations already established with Unicamp research groups.

After the course concluded, the researcher also delivered the lecture “The genotype‑phenotype association of epilepsy‑associated brain lesions: the 2025 update” at the Hospital de Clínicas of Unicamp to approximately 40 professionals, including physicians, residents and other healthcare staff, thereby extending the reach of the knowledge‑dissemination activities promoted during his visit.

A scientifically and academically impactful event

Compared with previous editions, INES 2025 substantially increased the number of hours devoted to practical activities, especially those related to neuroanatomy demonstrations, surgical approach planning and neuropathological evaluation of surgical specimens. These activities reinforced the importance of integration among different specialties for the diagnosis and treatment of focal epilepsy, and highlighted the role of interdisciplinary communication in the development of translational research.

In this context, the event also helped to showcase internationally the research model developed at Unicamp and CEPID BRAINN, characterized by efficient integration among neuroimaging, neurosurgery, neuropathology, neurogenetics and clinical research. Interaction among faculty, researchers and participants fostered discussion of clinical cases and research projects, promoted exchange of experiences and encouraged the establishment of new scientific collaborations.

The course’s formative impact was widely acknowledged by participants. In anonymous evaluations conducted at the end of the event, many students emphasized the opportunity to learn directly from international experts and the relevance of the content for their academic and professional activities. Reports indicated that the knowledge gained has direct application in research projects and clinical practice, particularly in the areas of imaging diagnostics, neuropathology and surgical treatment of epilepsy. The practical sessions in neuroanatomy and neuroimaging were especially valued by participants, who highlighted the quality of the available infrastructure and the opportunity to correlate theoretical concepts with real‑world situations encountered in care and research.

Results from the satisfaction survey conducted by the ILAE showed a high level of approval for the event, with more than 90% of participants rating the experience as extremely positive and indicating that their expectations were met or exceeded.

Thus, INES 2025 consolidated itself as an important initiative for human resource training, internationalization and dissemination of scientific knowledge, contributing to the capacity building of professionals and researchers from different countries and strengthening the role of CEPID BRAINN and Unicamp as centers of excellence in research, teaching and innovation in the field of epilepsies.

On November 11, 2024, the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) hosted the workshop “Single-Cell Omic Fusion: Navigating Spatial Omics in Biomedical Research,” a landmark event for disseminating and exchanging expertise on single-cell and spatial technologies in Brazil. Organized by Dr. Iscia Lopes-Cendes (UNICAMP – Campinas, Brazil) and PhD candidate Jaqueline Geraldis  (UNICAMP – Campinas, Brazil), the workshop brought together experts and students to explore the impact of these innovative approaches on biomedical research.

Launch of Single-Cell and Spatial Omics Brazil

Beyond expanding technical know-how, the workshop marked the official launch of Single-Cell and Spatial Omics Brazil, a scientific community dedicated to fostering collaboration and advancing the field nationwide. With crucial support from the Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN) and UNICAMP, and sponsorship from Illumina, the program featured inspiring talks from renowned specialists such as:

• Dr. Danielle Bruno (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Dublin, Ireland)
• Dr. Sergio Espinola (European Molecular Biology Laboratory – Heidelberg, Germany)
• Dr. Adriana Paes Leme (National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) – Campinas, Brazil)

The participants highlighted the workshop’s impact in promoting productive discussions across all stages of cell-based assays, from sample preparation to data analysis. This exchange of experiences was fundamental for strengthening the scientific network, which pledges to maintain dialogue and expand collaborative initiatives.

We are thrilled by the success of this inaugural meeting and are already planning new events for 2025, aiming to establish Single-Cell and Spatial Omics Brazil as a reference in the field. If you couldn’t join us this time, we invite you to participate in upcoming opportunities and contribute to the evolution of science in Brazil!

Get in touch with us via the link below:

The tenth edition of the BRAINN Congress was celebrated in 2024, held from April 3rd to 5th, 2024, in the auditoriums of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). The event was organized by the Brazilian Research Institute on Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN), a Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Center (RICD) at FAPESP.

This year, more than 180 researchers, students, and attendees participated in the event, which featured 123 submitted works. These works will be published in the Journal of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology.

International scientists lectured throughout the 3-day event. Dr. Mariana Bento, an assistant professor at the Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, discussed the use of machine learning to improve brain imaging. Dr. Matthias Van Osch, a professor of experimental cerebrovascular imaging at Leiden University in the Netherlands, presented non-invasive strategies for obtaining brain images. From Brazil, Dr. Daniel Papoti, an adjunct professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Federal University of ABC, lectured on radiofrequency coil technologies for brain imaging.

Also participating in the event were BRAINN researchers Dr. Fernando Cendes, Dr. Gabriela Castellano, Dr. Iscia Lopes-Cendes, and Dr. Lília Freire Li, with lectures on various topics in neuroscience. The presentations explored topics ranging from the panorama of genetic research in epilepsy over the past 30 years (Iscia) to brain changes post-rehabilitation training (Gabriela) and the challenges and controversies in classroom learning (Lília).

Awards

Each edition, the Congress awards students and researchers with the Best Paper Awards, in the categories “Oral Presentations” and “Poster Presentations”. Check out the list of winners of the 10th edition below:

Oral Session Winners

Undergraduate:

• Mariana L. Han (Faculdade de Medicina da USP) – Insights into Post-COVID Anosmia: unraveling neural alterations through 7T MRI and DTI analysis of olfactory pathways
• Vitor A. Oya (UNICAMP) – Seed-based functional connectivity changes in elderly subjects playing serious games

Master’s:

• Rodrigo M. C. Carvalho (Federal University of ABC) – A Novel Method to Investigate Neurodevelopment Using Ising Temperature and Graph Neural Networks

Doctorate:

• Rafael Batista João (UNICAMP) – Comparisons between traditional and brief, and ultra-brief anxiety and depression inventories in people with epilepsy

Post-Doctorate:

• Gabriel Chaves de Melo (UNICAMP) – Timing Investigation of EEG Functional Connectivity Changes During a Motor Imagery Task

Poster Session Winners

Undergraduate:

• Lucas F. Teodosio (Unicamp) – Analysis of the Neural Correlates of Problem Solving in Physics Measured with Functional Near-Infrared
• Thierry K. Alves Silva Souza (Unicamp) – Hypothalamic Changes and Post-COVID Symptoms

Master’s:

• Caetano Ternes Coimbra (UNICAMP) – Exploring the relationship between physiological and inertial characteristics in induced tremor events

Doctorate:

• Ricardo Brioschi (Unicamp) – Persistent seizures modify supra and infratentorial Gray Matter in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy

Post-Doctorate:

• Kauê T. N. Duarte (University of Calgary) – Exploratory Prenatal Alcohol Exposure classification in infants using brain MR: 3D Convolutional Neural Networks assisted by Data Augmentation

The 10th BRAINN Congress, an annual event on neuroscience organized by the RIDC BRAINN, a research center supported by FAPESP, will be held from April 3rd to April 5th on the premises of UNICAMP in Campinas, Brazil.

Speakers

In this edition, we will have the participation of invited professors Matthias van Osch – Leiden University (Netherlands) – and Afonso Costa e Silva – University of Pittsburgh (United States). Dr. Afonso will deliver the lecture “Generation, Characterization, and Validation of Marmoset Models of Alzheimer’s Disease.” Also confirmed is the presence of Mariana Bento, Assistant Professor at the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary in Canada.

Among the RIDC BRAINN researchers, we will have lectures from:

• Fernando Cendes (Neuroimaging/FCM/Unicamp) – Chief Researcher
• Gabriela Castellano(IFGW/Unicamp) – Education and Outreach Coordinator
• Iscia Lopes-Cendes (Medical Genetics/FCM/Unicamp) – Principal Researcher
• Lília Li (CIPED/FCM/Unicamp) – Principal Researcher

Paper Submission

The paper submission is open until February 25th. Papers accepted by the organizing committee will be published in JECN (Journal of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology), ISSN 1676-2649.

More Information

For further information about the event, complete program, fees, updated deadlines, and rules for paper submission, please visit the website https://www.brainncongress.com/10-congresso-cepid-brainn/.

Questions can be sent to contact@brainncongress.com or via the form on the Congress website.

Text and Photos: Camila Delmondes. Originally published on the FCM Unicamp portal.
July 20, 2023

The International Society of Neuropathology (ISN), in association with the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the support of the Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (CEPID BRAINN), promoted the 12th International Summer School on Neuropathology and Neuroimaging in Epilepsy (INES 2023) from July 19 to 22 in Campinas, Brazil. The event took place at the Casa do Professor Visitante (CPV) at Unicamp and brought together postgraduate students, neurologists, and pathologists from Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Bolivia, Honduras, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.

Researchers from different countries gathered in Campinas for training in neuropathology and neuroimaging, aiming at the diagnosis and treatment of focal epilepsy / Photo: Camila Delmondes

The course focuses on the recognition and classification of brain lesions, integrating skills and knowledge from the fields of neuropathology and neuroimaging to provide a detailed diagnosis for the successful management of focal epilepsy. Over four days, participants engaged in practical activities for the interpretation of brain images obtained through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and attended lectures by renowned specialists from Brazil and Germany.

Neuropathologist from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany), Ingmar Blümcke, on his fourth visit to Brazil. “Based on the analysis of brain tissue extracted by the neurosurgeon, the pathologist raises some hypotheses and cross-references the information with clinical data. With a more accurate diagnosis of brain lesions, it is possible to make the treatment of patients more efficient,” he explained during the INES 2019 edition, also held in Campinas / Photo: Camila Delmondes

Neurologist Fernando Cendes – the lead researcher of CEPID BRAINN, head of the Department of Neurology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) of Unicamp, and host of the event, along with Fábio Rogério, a professor in the Department of Pathology at FCM -, explained that compared to previous editions, INES 2023 places more emphasis on neuroimaging, aiming not only to discuss advances in research in this field but also to provide a moment of practical immersion.

A global reference in epilepsy-related studies, Fernando Cendes discussed the advances of the international scientific community in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease in recent years through events like INES, which aim to disseminate knowledge, especially among young researchers.

Neurologist Fernando Cendes is a professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Unicamp, BRAINN researcher and a global reference in epilepsy studies / Photo: Camila Delmondes

“The advances have been incremental. In recent years, we have had a new revision of the international classification of epilepsies, including pathologies that were previously not understood or diagnosed; we made progress in the field of genetics, identifying molecular markers for a more accurate diagnosis of epilepsy; and we reached a consensus in the international scientific community regarding the terminologies used, so now we speak the same language in various parts of the world [when it comes to epilepsy and its scientific findings in general]”, said Dr. Cendes.

As guests in the program, sharing their expertise, were present the professors Ingmar Blümcke, Roland Coras, and Stefan Rampp from Germany; Enrico Ghizoni, Helder Tedeschi, Clarissa Lin Yasuda, Iscia Lopes-Cendes, Fábio Rogério, Simoni Avansini, Marcus Vinicius Giglio, and Marina Alvim from Brazil.

EVENT PHOTOS

Click to enlarge.

August 15th 2019  | originally published at FCM Unicamp

In his third visit to Unicamp, researcher Ingmar Blümcke, from Friedrish-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), said he was impressed by the receptivity and quality of Brazilian researchers. “Professor Fernando Cendes’s group is one of the strongest in the world regarding epilepsy studies. Unicamp is very strong in this area. Some of the students are here for the second time to attend the lectures”, commented Blümcke.

During the event, Blümcke stated that the field of neuropathology – in which he is a specialist – has contributed to the advancement of treatments for various brain tumors, and that it can also make a significant contribution to the treatment of epilepsy. “A pathologist can raise some hypotheses by analyzing brain tissue extracted by a neurosurgeon, and then cross the information with available clinical data. Thus, with a more accurate diagnosis of brain injuries, it is possible to make the treatment of patients more efficient”.

“There has always been a demand to integrate neuropathological and neuroimaging findings, and that was something we were able to bring into INES 2019. Previous editions focused more on pathological findings, even though we also discussed imaging. We now have a more practical approach that allows us to integrate both concepts. I think this is a trend that will continue for the next few years”, said Fábio Rogério, Professor at FCM´s Department of Pathological Anatomy.

The researcher adds that, for both research and diagnosis, multidisciplinarity is here to stay. “For diagnosis, it is essential to correlate imaging data with the information that will be seen in the analysis of tissue taken from the patient after surgery. The integration between different areas and disciplines is also fundamental for us to develop new research strategies”, commented the neuropathologist.

INES 2019

The course was supported by the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp), The International Society of Neuropathology, Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (Brainn), the International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the Friedrish-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg.

The abstract submission site for the 2019 AES Annual Meeting is now open! This year’s meeting will be held in Baltimore, MD from December 6-10.

Submission Deadline: The deadline for electronic submission of abstracts is Monday, June 3, at 11:59 PM ET. Abstracts submitted on or before June 3 will be subject to a non-refundable processing fee of $50 for AES members and $75 for non-members. Responses will be emailed in August.

Meeting Registration: If your abstract is accepted, you must register for the meeting. The early bird registration deadline is October 15, 2019.

For more details on the submission process or to submit your abstract, visit the AES Annual Meeting website.

December 22nd, 2016

The 4th BRAINN Congress will be held on March 27-29, 2017, at the Auditório 5 of UNICAMP´s School of Medical Sciences, in Campinas, São Paulo.

Presentation projects can be submitted until February 16th, 2017. The accepted papers will be published in the Journal of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology.

The full program for the event and additional informational can be foud at the official website: http://brainncongress.wixsite.com/2017.