We are delighted to present our new brochure on latest scientific advances of the Human Brain Project (HBP).

From 22-25 February 2022, the 6th HBP Student Conference on Interdisciplinary Brain Research provided an inspiring open forum for collaboration among early-career researchers working in brain and brain-related research. 115 young scientists from 26 countries joined the second virtual edition of the HBP Student Conference and participated in a versatile scientific and social programme. With 79 % of participants coming from outside the HBP, the #HBPSC2022 proved to be a truly open and inclusive encounter and an important moment for young researchers to get together and exchange new ideas.

Scientists around HBP researcher Paolo Carloni from HBP partner Forschungszentrum Jülich show how genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor changes its structure and function. Their findings have implications for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder. They were recently published in the renowned journal Molecular Psychiatry.

The AI ethics research field is growing rapidly. So is the number of guidelines issued to provide operational recommendations to manage the ethical issues raised by AI design, development and implementation. In a recent Neuroethics publication, Michele Farisco, Kathinka Evers and Arleen Salles suggest some of the applied issues covered by these guidelines can in fact be properly assessed only on the basis of a preliminary conceptual analysis. And that embracing neuroethical methodology can help tackle the practical ethical challenges of AI.

A paper recently published in Neuron outlines three main obstacles to teaching students how to code. The Human Brain Project is proud to offer coding courses to young researchers through its Education programme.

The HBP has launched a High Potential Mentoring Programme for Early Career Stage Scientists and Managers of Science, developed by the Diversity and Equal Opportunities Committee (DEOC). Based on its overall success, the Mentoring Programme for early career stage scientists, researchers and managers of science is carried out one last time in the HBP.

A system developed by Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch at HBP partners EPFL and CHUV now enables patients with a complete spinal cord injury to stand, walk and even perform recreational activities like swimming, cycling and canoeing. An important element for the success is a digital atlas of the human spinal cord. It contains computational models of the neural circuitry in the spinal cord that were created by the team around Courtine within the Human Brain Project. The atlas has now been presented as part of a larger article about the approach in the latest edition of Nature Medicine.

HBP Scientific Director Prof. Katrin Amunts has received the Hector Science Award 2021. The prestigious prize of 150,000 Euro honours professors from German universities and research institutions for outstanding research achievements, dedication to the education and support of young scientists and contributions to advancing their disciplines and institutions. The award was presented during a virtual award ceremony on 28 January.

The first computer that combines High-Performance and Quantum Computing was inaugurated in Jülich, Germany on 17 January. Its new capabilities will be available to neuroscientists via the Human Brain Project’s FENIX computing infrastructure.

A look back at some of the best Human Brain Project images from 2021.