Global Teams to Take On Major Brain Issues at BrainTech 2015 in Tel Aviv

TEL AVIV, Israel, February 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Israel Brain Technologies (IBT) and the Allen Institute for Brain Science have issued a joint call for attendees at the BrainTech 2015 Conference from a variety of disciplines to register for the IBT-Allen Institute Brain Challenge. 

The aim of the Brain Challenge is to tackle major brain-related issues through a multidisciplinary, collaborative and translational approach. Registrants will be divided into ten teams of three to five experts with either technology or academic backgrounds.

The teams will be tasked with developing a unique proposal for designing a new translational approach to a major global challenge in human brain disorders. Suggested target areas include Autism Spectrum Disorders and Dementia. Proposals must apply Allen Institute tools and technologies, including human gene expression datasets. Members of the winning team will have the opportunity to undertake an internship at the Allen Institute in Seattle. For commercially viable proposals, IBT will facilitate introductions to Israeli investors who may be interested in further developing the proposal. To register for the challenge, please go to: http://conference.israelbrain.org/ibt-allen-institute-challenge/.

"The challenge is the first of many initiatives that we hope will stimulate the growth of a great partnership between our Institute and Israel's growing neurotechnology sector," said Allan Jones, CEO of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. "Brain-related illnesses are a global problem. Global problems need global solutions, and this team collaboration represents just such a partnership."

Teams will be selected a few days prior to the BrainTech 2015 conference, which is taking place March 11^th-12^th in Tel Aviv.

"It is an honor to be joining forces with a neuroscience institution as prestigious as the Allen Institute," said Miri Polachek, Executive Director of IBT. "Israel's brain-tech ecosystem is ripe for international collaboration and we anticipate groundbreaking innovation to come out of this Challenge, potentially helping millions around the world."

Team proposals are due March 30, 2015. Winners will be announced on May 30, 2015.

Additionally, on March 10, 2015 the Allen Institute will conduct a hands-on training workshop at the BrainTech 2015 Conference on its Allen Brain Atlas tools. An Allen Institute representative will be available throughout the conference to coach Challenge Participants in using the Allen Brain Atlas resources.

About Israel Brain Technologies   

Israel Brain Technologies (IBT) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance Israel's neurotechnology industry by accelerating neuro-innovation and fostering international collaboration. IBT is based on the vision of former Israeli President Shimon Peres of turning Israel into a global hub of brain technology - from "Startup Nation" to "Brain Nation." 

IBT's international BrainTech Conference brings together thought-leaders from around the world to advance neuroscience and neurotechnology - entrepreneurs, neuroscientists, clinicians, investors, startups, multinationals and policymakers. 

IBT is led by a team of technology entrepreneurs and life science professionals and is advised by renowned academic, industry and public sector representatives.

About the Allen Institute for Brain Science 

The Allen Institute for Brain Science (http://www.alleninstitute.org) is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit medical research organization dedicated to accelerating the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease. Using a big science approach, the Allen Institute generates useful public resources used by researchers and organizations around the globe, drives technological and analytical advances, and discovers fundamental brain properties through integration of experiments, modeling and theory. Launched in 2003 with a seed contribution from founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, the Allen Institute is supported by a diversity of government, foundation and private funds to enable its projects. Given the Institute's achievements, Mr. Allen committed an additional $300 million in 2012 for the first four years of a ten-year plan to further propel and expand the Institute's scientific programs, bringing his total commitment to date to $500 million. The Allen Institute's data and tools are publicly available online at http://www.brain-map.org.

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SOURCE Israel Brain Technologies (IBT)