The CNS turns 10 this year and we invited alumni from Neuroscience Boot Camp, Neuroethics Teaching Fellowships, SCAN Graduate Certificate, and Visiting Scholars to celebrate and to discuss what progress we have made in understanding the relation of neuroscience to law, business, the arts, the humanities, and other fields. We [...]
This coming Wed and Thur we will celebrate the official opening of our National Historic Landmark facility dedicated to brain research. As you’ll see from the schedule below, this will be a lively two days of talks and activities, so please swing by for some or all of the program [...]
This is the title of a WHYY report this week, featuring Penn scientists Chuck O’Brien and Daniel Langleben. https://whyy.org/segments/what-makes-addiction-a-disease/ For more on this timely topic, be sure to attend the CNS Public Talk next month by Alan Leshner, former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who coined the phrase [...]
This year’s talk series focuses on drug policy as it has been informed (or not informed, as the case may be!) by neuroscience. Is the “brain to blame” for addicts’ behavior? Is vaping a kinder, gentler substitute for smoking, or a new scourge? Should we take a fresh look at [...]
Martha Farah will be offering her preceptorial, "Brave Neuro World," once again during New Student Orientation (NSO). Preceptorials are non-credit seminars led by faculty and the goal of Preceptorials is learning for learning's sake. Brave Neuro World: How Will Neuroscience Change Life in the 21st Century? Description: New developments in [...]
Adrian Raine and Roy Hamilton, along with grad student Olivia Choy, have just published a study in Journal of Neuroscience entitled "Stimulation of the Prefrontal Cortex Reduces Intentions to Commit Aggression: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Stratified, Parallel-Group Trial.” You can read veteran science writer Sharon Begley’s report here: https://www.statnews.com/2018/07/02/brain-electric-stimulation-violence/ and read the [...]
Julia Pan, one of the outstanding Penn undergrads who participated in our Undergraduate Fellows program last year, has been actively applying her education in neuroscience and cognitive science to real world problems, including in the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office. Read about her exciting work here. To read more about the CNS [...]
Each year, the CNS hosts a half-day retreat for all current and past students in the SCAN program. The 4th Annual SCAN Retreat took place earlier this February. Students and alumni came together for lunch, followed by a series of student presentations in which a few students gave brief overviews of the [...]
Watch for an announcement of a rescheduled visit in the fall!
Reminding you about the exciting talk line-up, and announcing the talk locations! Come hear the best-selling author of NeuroTribes, along with scientists speaking on genetic and environmental effects on brain development and controversies on autism. Click here for more information!
The Association for Psychological Science has named our own Professor Mackey a “Rising Star” for her work on early experience and brain development. You can hear about her fascinating and important work at the final CNS monthly talk this year. The year’s theme is Brain Development and Society - see [...]
CNS Associate Directors, Geoff Aguirre and Stephen Morse, led a fascinating seminar today on Critical Analysis of fMRI. A large gathering of scholars discussed the new paper by Just et al (2017) and its findings in the use of fMRI for prediction of suicide, as well as ethical considerations into [...]
Join the SCAN program team, current students and alumni for an on-campus information session on Monday, December 4. Click here for event details and RSVP link. Visit our SCAN website for more information.
In this new review, published in the journal Neuron, Dr. Farah explains the concept of socioeconomic status and its possible neural and behavioral correlates in the brain. After summarizing the substantial body of work that has shown evidence for associations between SES and brain structure and function, Dr. Farah discusses [...]
Part of NIH’s support for the BRAIN initiative has been devoted to working on the ethical, legal and social implications of neuroscience. For the coming year, they have announced RFA-MH-18-500, aimed at supporting research on the ethics of brain science and neurotechnology, which will be "both complementary and integrative with the [...]
Joe Kable, Caryn Lerman and colleagues report the first randomized, controlled trial test of Lumosity brain training. They found neither improved cognition nor enhanced brain activity. Read their J of Neurosci article here and a good open access write-up at UPI here.
Penn’s own Stephen Morse helped develop a novel method for discriminating criminal acts committed with knowledge versus recklessly, in collaboration with a team from the MacArthur Network on Law and Neuroscience. Read it here: http://www.pnas.org/content/114/12/3222.full
Penn CNS faculty member Jason writes a blog for Forbes magazine – see his essays on aging, dementia, medicine and health policy here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonkarlawish/#1271e9856154
PSYC 557-301 Neuroscience, Ethics & Law, taught by Martha Farah, will explore how the neuroscience of decision-making and emotion impacts our understanding of ethics and the law. PSYC 449-301 Neuroscience for PolicyMakers, taught by Hilary Gerstein, will discuss the neuroscience behind some of the most relevant issues in public science [...]
Penn’s own Mike Kaplan will provide the neuroscience, brilliant jazz guitarist Pat Martino and others the music… According to Mike, Martino had "an impressive career in the sixties and seventies, almost died in 1980 when a hemorrhage necessitated the removal of most of his left temporal lobe. He went on to [...]
CNS Visiting Scholar Anna Wexler explained the phenomenon of DIY brain stimulation in Sunday’s New York Times. Her piece, called “Zapping Their Brains at Home,” also corrected the widespread assumption that DIY users are all foolhardy and reckless, describing the ways in which they have sought guidance from the scientific [...]
The CNS has hosted visitors for periods ranging from a few weeks to a year. Would you like to visit us too? Starting in January of 2017 we will have beautiful new light-filled office space for up to 3 visitors in the National Historic Landmark Goddard Labs building, designed by [...]
In June, the Penn Center for Neuroscience and Society (CNS) and the Penn Center for Interaction of Animals and Society (CIAS) are hosting a two day workshop examining the unique ethical issues that arise in neuroscience research on nonhuman animals. Topics to be discussed include animal models for pain and psychiatric [...]
A neurite is part of a neuron. NeuWrite is a group of serious amateur and professional science writers who work together developing their skills. Penn postdoc Anna Leshinskaya was a member of Boston’s NeuWrite community (http://www.neuwriteboston.org/about) and is bringing the group to Philadelphia. For more information: anna.leshinskaya@gmail.com.
Professor Wes Hutchinson will teach "Consumer Neuroscience" this spring! According to the syllabus, neuroscience and its applications to marketing and the development of brain-enhancing games and tools have undergone "explosive growth" and "been met with both excitement and skepticism." The course will provide an overview of these developments and attempt to "separate 'neuro-reality' from 'neuro-hype'."
In this week's Science, CNS Director Farah points out how little we know about the safety and efficacy of drugs and devices for cognitive enhancement, and asks whether science and policy can catch up with ongoing practice in this area. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/350/6259/379.summary
The Center for Neuroscience and Society at the University of Pennsylvania is Seeking a PhD neuroscientist with teaching experience to join us as a full-time Lecturer and Associate Director of the graduate certificate program in Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN). Details: Teaching load of 2 and 2, including one [...]
The International Neuroethics Society meets in Chicago Oct 15-16. We'll be there! Roy Hamilton, Adam Shriver, Anna Wexler and Rachel Wurzman will be presenting. Martha will be there soaking up all the interesting neuroethics news - check it out! http://www.neuroethicssociety.org/2015-annual-meeting-program
Penn's Department of History and Sociology of Science and Center for Neuroscience & Society are convening a conference on the continuities and discontinuities between contemporary neuroscience and its past, with special attention to the behavioral and social implications of brain science. Full program here. RSVP appreciated: pennbrains2015@gmail.com
See the video here: http://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/events/details/visible-solutions