Neuroscience Society of Nepal (NSN), with support of Kathmandu Center for Genomics and Research Laboratory (KCGRL) and Neurology Association of Nepal (NAN), organized the Neuroscience-Neurology Symposium (NeuroSymposium -2017) on 13th October, 2017. The purpose of the symposium were following:
1. Create a platform to bring together neuroscientists and neurologists and encourage collaboration on fundamental neuroscience research
2. Foster collaboration with neuroscientists outside Nepal
3. Explore possibilities to apply to the fourth grant competition of the Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Program, an Initiative funded by IDRC, The Canadians Institute of Health Research, the Israel Science Foundation and the Azrieli Foundation.
4. Start envisioning an academic system to support Nepalese scientists to establish their research labs in Nepal
Three Neuroscientists—Dr Sunil Dhungel, (President, NSN) Dr Ajaya Jung Kunwar (KCGRL Neuroscience Lab Head) and Dr Sujay Neupane (Recent Mc Gill Univeristy Graduate)—presented their research finding in the first half of symposium. Dr Sunil Dhungel presentation was focused on neuroendocrine regulations of social behavior based on rodent model. How different components of olfactory system such as vomeronasal organ, olfactory epithelium, preoptic area, medial amygdyla with the involvement of neuropeptide such as oxytocin are participating in social behavior based olfactory cue will be discussed. In second part, he presented the state of neuroscience and neurology in the context of Nepal and recent activities of Neuroscience Society of Nepal (NSN). Dr Ajaya presented Basic research findings related to Alzheimer’s disease (rodent model). Dr Sujay presented on topic “Neurophysiology research on visual perception during eye movement in primates”
After the lunch break, key note lecture was delivered by Prof. Daniel Guitton, PhD (McGill University, Canada) on Basic neuroscience research using neurology lesion patients as model.
Three Neurologists—Professor Dr Basant Pant (Neuro surgeon), Annapurna Neurological Hospital , Dr. Rima Rajbhandari, Department of Neurology Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Dr. Krishna Dhungana, Nepal Academy of Medical Sciences— presented their works and research findings in the symposium.
Finally in participatory discussion session, audience were divided into three groups. Each group picked one or more of the following questions. After 20 minutes of discussion, a representative of each group summarized the main points of their discussion.
1. If there was enough research funding in Nepal, what kind of funding model should the government adopt to fund basic and clinical research?
2. Think of a research project. How could your project benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration with an engineer/mathematician/neuroscientist/neurologist/etc?
3. How would you teach research methods to the next generation of clinicians and/or scientists in Nepal?
General Secretary of NAN, Dr Rabindra Shrestha, Prof. Dr Krishna Prasad Oli (Head, Neurology Dept., Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu) discussed and agreed the future possibility and joint research program between Neuroscientists and Neurologists of Nepal. The Symposium was held in auditorium of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and around 75 participants attended the symposium and received certificate of attendance. All financial and logistic supports were provided by NSN.
