Activities

Berlin Summerschool 2008
"Psychiatry as a Science: Genetic Neuroimaging"
                      

The 8th Berlin Summerschool took place September 7th-12th 2008 at the Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften and the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Charité Campus Mitte.
Once more, the focus was placed on Neurosciences and the application of genetics and neuroimaging in psychiatric research.
Out of twenty-eight applicants, seventeen young psychiatrists and psychologists from different European countries (United Kingdom, Germany, Serbia, Czech Republic, Romania, Montenegro, Russia, and Georgia) and the US were invited.
 For one week, the participants had the opportunity to enhance their research skills and knowledge under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Andreas Ströhle, Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinz, Prof. Dr. Hanfried Helmchen, and Prof. Dr. Norman Sartorius.
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Gallinat and the mathematician and statistician Walter Gulbinat could also be enlisted as additional speakers.
During the morning sessions, intense training of scientific skills necessary for a successful career in research took place, comprising the critical lecture and analysis of scientific publications with regard to methodical aspects, the writing of manuscripts, and the presentation of data and results as well as talks or posters. Past and current projects of each participant were presented and discussed.

For the afternoon sessions, participants split up into small groups and had the chance to broaden and deepen their knowledge and skills in workshops on Genetics, Neuropsychology, or fMRI Data Analysis, conducted by Prof. Dr. Imke Puls, Dr. Philipp Sterzer, Dr. Michael Rapp and Dr. Sandra Dick. An additional workshop on Animal Models, which took place for the first time, was directed by PD Dr. Joachim Behr and Dr. Christine Winter.
These week-long workshops with intensive, hands-on work on a topic of choice and in small constant groups were considered particularly helpful and inspiring by the participants. The overall-evaluation was positive, complimenting on the opportunity to exchange work and research experiences with colleagues from different countries and the high practical orientation of the workshops.
The Berlin Summerschool is part of the EU-funded IMAGEN project which fosters the investigation of risk taking behaviours in adolescents and biological and environmental factors that determine mental health and illness.

For further information please contact
Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Ströhle
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte
Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49- 30 - 450 - 517034; mail: andras.stroehle@charite.de