WP10 - Genetic neuroimaging training and dissemination

The aim of the WP10 is to provide young psychiatrists from all over Europe with the necessary tools, knowledge and consultation in the rapidly evolving field of imaging genetics and to provide special assistance for gifted researchers from locations in which larger imaging and genetic groups do not exist. Therefore special emphasis will be placed on using the internet with online support and consultation to develop a European network of genetic imaging researchers

The objectives of WP10 are as follows: 

• Establishing of a summer school for the training of young European psychiatrists in methods of neuro-imaging in combination with genetic research. Participants will be selected on a competitive basis and 50% of the trainee training places per occasion will go to Eastern European psychiatrists using an already established network by previous Berlin summer schools “Psychiatry – A Science”.
• Establishing of an internet website and a news forum for genetic imaging and provide online support for ongoing research projects of training course participants.• 

WP leader is Professor Dr. Andreas Heinz. Andreas Heinz is Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Charité Campus Mitte. The Charite is well known by the Berlin Summer school "Psychiatry as a Science" which was initiated in 2000 and every year 15 highly motivated and talented psychiatrists from different South Eastern European countries participate in a one week of intensive course curriculum in the theory and practice of modern scientific approaches in the field of psychiatry. The participants are supervised in their ongoing research projects, the development of new scientific studies as well as establishing collaborative professional networks. Human gene-neuroimaging studies have been performed in the group the past years to further characterize the neuronal and genetic basis of emotion, reward and other behavioral features relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders.