Strengthening Danish–Japanese collaboration in Neuroscience
On 19 and 20 June, a delegation from the Brain Research Institute visited DANDRITE to strengthen the collaboration between the two institutions, exchange scientific insights, and explore new opportunities for joint research in neuroscience.
The two-day visit featured a scientific symposium, lab tours, one-on-one meetings with researchers, and cultural activities—including a walking tour in Mols Bjerge and a shared culinary experience.
The visit builds on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 and reflects a shared commitment to advancing brain research through international partnership.
"Collaborations like this are essential for pushing the boundaries of neuroscience. We are proud to continue building on our partnership with the Brain Research Institute in Niigata, and deeply value the exchange of ideas, expertise, and cultural perspectives," explains DANDRITE Interim Director Poul Henning Jensen.
The two institutions visit each other every second year, and since the last exchange, a collaboration has developed between DANDRITE postdoc Nanna Møller Jensen and Professor Tada Mari from the Department of Pathology at the Brain Research Institute. The data on the presence of non-inclusion alpha-synuclein aggregates in healthy control cases across the entire lifespan, as well as in patients affected by Multiple System Atrophy, could not have been generated without the involvement of the well-curated Brain Bank at the Brain Research Institute.
During this visit, representatives from the clinic also participated, which holds great potential, states Poul Henning Jensen:
“I am particularly happy that DANDRITE-affiliated researchers and clinical scientists from Aarhus University Hospital engaged in personal meetings with scientists from the Brain Research Institute. This holds promise for even broader benefits from our partnership.”