The Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative

Since its inception in 2009 at Al-Quds University, the Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative aimed to establish viable infrastructure and create a powerhouse for neuroscience research in Palestine, train the next generation of Palestinian researchers, and help patients and their families receive the best possible quality of healthcare. Currently, there are six different research units under the umbrella of the Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative, including: (1) the cognitive neuroscience unit, (2) the behavioral neurogenetics unit, (3) the developmental neuroscience unit, (4) the molecular neuroscience unit, (5) neurophysiology unit, and (6) the computational neuroscience unit.

Over the past ten years, the Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative trained more than 200 young Palestinian students and researchers; sent 50 researchers for advanced research training in Europe and the U.S., helped secure Ph.D. and clinical specialties in the U.S. and Europe for 15 researchers; helped more than 10,000 Palestinian patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders; engaged the collaboration of 40 Palestinian neurologists and psychiatrists throughout the West Bank; hosted 20 neuroscience colloquium talks and five international conferences at Al-Quds University, whose speakers included several distinguished American and European neuroscientists, including Nobel Laureates; published 23 research papers in international journals; and filed two patents for inventions.