Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) hosted the third BRICS Neuroscience Symposium, bringing together leading neuroscientists, clinicians and researchers from BRICS nations to strengthen international collaboration in brain research and neurotechnology development.

Held from June 5 to 7, the symposium was organised by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre (SGBC) and was hosted in India for the first time. The event focused on expanding scientific cooperation among BRICS countries to better understand the human brain and develop technologies to address neurological disorders and improve healthcare outcomes.

Themed "Expanding Neuroscience: BRICS & Extended Nations", the symposium featured keynote lectures, scientific sessions, panel discussions, clinical perspective talks and the release of the Human Brainstem Atlas developed by SGBC.

Addressing the gathering, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri highlighted the importance of international cooperation in tackling emerging global challenges and said the collaborative spirit of BRICS was critical for advancing scientific knowledge and innovation.

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Ajay Kumar Sood, who addressed the event virtually, described SGBC as a model for multidisciplinary and multinational research collaboration supported by government, industry and philanthropy.

Speaking at the symposium, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti and other dignitaries emphasised the growing role of India in global neuroscience research.

Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Head of SGBC, said multinational and multidisciplinary collaborations were essential for achieving breakthroughs in complex fields such as neuroscience.

The symposium built on the momentum of previous editions held in Shanghai in 2023 and Moscow in 2024, which aimed to foster cooperation in neuroscience research, capacity building and technology development among BRICS nations.

Launched in 2022, the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras focuses on advanced human brain mapping and neuroscience research using high-throughput multimodal imaging technologies.