International conference focuses on where and how memory is formed

Brain researchers from world-leading universities will be convening at the University of Haifa next week and will be presenting over 100 new studies in the field, focused on revealing the answer to the question of where and how memory is stored

The University of Haifa is hosting an international conference of leading brain researchers from around the world next week, where the participants will be attempting to answer the question of where and how memory is stored; or in less ordinary terms: "Cell and molecular mechanisms of memory formation". "The more we know about where and how memory is formed, the better we will be able to treat diseases that are related to the brain's memory mechanisms, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's," says Prof. Kobi Rosenblum, Head of the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Haifa, who is organizing the conference with Dr. Raphael Lamprecht (for more information and a detailed program, visit http://neuro.haifa.ac.il ).

About 30 brain researchers from around the world will be joining another 30 researchers from Israel at the conference, which is taking place on 5-7 February, 2012. All of the participating experts have a background in researching various aspects of memory formation, from the most basic molecular mechanisms to advanced brain imaging. The conference is being organized by the University of Haifa's Department of Neurobiology, the University's Haifa Forum for Brain and Behavior, and the international Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society. More than 100 of the latest studies in the field will be presented at the conference.

A special feature will be an open discussion, where Israel Prize winner and faculty member of the University of Haifa's Department of Psychology Prof. Asher Koriat will argue that describing cognition and describing material mechanisms are two different and distant fields. In other words, he claims that molecular and electrophysiology brain researchers cannot really find explanations for cognitive processes. Dozens of brain researchers will contend with this claim at the open discussion.

"The fact that such a large international conference is being held at the University of Haifa is an indicator of the outstanding basic neurobiology research being conducted at the university and of the significance we assign to this field. I am confident that the conference will bring us another step closer to solving the most complex puzzle of all - the human brain," says Prof. Rosenblum.