Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology

1. Brain Myths, Facts and Research: radio and movies 12th-20th March, 2016 In order to create meeting places between science and society, we developed audiovisual contents about neuroscience research and brain facts. In a partnership with Radio station RUC, we produced radio contents to explain or demystify myths about the brain and communicate scientific messages. The produced contents were transmitted by RUC every day during BAW and were shared in social networks of CNC and RUC. The following themes were addressed in the radio contents: • Music affects our emotions and behaviours? Researcher: Catarina Resende de Oliveira • We just use 10% of our brain. Myth or truth? Researcher: João Laranjinha • Alzheimer´s disease only affects the neurons. Myth or truth? Researcher: Ana Luísa Cardoso • How do we have energy to the brain? Researcher: Paulo Oliveira • Eat well is good for brain. This is truth? Researcher: Cláudia Cavadas • Marijuana is not addicted. Myth or truth? Researcher: Attila Kofalvi • What are the differences between a health brain and an autist brain? Researcher: João Peça • Sleep is a lost of time? Researcher: Ana Rita Álvaro • The happiness is in the brain. Myth or truth? Researcher: Manuela Grazina • Women are more emotional and man are more rational. This is truth? Researcher: Emília Duarte • The lost of memory means Alzheimer´s disease? Researcher: Cláudia Pereira • Diabetes is not related with brain. This is truth? Researcher: Paula Moreira During BAW, RUC produced and transmitted a program about neuroscience with participation of neuroscientists. Additionally, small videos, that we call “selfie papers”, were developed where the scientist explains in an informal way his/her last published paper. We produced the following “selfie papers”: • “The race of the monocyte to the brain” – Researcher: Joana Guedes; – Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wDOlD1vEFY – Paper: Guedes, Joana R. et al. MicroRNA deregulation and chemotaxis and phagocytosis impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (2015) 3: 7 – 17 available in http://www.dadm.alzdem.com/article/S2352-8729(15)00088-3/abstract • “Building synapses” – Researcher: Maria Joana Pinto – Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IivzFLUH2Mw – Paper: Pinto, Maria J. et al. The proteasome controls presynaptic differentiation through modulation of an on-site pool of polyubiquitinated conjugates. The Journal of Cell Biology (2016) 7: 789-801 available in http://jcb.rupress.org/content/212/7/789.abstract?sid=5bd79f0a-6f96-49d6- 8aa3-d302a82606ce • “Phosphorylate to disaggregate” – Researcher: Carlos Matos – Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds5vMVSCb6c – Paper: Matos, Carlos A. et al. Ataxin-3 phosphorylation decreases neuronal defects in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 models. The Journal of Cell Biology (2016) 4: 765-480 available in http://jcb.rupress.org/content/212/4/465.abstract?sid=ff947cb2-4176-4c36- 80e1-9df8fd14db48 • “Can we delay the aging?” – Researcher: Mariana Botelho – Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2VJGsGXhWE – Paper: Aveleira, Célia et al. Neuropeptide Y stimulates autophagy in hypothalamic neurons (2015) PNAS 13: 1642-1651 available in http://www.pnas.org/content/112/13/E1642.abstract The videos and radio contents were shared on CNC youtube channel and facebook page. All the contents are on CNC webpage. 2. Brains at the Schools 12th-20th March, 2016 Neuroscientists went to Elementary, Middle and High Schools and Associations of disabled people to deliver neuroscience information in different formats: hands-on activities, games, formal lectures, and experiments on the laboratories. CNC’s research groups organized visits to their laboratories and gave talks about their research work. 3. Neuroquiz 19th March, 2016 Aqui Base Tango, Coimbra Public quiz in an informal environment, organized by QUIZ SHOW Coimbra in collaboration with neuroscientists. The event happened in a local coffee shop and challenged the participants to explore brain-related issues like neurodegenerative diseases and brain function and to relate these topics with music, cinema and general knowledge. 4. Brainyevent 6th March, 2016 Exploratório, Centro Ciência Viva de Coimbra CNC researchers participated in a event organized by a Portuguese fundraising project dedicated to the awareness of the society about the importance of biomedical research (Maratona da Saúde) with the collaboration of the Science Center Exploratório. The main objectives of this event were to engage publics in scientific research and to contribute to fundraising for science. Specifically, the fundraising activities aim collecting funds to the research on neurodegenerative diseases. The hands-on activities, games and interactive modules of the exhibition about brain will trigger the debate between researchers and society. The event resulted in the production of a small TV content by the national TV public channel (RTP).

BAW is the major opportunity of involve a great number of researchers in public engagement activities.

Yes. It ill be interesting share the contents produced by the institutions and the photos of the events on BAW facebook page.