The Danish Society for Neuroscience (DSfN)

Dear BRIDGE colleagues,

I am the secretary of The Danish Society for Neuroscience (DSfN), and with this mail, I would like to hear whether you would support the Danish Neuroscience Academy, or DNA proposal as outlined below.
I you are interested in supporting or participating in the DNA, please indicate this by replying to this mail before 3 July (til Åsa: aasvenningsen@health. sdu), so I know how many from Odense that are interested.

DSfN is currently preparing a proposal for a nationwide neuroscience PhD school – working name is Danish Neuroscience Academy or DNA – that will include the areas and activities bullet-pointed below. The initiative is inspired by the Danish Diabetes Academy.

The DNA will work to bring training and education of PhD students in Denmark to excellent levels. DNA will also initiate activities to facilitate collaborations between neuroscience research. The intention of the DSfN is that the DNA should be a resource and valuable to as large a swath of the Danish neuroscience community as possible.

The DSfN intends to send the DNA proposal to Lundbeckfonden and Novo Nordisk Fonden.

We propose DNA as an independent organisation under the DSfN, where the strategy will be set by a board of directors, and activities run by an Executive Office.

• Proposed activities include to coordinate and set the frame for a 4-year national PhD programme in neuroscience.

• Funding programme for PhD scholarships

• PhD courses

• Coordinating function of PhD courses offered across Denmark

• Networking activities

• Workshops

• Annual meeting

To take part in the Funding Programme we propose that the research groups contribute by giving lectures (4-6 lectures / year) at selected DNA training activities. Furthermore participants must agree to receive PhD candidates during the lab rotation programme. At the end of the 1st year of lab rotations, the PhD candidate will select a research group, write a thesis proposal and enroll in the PhD school at one of the 5 participating universities. Their 4-year PhD stipend will in full be paid by DNA.

Questions can be directed to nicolascp@sund.ku.dk or aasvenningsen@health.sdu.dk
To express interest in the proposed program, we kindly ask you to send an email to Nicolas the latest on Wednesday July 3 stating whether you are interested in participating in the new PhD program.

On behalf of DSfN

Åsa Fex Svenningsen
Associate Professor