Summer School in Brain Disorders Research returns for its fifteenth year
1 August 2025
The four-day Summer School in Brain Disorders Research, hosted annually by Cardiff University's Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG), returned this July for its fifteenth consecutive year.
Since its inception in 2010, the Summer School has provided a unique opportunity for early career researchers - both clinical and non-clinical - to deepen their understanding of brain disorders and engage with the latest advances in psychiatric, neurological, and cognitive neuroscience research.
This year’s programme brought together participants from across the world, including Canada, Mexico, Italy and UAE, and representing a range of scientific and clinical disciplines. Across the four days, attendees took part in lectures, workshops, and networking sessions covering topics such as psychiatric genetics, neuroimaging, precision medicine, high throughput sequencing, GWAS, producing neuronal cell cultures, as well as covering the genetics and treatments of some of the common neurological disorders. We finished off with a workshop on the ethical considerations in mental health research.
Applications for next year’s Summer School will open in early 2026. Those interested in attending or recommending candidates are encouraged to follow the CNGG’s website and social channels for updates.
The four-day Summer School in Brain Disorders Research, hosted annually by Cardiff University's Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG), returned this July for its fifteenth consecutive year.
Since its inception in 2010, the Summer School has provided a unique opportunity for early career researchers - both clinical and non-clinical - to deepen their understanding of brain disorders and engage with the latest advances in psychiatric, neurological, and cognitive neuroscience research.
This year’s programme brought together participants from across the world, including Canada, Mexico, Italy and UAE, and representing a range of scientific and clinical disciplines. Across the four days, attendees took part in lectures, workshops, and networking sessions covering topics such as psychiatric genetics, neuroimaging, precision medicine, high throughput sequencing, GWAS, producing neuronal cell cultures, as well as covering the genetics and treatments of some of the common neurological disorders. We finished off with a workshop on the ethical considerations in mental health research.
Attendees had the opportunity to speak with members of the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience at the pizza networking event.
In addition to academic sessions, the Summer School offered research development workshops and informal networking events, encouraging interdisciplinary discussion and new collaborations. For example, a doctor from Nigeria did the MSc in Bioinformatics in our department after attending the summer school, progressed to a PhD in Cambridge and is planning to start a genetics clinic in his hometown. He is now co-investigator on our department’s Wellcome Trust grant on Depression Genetics in Africa.
Additionally, several attendees at earlier editions of the school are now working in our department, and some summer school lecturers have also been invited by attendees to give talks at their home organisations.
Since the programme started, it has offered free registration and student accommodation for all attendees living outside of Cardiff. One attendee said:
“As someone in the later stages of my PhD, it would have been difficult for me to attend if the programme had come with registration and lodging costs. I’m truly grateful that it was made free and accessible to those who needed it most. Thank you once again for such a thoughtful and well-organised programme.”
Applications for next year’s Summer School will open in early 2026. Those interested in attending or recommending candidates are encouraged to follow the CNGG’s website and social channels for updates.
