PORT for Health: Neuroscience 2025 once again brought global neuroscience experts, clinicians and entrepreneurs to Łukasiewicz – PORT. This year’s edition focused on innovative approaches to understanding brain disorders, including neuroimmune interactions and the use of advanced computational tools to study behaviour and neurodegeneration.
The conference was held under the banner of the P4Health and SAME-NeuroID projects, whose shared goal is the development of personalised medicine and the integration of scientific research with medical care.
Participants shared their latest neurological discoveries, emerging diagnostic tools and impressions from the event.
Sharing experience and research findings
“Scientific work is both collaborative and creative. We always need someone with whom we can confront our ideas,” said Dr Michał Malewicz, Director of the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Center at Łukasiewicz – PORT, speaking about the importance of exchanging scientific experience and building new connections.
Keynote speaker Prof. Simona Lodato from the Humanitas Research Center (Italy) added:
“Research results are the essence of our work. Communicating and providing feedback on experiments and tested hypotheses allows researchers’ work to be recognised and keeps the scientific community’s knowledge up to date.”
“The goal of the organisers was to create a space where three sectors — science, clinical practice and industry — meet to jointly improve diagnostics, therapy and care for patients with brain disorders,” summarised Dr Michał Ślęzak, leader of the Astrocyte Biology Research Group at Łukasiewicz – PORT.
Challenges faced by neurologists
Researchers still do not fully understand the fundamental mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s diseases, which remains a major societal challenge. Patients should be diagnosed as early as possible, since therapies are most effective during the early stages. However, as Prof. Paul Schultz (University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston) pointed out, public awareness remains low — many people do not know which symptoms should prompt a doctor’s visit.
Neurological diseases are often accompanied by chronic pain, and understanding it — as well as developing effective therapies — continues to be an unmet need. Researchers also struggle with the gap between basic science and its translation into clinical practice.
“Only through collaborative networks can we combine the dispersed knowledge and experience of different specialists — scientists, clinicians and industry representatives,” said Dr Michał Ślęzak.
Meanwhile, Dr Simona Lodato sees one of modern neuroscience’s greatest challenges in the effective integration of all available technologies:
“We are witnessing huge progress in areas such as artificial intelligence and omics research, but we now need a moment of reflection to use them wisely.”
Latest trends in neurology
A significant portion of the discussion focused on Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Jozef Hritz (Central European Institute of Technology, Czech Republic) emphasised the importance of early diagnosis, noting that pathological changes in the brain appear up to 10 years before clinical symptoms.
Special guest Prof. Paul Schultz, who has spent years searching for solutions for Alzheimer’s patients, spoke enthusiastically about his work:
“Even though I haven’t found a cure, I feel I’m part of the progress. Three new drugs in the last four years is a breakthrough — my patients’ symptoms are worsening much more slowly.”
Hopes are also high for gene therapy. Some neurological diseases have a genetic basis. Prof. Luis Pereira de Almeida (University of Coimbra, GeneT – Center of Excellence in Gene Therapy, Portugal) discussed gene-editing and gene-silencing approaches.
Prof. Aleksandra Badura (Erasmus University MC, the Netherlands), who studies the biological basis of autism, discussed analysing sex differences in autism mechanisms, which could accelerate diagnosis and ensure equal access to care.
Speakers also presented new tools used in autism diagnostics. Dr Kayleigh Gultig (Erasmus University MC & Blink Lab, the Netherlands) showcased a smartphone app for neurobehavioural testing, allowing assessment of facial reactions to sound stimuli and behaviour typical for autism spectrum disorders.
Katsiaryna Stankevich, CEO of the start-up Cognity, spoke about how AI can help individuals on the autism spectrum practise social scenarios, voice intonation and increase confidence.
“We are living in incredibly exciting times for neuroscience. Fifteen years ago, such brain diagnostics would have been unimaginable,” summarised Prof. Lodato.
PORT for Health – a place for scientific dialogue
“Laboratories and clinicians usually speak different languages. Conferences like this bring these two worlds closer together,” said Prof. Paul Schultz, reflecting on his visit to Wrocław.
Participants began generating ideas for future collaborations:
“We are already planning joint research with scientists from PORT in the field of structural biology and neurodegeneration,” shared Dr Jozef Hritz.
“Many different perspectives — business, clinic, academia. I value these discussions and hope for more conferences like this,” summarised Prof. Aleksandra Badura after the three-day event.
Organisers were equally pleased to see the active participation and the constant stream of questions from the audience:
“The reception was phenomenal — participants were engaged and full of enthusiasm,” recalled Dr Ali Jawaid, leader of the Translational Neuropsychiatry Research Group at Łukasiewicz – PORT.
The conference was held under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of Wrocław and the Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, with funding from NAWA and the European Union under the P4Health and SAME-NeuroID projects.
