Welcome to the IBRO 2023 Interactive Programme

Special Event organized by the Women in Neuroscience Committee, Spanish Society of NeurosciencesA current trend of thought seems to support that the gap between the number of men and women in science is closing. It is commonly argued that the number of women achieving university degrees has been growing continuously over the last 30 years and, in some cases, amply exceeds the number of men. However, this fact is not reflected on the actual proportion of women at higher responsibility/prestige scientific positions. Moreover, it is indisputable that the discrimination suffered by women scientists is still present, although in many cases it has become more subtle and difficult to perceive.Neuroscience is not an exception. Many factors contribute to the lack of women in senior research positions that go beyond the effect of maternity and care of dependents, including lower visibility and exposure at scientific meetings, difficulty in accessing decision-making positions, etc. Recent studies, such as the one we propose to present at IBRO, show beyond doubt that keeping women out of the highest positions in the scientific career has a significant effect on national and international economy.The importance to integrate the gender dimension in research, innovation, teaching and management has been highlighted by funding agencies and stakeholders as an added value in terms of excellence, creativity, and business opportunities. In the last 40 years, paradigms in health research have shifted from studying mechanisms and treatments in predominantly male participants to investigating complex systems in heterogeneous populations. Concurrently, research funding agencies have questioned the overreliance on male patients, animals, and cells; the lack of transparency and reproducibility of studies; inattention to sex effects; and inconsistent reporting of sex-specific findings, all of which have compromised the rigor, reproducibility, and generalizability of basic science and clinical studies. In fact, for the European Union “integrating the gender dimension in research and innovation is an added value in terms of excellence, creativity, and business opportunities. It helps researchers question gender norms and stereotypes, to rethink standards and reference models. It leads to an in-depth understanding of both genders’ needs, behaviors and attitudes. It enhances the societal relevance of the knowledge, technologies and innovations produced. It also contributes to the production of goods and services better suited to potential markets.” Our proposal: interaction with the ClosinGap Cluster