Scientific Advisory Committee
Christophe Bernard (France) Co-Chair
Christophe Bernard obtained his Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience in Paris at the Paris VI University (Jussieu) in 1990. He spent his post-doctoral period in Southampton University (UK) in 1991-1994 working on synaptic plasticity in experimental models of epilepsy (Pr. H.V. Wheal’s laboratory). He was on sabbatical at the Baylor College of Medicine in 1999-2004 in the division of Neuroscience (Pr. D. Johnston’s laboratory). He is Director of Research 1 (DR1 – full Pr.) at Inserm.
His main research axes include the mechanisms of oscillations in physiological and pathological conditions, and the study of plastic modifications occurring in the hippocampus during epileptogenesis (the processes that lead to epilepsy) using experimental models of temporal lobe epilepsy. The present research is focused on acquired synaptic and ionic channelopathies, and their impact on network function, including cognitive performance. Multidisciplinary (functional morphology, in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology, behavior, modeling, signal processing) vertical (from proteins to in vivo activity) and horizontal (from animals to human) strategies are used.
From 1995 to 2005, he has been the Head of the “Adult Epilepsy” team in Inserm U29. He is now the Head of the “Epilepsy” team in Inserm U751 in Marseille, France. He is member of the Editorial Board of Epilepsy Research. He is appointed as Treasurer of the Commission on Neurobiology of International League Against Epilepsy which is promoting initiatives for improving translational research in epilepsy. He is also a member of the Scientific Committees of the FFRE (French Federation for Epilepsy Research), FRC (French Brain Research Foundation), and SfN (American Society for Neuroscience). He received the “Michael Prize” in 2007.
His main research axes include the mechanisms of oscillations in physiological and pathological conditions, and the study of plastic modifications occurring in the hippocampus during epileptogenesis (the processes that lead to epilepsy) using experimental models of temporal lobe epilepsy. The present research is focused on acquired synaptic and ionic channelopathies, and their impact on network function, including cognitive performance. Multidisciplinary (functional morphology, in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology, behavior, modeling, signal processing) vertical (from proteins to in vivo activity) and horizontal (from animals to human) strategies are used.
From 1995 to 2005, he has been the Head of the “Adult Epilepsy” team in Inserm U29. He is now the Head of the “Epilepsy” team in Inserm U751 in Marseille, France. He is member of the Editorial Board of Epilepsy Research. He is appointed as Treasurer of the Commission on Neurobiology of International League Against Epilepsy which is promoting initiatives for improving translational research in epilepsy. He is also a member of the Scientific Committees of the FFRE (French Federation for Epilepsy Research), FRC (French Brain Research Foundation), and SfN (American Society for Neuroscience). He received the “Michael Prize” in 2007.
