Meeting Review of the ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Introduction’ Open Access

The ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Introduction’ program marked a historic milestone as the first neuroscience education initiative in Azerbaijan. This 12-week online program aimed to bridge the gap between Azerbaijani neuroscience enthusiasts and international experts by delivering foundational knowledge, cutting-edge research insights, and critical thinking skills. The program was open to a diverse audience, ranging from high school students to university-level medical and biology students, as well as early-career researchers and faculty members. The virtual format of the program allowed participants to enroll and join in, regardless of geographical location, which fostered scientific exchange, mentorship, and professional networking. The success of this initiative paved the way for the follow-up events: the ‘Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Advanced’, ‘International Brain Bee Competition’, and the ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience Conference’ in 2024.

The field of neuroscience is rapidly evolving, yet access to structured neuroscience education has been limited in Azerbaijan. The ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Introduction’ addressed this gap by providing a comprehensive program aimed at familiarizing students and early-career researchers with current trends, topics and perspectives in neuroscience. Organized by The Azerbaijan Neuroscience Society (ANS) and Neyroelm MMC, and supported by The Company of Biologists, the program connected Azerbaijani learners with experienced scientists from different parts of the globe. The primary goal was not only to teach fundamental knowledge in neuroscience, but also to create a platform for mentorship and collaboration. Due to its online format, the program reached out to a broad audience, including participants from rural regions and those studying abroad. By equipping students with essential research skills and fostering discussions on translational neuroscience, this initiative set the foundation for a growing neuroscience community in Azerbaijan.

The program was structured to provide an in-depth introduction to key concepts within modern biological sciences and biomedical research, with each session focusing on a distinct topic in neurosciences. The lectures covered topics ranging from scientific literature analysis and experimental design to bioinformatics and clinical neuroscience, as shown in Table 1. Several overarching themes emerged throughout the program:

1. Fundamental biological methodology: Each lecture introduced core principles of a neuroscience-related field, ensuring that participants gained a solid foundation in multiple disciplines.

2. Cutting-edge research: Discussions extended beyond basic principles to showcase ongoing research, providing insights into the latest advancements in the field.

3. Critical thinking and application: A key emphasis was placed on fostering critical thinking, particularly in areas that bridge fundamental neuroscience with clinical applications, such as translational medicine and experimental design.

Some of the most engaging discussions arose in sessions related to the translation of fundamental knowledge into clinical settings, particularly in translational medicine and experimental design. These topics sparked in-depth conversations on how theoretical principles could be applied to real-world medical challenges.

The program featured a distinguished lineup of Azerbaijani early-career researchers, including PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers working in five different countries, each bringing expertise from leading research institutions. These scientists represent the first generation of neuroscience experts from Azerbaijan. The lectures followed a logical progression, covering core aspects of neuroscience in a structured manner.

The program commenced with Dr. Sadig Niftullayev's lecture (Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging, Germany), who introduced participants to the fundamentals of scientific methodology and experimental design. His expertise in autophagy research provided a strong foundation for understanding the importance of rigorous experimental approaches. Advancing into methodology, Dr. Madina Guliyeva (University College London, UK) provided in-depth insights into DNA/RNA-related techniques, essential for modern neuroscience research. Dr. Mahira Safaralizade (Freiburg University, Germany) expanded on this by discussing microscopy techniques, emphasizing their role in visualizing cellular structures and processes.

Dr. Elkhan Yusifov (University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland), a postdoctoral researcher in clinical chemistry and the co-founder of the Azerbaijan Neuroscience Society, then provided a comprehensive introductory overview of history and modern trends in neuroscience, discussing relevant fundamental basic science, translational and clinical concepts, which are not otherwise included in the traditional curricula at Azerbaijani institutions. Dr. Yusifov also introduced the students to his area of expertise: the role of primary cilia, as a dynamic signaling hub, for the development of the central and peripheral nervous systems (Yusifov et al., 2021, 2025; Bangs and Anderson, 2017; Baker and Beales, 2009). The lack of cilia leads to a group of disorders, called ciliopathies, the concept to which some participating medical students were exposed for the first time, allowing them to identify the gaps in knowledge and potentially strive for better future patient diagnosis.

Dr. Artoghrul Alishbayli (Radboud University, Netherlands) followed with a session on model organisms, highlighting their essential role in biological research that require careful selection based on scientific questions, evolutionary relationships, technical feasibility, and ethical considerations (Alishbayli et al., 2023; Lao-Rodríguez et al., 2023). This was a great bridge for students to move from wet-lab/pre-clinical research related concepts towards in silico experiments, particularly, focusing on bioinformatics applications. Dr. Elmir Mahammadov (Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Germany) further homed in on the computational perspective in neuroscience (Tyser et al., 2021; Lubatti et al., 2022), demonstrating specific applications in neuroscience and developmental biology. Finally, Dr. Rashad Yusifov (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany) concluded the program with discussions on translational neuroscience and clinical trials, bridging the gap between fundamental research and its application in medicine.

Each speaker's lecture was carefully designed to build upon previous topics, ensuring a logical progression of knowledge throughout the program. This collective expertise of the presenters, spanning experimental and computational neuroscience, molecular biology, and clinical applications, enriched the learning experience of the participants.

The event attracted a diverse group of participants, predominantly university-level students and early-career researchers specializing in biology and medicine. However, a notable minority included high school students, as well as individuals from underrepresented non-traditional backgrounds, such as first-generation students and students from rural areas. An additional notable aspect of the event was the high participation of women; 60% of the participants were female and 40% were male. Additionally, the online format ensured the inclusivity of the sessions, allowing individuals from distant regions of Azerbaijan, the capital city of Baku, and those living, or studying abroad to participate.

A key success of the program was its role in fostering professional development for early-career researchers. The school provided substantial networking opportunities, enabling students to connect with instructors and peers. Many participants remained engaged in the further events organized by the ANS and sought ongoing mentorship from instructors. As a result, several students have decided to continue studies at the Master’s and/or PhD levels in the field of neuroscience, whereby the ANS board members helped them as scientific advisors and mentored these students in their future careers. Financial support was available to students in need, with more than half of them receiving it, ensuring that economic barriers did not hinder participation. The program also contributed to professional skill-building, enhancing the participants' critical thinking abilities, and informing them about key competencies, such as collaboration, communication and leadership, which are required for succeeding in the field of neuroscience and medicine.

The knowledge and skills gained through this initiative will serve as a foundation for the participants' future careers in neuroscience and clinical fields, fostering a new generation of Azerbaijani neuroscientists. The success of the introductory school has already led to the development of an advanced-level follow-up event, the ‘Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Advanced’ that took place from September to December 2024. The majority of students from the ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience School’ participated in the follow-up ‘Advanced Neuroscience School’, as well as at the ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience Conference’ on September 28th, 2024. Furthermore, attesting to the immediate impact of the school on the development of neuroscience in the country, Azerbaijan held its first ever national exam for International Brain Bee competition in July 2024, the winner of which later competed in an international competition along with the winners from other nations (Fig. 1). Collectively, these events, which were built upon the foundations laid by the introductory program, will further strengthen the neuroscience community in Azerbaijan, and will eventually solidify neuroscience as an integral part of university level education.

The ‘1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Introduction’ has made a lasting impact by establishing a structured neuroscience education program in Azerbaijan. By connecting students with international experts, fostering discussions on fundamental and cutting-edge topics, and creating networking opportunities, the initiative has significantly contributed to establishing neuroscience education and research in the region. With the upcoming neuroscience educational programs, including the ‘2nd Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Introduction’, on the horizon, the future of neuroscience education in Azerbaijan looks promising, paving the way for further scientific growth and collaboration.

We would like to acknowledge to the speakers of the 1st Azerbaijan Neuroscience School: Dr. Artoghrul Alishbayli, Dr. Medina Guliyeva, Dr. Mahira Safaralizade, Dr. Elmir Mahammadov, and Dr. Rashad Yusifov. Our sincere thanks also go to the board members of the ANS, Jamil Muradov and Shams Farhad, for their valuable feedback and continuous support. We are deeply grateful to the entire ANS team for their unwavering technical support. In particular, we would like to recognize Narmin Naghiyeva and Dilara Huseynova for their outstanding contributions in social media management, marketing, and teaching assistant responsibilities.