Chapter 1 Introduction

1. Introduction

Amsterdam Neuroscience was founded in 2016 by a team of two directors, a management team with seven members from all faculties involved, and a team of eighteen program leaders, with equal representation of clinicians and laboratory-based scientists. It is an interdisciplinary collaboration of Amsterdam UMC and the science faculties of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam (UvA). The institute is one of Amsterdam UMC’s eight research institutes, and has close to 800 participants, with approximately 75% appointed at Amsterdam UMC and 25% affiliated with either of the science faculties of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and UvA. Amsterdam Neuroscience encompasses a diverse array of expertise, strengthens scientific excellence and clinical translation, and forms one of the largest neuroscience communities in Europe.

Bridging the gap

At Amsterdam Neuroscience we aim to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical medicine by gaining a deep understanding of various brain disease mechanisms. Our institute employs a spectrum of technologies and disciplines and covers almost all research methods used nowadays in neuroscience. We take advantage of our proven expertise in brain disease and clinical innovation in the fields of neurology and psychiatry. We do this by initiating new research strategies and proof-of-concept (PoC) studies for new approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases and by enabling interactions between all generations of investigators from (under-)graduate trainees up to full professors working in teams. Through monthly webinars, via the publication of news items, our annual magazines, annual reports and Annual Meetings (see Annual Meeting 2021), we try to unite the community of neuroscientists in the Amsterdam area and pave the path for future generations. What’s more, thanks to our position within Amsterdam UMC and our connections with the GGZ inGeest we have access to patient groups that are essential in bridging the gap between fundamental research and clinical practices.

Research programs and funding

At Amsterdam Neuroscience we have organized our research in a focused way along nine translational research programs, each around a specific brain and nervous system disease, disease mechanism or technology innovation. In 2019, halfway through our six-year accreditation period, we renewed the leadership in seven out of the nine research programs. Over the past six years, four dozen outstanding PoC and alliance projects were funded for a total of €6.75 million by the central administration of the institute, in addition to an additional €3 million for 10 postdoc projects in the collaboration between the science faculties. Additional cooperation, use of datasets, contract research and industry-sponsored clinical trials, set up by the Industry Alliance Office (IAO) and sponsored by societal parties and by the biotech and pharma industries in this period, tally up to €57.2 million in total.

Seven priorities for the organization

After the establishment of Amsterdam Neuroscience during the period 2016-2018, the management of Amsterdam Neuroscience has focused on seven priorities: i) placing more emphasis on the establishment of an accessible infrastructure through internal key funding (in addition to alliance- and PoC-funding); ii) organizing more webinars; iii) bringing staff recruitment decisions in the different departments in line with the overall strategy of the institute; iv) bringing the issue of ‘dedicated research’ time to the attention of heads of department, in particular in the hospital; v) aiming for external national key funding programs; vi) risk mitigation to keep talent on board by the proper embedding and awarding of new initiatives, both at a personal and team level; and vii) the branding of Amsterdam Neuroscience via an integrated communication strategy and professional support via the central executive office.