Brain and Mind

The inter-institutional, interdisciplinary graduate program “Brain and Mind” (B&M) includes scientists from the University of Crete (Medical School and Departments of Computer Science, Philosophy, Physics, and Psychology) and the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH, Institutes of Computer Science, Applied &Computational Mathematics, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology), as well as collaborators from other universities and research centers in Greece and abroad.

The scientists participating in the program cover the following research fields: Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, Neuroendocrinology, Functional Brain Imaging, Neuropharmacology, Neuropsychology, Developmental Psychology, Neurophilosophy, Philosophy of Mind, History and Philosophy of Psychology and Psychiatry, Neural Networks, Computational Vision, Human-Machine Interaction, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence.

The B&M aims at a global, integrated, interdisciplinary approach to fundamental scientific questions about the brain and the emergence of thought, consciousness, and behavior. The program aims to bridge the Basic, Computational, and Social Neurosciences to ensure (1) The enhancement of postgraduate education in Greece. (2) The promotion of cutting-edge research in scientific and technological fields. (3) The preparation of scientists for excellent careers in internationally competitive research centers or as high-ranking officials in public services and the productive sector.

Investigating the mechanisms of brain function and their relationship to behavior is an interdisciplinary research field requiring approaches from Biological, Social, and Physical Sciences. The B&M includes educational and research activities that combine approaches from three scientific fields, aligning with international educational practices: (1) Biological -Cellular & Systems- Neurosciences, (2) Computational Neurosciences, Neuroinformatics, and Artificial Intelligence, (3) Social & Cognitive Neurosciences. Through lectures by distinguished scientists from Greece and abroad, guidance in in-depth study of relevant literature, practical training in distinguished research labs of collaborating UoC Departments and FORTH Institutes, and training in writing scientific texts like theses, conference abstracts, and journal articles, the B&M offers training in new research and technological developments.