We invite members of JNS to submit symposium proposals. Approximately 40 symposia will be held during the meeting, including those organized by JNS and the Neuroscience2025 Program Committee. We are seeking proposals for timely, and innovative projects, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Submission Period: August 1 (Thu)-October 7 (Mon) 17:00 Japan time, 2024　*Closed

1. Selection Criteria
2. Guidelines for Symposium Proposal Submission
3. Grant for Symposia Led by Junior or Female Researchers
4. Grand for Joint International Symposia
5. Corporate Sponsorship
6. Symposia Co-Organized with Grant-in Aid for Transformative Research Areas
7. Submission Instructions for Proposals

1. Selection Criteria

Choice of Topic

In addition to universal scientific values and novelty, we place special emphasis on interdisciplinary topics that span multiple specialist fields and emerging areas. To ensure we incorporate innovative topics from a broad range of fields, proposals that are highly similar to those selected in the annual meetings over the past two years will be given lower priority in the selection process.

Symposia with Diverse Speakers

Preference will be given to symposium proposals that involve speakers and co-organizers diverse in age, gender, and affiliation. We highly encourage special attention to diversity in age, gender nationality, and region. Proposals that do not emphasize diversity and inclusion in their composition will be given lower priority in the selection process. Symposium proposals with speakers or co-organizers who are not members of JNS and from other related academic or clinical societies are welcome, as they contribute to the development of research fields. Junior researchers who have obtained their doctoral degree within the last 10 years, or female researchers are eligible to apply for the Junior / Female Researchers’ Symposia Grant as a symposium organizer.

Promotion of internationalization

To promote the internationalization of the meeting, symposium proposals that involve overseas-based researchers (regardless of nationality) as speakers will be preferred. Symposia co-organized with overseas-based researchers is eligible to apply for the Joint International Symposium Grant.

2． Guidelines for Symposium Proposal Submission

1. This meeting will be held in person. Organizers should select chairs and speakers from overseas who are willing to participate onsite.
2. The duration of a symposium should be 120 minutes (tentative) with 4 to 6 speakers. Presentations are to be conducted in English, although discussions following the presentations may be held in either English or Japanese.
3. The main organizer must be a regular or junior member of JNS. A co-organizer may be added to co-chair the session; however, the main organizer will be responsible for planning, scheduling, and moderating the session.
4. Organizers should personally obtain consent from all the speakers of their symposia before they submit their proposals. Please ensure that potential speakers are informed that the symposium's occurrence is not confirmed until the proposal is accepted.
5. Registration fees for the annual meeting will be waived for symposium speakers from Japan who are not members of JNS. However, travel support will not be provided.
6. Organizers seeking financial assistance to invite overseas-based speakers should submit their requests, along with justifications, in the “Special Notes” section of the application form. The Program Committee will review these requests once financial resources are secured and decide on providing support accordingly. The overall budget framework for the meeting is expected to be finalized by April 2025. We encourage organizers to actively pursue securing financial resources to ensure the continuity of symposia in the event we are unable to assist in inviting overseas-based speakers.
7. The Program Committee reserves the right to request organizers to consider amalgamating their symposium with a similar proposal, reorganizing speakers, altering titles, or integrating oral presentations into their symposia.
8. Individuals are limited to submitting one abstract for presentation as a first author. Speakers participating in a symposium are not permitted to present in other symposia or oral/poster sessions. Organizers are responsible for communicating this policy to the speakers when seeking their consent to participate in their symposia. If an organizer does not deliver a presentation in their symposium, they may present in another session.
9. Acceptance or non-acceptance of proposals (including combined proposals) will be announced in early November 2024 (tentative) following the review by the Program Committee. The main organizers of the accepted symposia should then diligently request all speakers to submit their abstracts during the designated call for papers period."

3． Grant for Symposia Led by Junior or Female Researchers

Symposia organized by junior researchers who have obtained their doctoral degree no more than ten years before October 7, 2024, the deadline for submitting symposium proposals, or by female researchers may qualify for financial support as Junior/Female Researchers’ Symposia. To apply for this grant, at least one overseas-based researcher should be included as a speaker in the symposium. Once financial resources are secured, grants ranging from ¥100,000 to ¥300,000 will be provided for the travel expenses of invited speakers. We are seeking ground-breaking and enthusiastic proposals.

To apply, please select “Apply” for the “Grant for Junior / Femail Researcher’s Symposium” on the application page and upload a CV of the main organizer.

4．Grant for Joint International Symposia

Symposia that include overseas-based researchers as co-organizers and are expected to promote international collaboration will receive active support. Once financial resources are secured, preferential grants ranging from ¥100,000 to ¥300,000 per symposium for the travel expenses of invited co-organizers will be considered.

To apply, please select 'Apply' for the 'Grant for Joint International Symposium' on the application page and upload a CV of the co-organizer.

5．Corporate Sponsorship

Companies may provide financial support for your symposium. After a symposium proposal is accepted, the organizer will be notified of any sponsorship offers.

＜Sponsored Symposium＞

1. Partial support for symposium hosting expenses, such as travel expenses for invited speakers from overseas, will be provided
2. Some companies may request to have their company names, such as 'Sponsored by XXXX,' displayed following the title of the symposium on the website of the annual meeting or in the meeting program. Additionally, they may request to have a link to their website included alongside their company names on the meeting website.
3. Materials related to sponsor companies for distribution onsite at the symposium must be approved by the meeting and symposium organizers.
4. When organizers are to seek sponsorship from companies by themselves, we ask them first to contact the secretariat to get some advice on sponsorship fee arrangements. When organizers submit their proposals after they have found sponsors, please be sure to inform them that the holding of the symposium is not fixed until the proposal is accepted.

6．Symposia Co-Organized with Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas

If you wish to co-organize your symposium with Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas, please enter the name of the area on the application page. Joint sponsorship fees for the meeting are not required. The use of rooms or equipment provided by the meeting is free; however, charges may apply for signage or additional equipment usage.

7．Submission Instructions for Proposals

Access the application page via the provided link, complete the form with the required information, and submit your proposal. The person responsible for the proposal, typically the main organizer, should submit the application. It is expected that the organizer (and co-organizer, if applicable) will serve as the chair(s) of the symposium.

1. Symposium Category (select from the dropdown menu)
2. Symposium Title
3. Main Organizer Information (for a regular or junior member of JNS only): Name, Affiliation, Contact Information (Email Address, Phone Number, Website URL)
4. Co-Organizer Information (if applicable): Name, Affiliation, Contact Information (Email Address, Phone Number, Website URL)）
5. Aim and Synopsis (approximately 400 characters)
6. Speaker Information: Name, Affiliation, Email Address, Phone Number, Website URL
7. Abstract Title for Each Speaker *Tentative title is acceptable.
8. Key Publications of Each Speaker (1 to 2 papers per speaker)
9. Keywords for the Entire Symposium (5 keywords)
10. Request for Co-Hosting with Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas
11. Financial Resources Secured for Travel Expenses of Overseas Speakers (e.g., Grants-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas)
12. Consideration of Diversity: Age, Gender, International Representation, and Other Factors (Approximately 400 characters) - Diversity breakdown examples may include: # in their 30s, # females / # males, # from USA / # from Europe (Personal information disclosure is not required.)
13. Special Notes (Approximately 400 characters) - Please describe your intended contribution to this meeting or relevance to clinical practices if applicable.

Contact: Neuroscience2025 Secretariat

6th floor, Shin-Osaka Grand Bldg.,
2-14-14, Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka,
532-0003, JAPAN (c/o A & E Planning, Co., Ltd)
TEL: +81-6-6350-7163
E-mail: jns2025@aeplan.co.jp