Neuro-SysMed is funded by The Research Council of Norway (RCN) and the host and partner institutions.
Organisational structure
The Centre is led by Professor Kjell-Morten Myhr (Centre Director and Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Program) and Professor Charalampos Tzoulis (Centre CoDirector and Head of the Neurodegeneration Program). At the implementation level, the Directors, supported by the Neuro-SysMed administrative team, manage the Centre’s personnel, financial plans, communication, and dissemination activities, and coordinate annual and financial reporting to the Norwegian Research Council. This is further supported by the host and partners’ own administrative departments.
The Centre Board includes members from the host and partner institutions. The board is chaired by Professor Per Bakke, Dean of the Medical Faculty, UiB, and the other board members are Eivind Hansen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HUH, Torhild Næss Vedeler, Director of the Neurology Clinic, HUH, Helge Ræder, Vice Dean for Innovation, MED, UiB, and Kjerstin Fyllingen, CEO of HDS, Linda Haugland, Chair of the User Committee at HUH, Reidun Tjønn Rinde, member of the User Committee, HUH, Lise Johnsen, Norwegian MS Society and Chair of the Neuro-SysMed User Council, Trine Lise Corneliussen, Norwegian Parkinson’s Association, and Vice Chair of the Neuro-SysMed User Council. The Centre Board members meet bi-annually and facilitate cooperation between the consortiums, give advice on overarching Centre strategies, and aid the Centre leadership with administrative challenges. The Board ensures that the Centre follows the planned work as specified in the agreement with the Norwegian Research Council and that this happens within the agreed budget and schedule. The Centre is also supported by a Scientific Advisory Board, providing scientific guidance and feedback, and a User Council.
Cooperation between partners
Most of the work is physically located at the Haukeland medical campus (HUH, UiB, HDS). The Neuro-SysMed researchers work across departments and institutions using their resources and facilities. The Neuro-SysMed laboratory, administration, most offices, and most of the clinical work are located at the Neurology Clinic, HUH. In addition, resources such as imaging, bio-banking, stem cell facilities, core facilities at The Medical Faculty, including animal facilities, and biostatisticians, among others, are available for Neuro-SysMed at all three institutions in Bergen. This close co-localisation allows for close interactions between the research groups to work towards shared projects and goals. Each research group has weekly meetings and often invites members from other groups to take part in scientific discussions, often pertaining to the different research nodes. In 2023, we have continued organising our monthly seminar series, and a larger symposium organised in September with all Neuro-SysMed members and invited international speakers. These activities have provided crucial meeting points for scientific discussions and cooperation for all Centre members, students and interested collaborators.