Time perception (TP) represents a fundamental issue in cognitive science and neurosciences. However, the cognitive mechanisms and brain areas involved are still underspecified. Uncovering the processes underlying TP will specify its interactions with action, attention, memory, and language and will make crucial contributions to our understanding of longstanding questions on various aspects of time (synchrony, duration, etc.). To investigate TP one has to move away from the single-discipline perspective and profit from the synergy of theoretical and methodological inputs from different disciplines. Currently, time research is spread out across European and international laboratories. Advancement in the study of TP poses a challenge and, thus, it requires the coordination of actions within the EU community and internationally. The essence of this Action is a multidisciplinary union of senior and junior scientists who work on TP.

The TIMELY Action aims to develop a scientific network that will establish the first European community on TP. The main objective of the Action is to advance the understanding of the processes underlying Time Perception (TP) by exploring the relevant multidisciplinary theoretical, behavioral, neurobiological, and clinical perspectives.

The TIMELY COST action aims at coordinating efforts on the following objectives:

• Objective A: Critically examine the current definitions and measurements methods associated with TP. Develop a common code of communication for TP and new behavioral/imaging paradigms for measuring TP.
• Objective B: Critically examine the links between time and: memory, attention, language, culture, and particularly to emphasize on the TP changes observed in infants and elderly.
• Objective C: Critically examine the appropriate path of utilizing complex stimuli in TP research and create new research materials and tools.
• Objective D: Critically examine the research on the neural correlates of TP and develop theories of how TP is represented in the brain in healthy and clinical populations.
• Objective E: Provide young researchers with training opportunities through the diverse expertise and research projects being integrated in this Action.

For Swiss researchers, an immediate benefit of the Action is the opportunity of collaborating with international research groups to foster advancement of the field of time perception in terms of new empirical, theoretical and methodological knowledge. The collaboration will be nurtured by intensive information and knowledge sharing (e.g., workshops, seminars) and is intended to lead research outputs (e.g., publications, edited books, reports published on-line, presentations at academic conferences).

Should you be interested in the “TIMELY” COST Action, please contact the COST coordinator for Switzerland, member of the COST TD0904 management committee:

Lucas SPIERER, PhD

Faculty of Biology and Medicine – UNIL

Neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation Service - CHUV

av. Pierre-Decker 5 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland

Ph.: +41'21'314'13'17

fax:+41'21'314'13'19

e-mail: Lucas.Spierer@chuv.ch

For further details on the COST organization: http://www.cost.esf.org/

January 2010

The Bruno and Ilse Frick Foundation for Research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is calling for grant applications. The aim of the Foundation is to encourage basic biomedical research related to understanding the cause of ALS (100,000 CHF over 2 years). These awards are not directed to clinically related projects for patient care. There is no geographical limitation to the recipients of these grants.

Web-site: http://frick-fondation.ch

Applications should include:

• Scientific abstract (not more than one page)
• Introduction of the topic (not more than 2 pages)
• Specific goals of the project and detailed research plan (not more than 5 pages)
• Budget requested
• List of other support
• Curriculum vitae
• List of papers published by the applicant during the past 5 years

A scientific report will be requested each year.

Please send your application by e-mail for the deadline of August 31, 2010 to:

Prof. A.C. Kato

President of the Scientific Advisory Board

Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

E-mail: ann.kato@unige.ch

Please no telephone calls or faxes.

You will receive a response by December 2010.

Would you please transmit this information to all of your ALS colleagues.

October 2009

To support the work of young researchers in their work in all areas of epileptology, the Foundation set up by the Bank Hugo Kahn has made the sum of up to 10,000 Swiss francs available to epileptology research.

The prize, created in 1998, can pay for work already done or can help promising projects currently under way in specialist clinical or theoretical areas. The age limit for candidates wishing to apply is 40.

Candidates and applications from candidates accompanied by three copies of their file should be submitted by the end of May 2010 to:

Swiss League Against Epilepsy

Dr. Günter Krämer, Chairman

Seefeldstrasse 84

P. O. Box 1084

CH 8034 Zurich

Phone 041 43 488 67 77

Fax 041 43 488 77 78

Panel of Judges: Dr. Günter Krämer, Zurich (chairman), Prof. Dr. Paul-André Despland, Lausanne, and Prof. Dr. Theodor Landis, Geneva.