History of the Society
1. Origin of the SSN
The ancestor of the Swiss Society for Neuroscience (SSN) was the so-called "Swiss Chapter" of the "International Brain Research Organization" (IBRO), grouping the scientists of the country active in the domain of Neurosciences. In 1996, the project of a transition to a new Society, the "Swiss Society for Neuroscience", was initiated and conducted by Prof. Volker Henn (Zurich). At its creation, the SSN inherited an approximate number of members close to 250.

When founded, the SSN declared the following goals:
  • to advance the understanding of the nervous system and its diseases, by bringing together scientists and clinicians of various backgrounds
  • to promote the exchange between basic and clinical research, as well as with industrial research
  • to promote education in the basic and clinical neurosciences
  • to promote exchange and collaboration at the international level
  • to inform the general public on the results and implications of current research in the neurosciences

In 1998, the SSN joined the newly created "Federation of European Neuroscience Societies" (FENS), which replaced the former "European Neuroscience Association" (ENA). Presently, the FENS regroups 26 National Neuroscience Societies and 6 international monodisciplinary societies.

2. Membership
The number of SSN members progressively increased along these years:
  • 2008: 1000
  • 2007: 850
  • 2006: 790
  • 2004: 700
  • 2002: 550
  • 2000: 450
  • 1998: 350

3. Projects and Events
The SSN pursued the tradition of the "Swiss IBRO Chapter" to organize an annual "one day" meeting, taking place alternatively in Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg, Bern, Basel and Zürich. In order to achieve the second goal declared above, the SSN council decided to organize each annual meeting jointly with a clinical Society (partner organizer). So far, the following clinical societies were involved (one each year):
  • Swiss Society for Clinical Neurophysiology, 2001
  • Swiss Society for Sleep Research, Sleep Medicine and Chronobiology (SGSSC), 2000, 2002, 2010
  • Swiss Society of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (SSPP), 2003
  • Swiss Society for Behavioral Neurology (SSBN), 2004
  • Swiss Society of Biological psychiatry (SSBP), 1996-1999, 2005
  • Swiss Society for Neuroradiology, 2006
  • Swiss Society of Multiple Sclerosis (SSMS), 2007
A major commitment of the SSN is to support and promote young neuroscientists by offering competitive travel grants to attend a major international meeting (FENS meeting, Society for Neuroscience meeting) and by recognizing outstanding achievements (Best publication award, given annually since 2003) and excellent contribution to the annual meeting (Volker Henn best poster awards and best clinical study award). The number of travel grants has increased from 2 per year in 2000 to 23 per year in 2004.

The rapid development of the SSN has allowed its council to initiate the following projects and activities:
  • In 2000, the SSN presented a bid to the FENS to be organizer of the 2004 FENS meeting. Lisbon was selected, but this tentative turned out to be a first step paving the way for the successful bid presented in 2004 (see below).
  • Introduction of the Newsletter (2002).
  • New version of the SSN Website (2004).
  • Ph.D. student day (2004)
  • Introduction of continuous education training course on animal experimentation (2004).
  • Choice by the FENS of Geneva as site for the 2008 FENS meeting (2004).
  • Nomination of the first "Honorary SSN Member": Professor K. Akert (January 28th, 2006)
  • New Website and Member Data Base (2009)
  • Brain Awareness Week (2010)

4. SSN Council
The position of the President of the SSN was held by the following colleagues:       

  • 2009-               Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers, Basel
  • 2007-2008     Stephanie Clarke, Lausanne
  • 2005-2006     Eric M. Rouiller, Fribourg
  • 2002-2004     Jean-Marc Fritschy, Zurich
  • 2001-2001     Jean-Marc Burgunder, Bern
  • 1999-2000     Ann Kato, Geneva
  • 1997-1998     Pierre Magistretti, Lausanne

Along these years, the following colleagues contributed to the work of the SSN council (in alphabetical order):     

Ch. Bandtlow, A. Barth, C. Bassetti, JM. Burgunder, P. Caroni, S. Catsicas, S. Clarke, T. Dierks, A. Enz, JM. Fritschy, B. Gaehwiler, J. Ghika, V. Henn, Ch.W. Hess, D. Jabaudon, A. Kato, J. Kiss, Ch. Lüscher, HR. Lüscher, A. Lüthi, P. Magistretti, I. Mansuy, Ch. Michel, D. Monard, D. Muller, R. Müri, M. Murray, P. Paganetti, G. Rager, EM. Rouiller, MA. Ruegg, N. Schaeren-Wiemers, E. Seifritz, P. Sonderegger, S. Thompson, I. Tobler, E. Welker, A. Wirz, A. Zurn.