Strengthening global leadership in UK neuroscience

Bethany Facer, BNA Early Career Researcher Trustee, shares how the British Neuroscience Association is supporting researchers – especially early-career scientists – to drive innovation and strengthen the UK’s global leadership in neuroscience

The leading researchers today were once the promising researchers of tomorrow. They will tell you how their early careers, support, mentorship, and networks helped shape who they are today and the ground-breaking science we are seeing now. The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is a vibrant, forward-thinking community of neuroscientists, making connections across sectors to help define and deliver the future of neuroscience. We also strive to promote the benefits of neuroscience to wider society.

Neuroscience research is key to future health, with the Global Burden of Disease study 2021 indicating that neurological conditions are the leading cause of ill health and disability, with over one in three people affected worldwide. (1) Neuroscience research is leading to advances that are resulting in treatments for neurological and psychiatric diseases and to a better understanding of our brains and ourselves. In addition to advancing science and medicine, neuroscience research boosts the economy. The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) commissioned an expert report that estimated returns of around 40% on public investment in research within six years of the investments. (2)

The future of neuroscience and the societal benefits it brings lies in the hands of our students and early-career researchers (ECRs). We are driving innovation and strengthening the UK’s global leadership in neuroscience through three key areas: building research communities, developing research leaders, and connecting research to impact.

Building research communities

ECRs often work in isolation. The BNA breaks down these silos. Our International Festivals of Neuroscience and festive symposia bring together researchers at all career stages, from undergraduates presenting their first poster to established professors.

The Festival embeds career development throughout: a dedicated career zone offers CV clinics with recruiters, panel sessions on navigating academia and industry, and professional networking events like the welcome reception and ECR social evening. Beyond the festival, our BNA Local Groups, special interest groups, and regional networks across the UK allow researchers working on similar problems to share techniques, troubleshoot challenges, and build collaborative networks.

For UK neuroscience, this infrastructure is critical. Connected researchers mean better science. Ideas cross-pollinate, resources are shared efficiently, and the quality of research improves. This builds a resilient ecosystem that keeps the UK at the forefront of neuroscience globally.

Developing research leaders

Supporting ECRs goes beyond funding research. It includes supporting their development as leaders and communicators, with accessible publishing routes – including the BNA’s own society journal – that encourage early-career submissions. The BNA Training Academy courses, like Introduction to Neurophysiology and Model Systems in Neuroscience Research, equip researchers with foundational scientific skills.

The BNA has given ECRs a voice. Student representatives sit on local groups across the UK, and an ECR member sits on the council, shaping how the organisation moves forward. Support means nothing if it’s not accessible to everyone. The BNA Scholars Programme  has provided intensive mentoring, networking, and training to 35 researchers from underrepresented backgrounds, building the future of UK neuroscience. We remove practical barriers: Carers Grants support researchers with caring responsibilities, and BNA Festival Bursaries ensure financial constraints don’t prevent participation. When we break down systemic barriers, we unlock talent that UK neuroscience cannot afford to lose.

Local ECR groups have felt empowered to create events for their communities. For example, the Liverpool ECR group offers workshops on equality, diversity, and inclusion, viva prep, and securing a post-doc.

Connecting research to impact

Neuroscience research means nothing if it stays locked in academic journals. The BNA ensures neuroscience research reaches patients, policymakers, and the public.
During the 2025 festival in Liverpool, the ECR community led our Bring Your Own Brain  public engagement programme. From ‘NeuroNights’, where science met stand-up comedy, to interactive exhibitions exploring vision and blindness, to community events on music, memory, and wellbeing, these ECR-led initiatives reached thousands of members of the public while providing hands-on training and opportunities to over fifty ECRs.

We ensure science translates into policy. Through our membership with CASE (Campaign for Science and Engineering), we amplify neuroscience’s voice in policy discussions. From responding to government consultations to representing neuroscience at Parliamentary events, we ensure evidence informs decisions about healthcare, education, and research strategy.

The future of UK neuroscience depends on how we support ECRs today. The BNA provides the infrastructure, opportunities, and community that transform talented students and postdocs into research leaders who will define the next decades of neuroscience discovery.
But this work requires sustained investment. Policymakers and funders must recognise that supporting professional development, networking, and public engagement isn’t a luxury; it’s essential infrastructure for a thriving research ecosystem. When we invest in ECRs, we invest in the UK’s scientific future and continued global leadership in neuroscience.

References

1. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Data from Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) Results. Published online in 2022. Accessed 15 April 2025. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
2. Returns to Public Research and Development. GOV.UK. Accessed 26 May 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/returns-to-public-research-and-development