title: Operationalizing Cognitive Science and Technologies' Research and Development; the "Brain and Cognition Study Group (BCSG)" Initiative from Shiraz, Iran.
abstract: Recent advances in brain and cognitive science studies have revolutionized concepts in neural dynamics, regulating mechanisms, coding systems and information processing networks which govern our function and behavior. Hidden aspects of neurological and psychiatric diseases are being understood and hopes for their treatment are emerging. Although the two comprehensive mega-projects on brain mapping are in place in the United States and Europe; the proportion of science contributed by the developing countries should not be downsized. With the granted supports from the Cognitive Sciences and Technologies Council (CSTC), Iran can take its role in research on brain and cognition further. The idea of research and development in Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (CST) is being disseminated across the country by CSTC. Towards this goal, the first Shiraz interdisciplinary meeting on CST was held on 9 January 2014 in Namazi hospital, Shiraz. CST research priorities, infrastructure development, education and promotion were among the main topics discussed during this interactive meeting. The steering committee of the first CST meeting in Shiraz decided to frame future research works within the "Brain and Cognition Study Group-Shiraz" (BCSG-Shiraz). The study group comprises scientific leaders from various allied disciplines including neuroscience, neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, psychology, radiology, physiology, bioengineering, biophysics, applied physics and telecommunication. As the headquarter for CST in the southern Iran, BCSG-Shiraz is determined to advocate "brain and cognition" awareness, education and research in close collaboration with CSTC. Together with CSTC, Shiraz Neuroscience Research center (SNRC) will take the initiative to cross boundaries in interdisciplinary works and multi-centric research projects within the study group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ashjazadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boostani
authors.affiliation: Iranian Cognitive Science and Technologies Council, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ekhtiari
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emamghoreishi
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Majidreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farrokhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghanizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Science and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hatam
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hadianfard
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrzad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotfi
authors.affiliation: Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation Protection Research Center (INIRPRC), School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mortazavi
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montakhab
authors.affiliation: Iranian Cognitive Science and Technologies Council, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nili
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Razmkon
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Iranian Cognitive Science and Technologies Council, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Mohammad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sodagar
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Peiman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Setoodeh
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mousa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taghipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torabi-Nami
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Academy of Medical Sciences, Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolkarim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vesal
keywords: Brain Research; Cognition; Cognitive Science and Technologies; Developing Countries; Neuroscience; Shiraz; Study Group