CIMCYC International Summer School: Neuroscience of Eating Behaviour and Excess Weight

Date and Location Meet the Panelists Schedule Contents Meet the Organizing Committee Discover the City Registration and Contact

Organizers

Partners

Máster en Neurociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Dolor (UGR)

Máster en Psicología General Sanitaria (UGR)

A unique opportunity for young researchers in cognitive neuroscience.

A series of lectures by leading experts in the field will lay the foundation for understanding and critically examining various findings in the neuroscience of excess weight.

June 2 to 6, 2025

Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC)

University of Granada (Spain)

Photography courtesy of Javier Linares Serrano, © 2025. Photography of the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Centre (University of Granada).

This International Doctoral Summer School is a five-day event in which leading academics
will address the most current lines of research focused on the characterisation and
intervention in excess weight.

Students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the speakers in a dedicated space for informal discussions.

Lectures and workshops with the best researchers in the field

Encounters between the phd students and the speakers

Perfect time to share ideas and results. we are waiting for you!

Meet some of the panelists

Antonio Verdejo-García

University of Monash Australia

He explores the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying obesity, and how changes in the brain influence eating behaviour and decision making.

Oren Contreras-Rodríguez

Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

She investigates how excess weight affects brain connectivity, finding that changes in the hypothalamic and insular networks can intensify food cravings.

Cassandra Lowe

University of Exeter, UK

Her research examines the cognitive and neural factors that increase vulnerability to overeating and dysregulated eating behaviours.

Uku Vainik

University of Tartu, Estonia

His research focuses on the psychological and genetic factors linked to obesity and overeating. His work bridges the fields of personality, cognition, and genomics.

Mª Jesús Álvarez-Cubero

University of Granada, Spain

She has extensive expertise in forensic genetics, biomedicine, and oncology. His field of study pays special attention to biomarkers of obesity.

Luis Javier Martínez-González

GENYO Centre, Spain

His studies use the latest methods to understand how eating habits, like eating a lot of ultra-processed food affect the gut microbiome and their effects on obesity and related health problems.

Concepción Aguilera

University of Granada, Spain

She conducts studies using omics analyses (genetics, epigenetics, and metabolomics) to identify new molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic disorders associated with childhood obesity.

Ana Rivas-Velasco

University of Granada, Spain

She investigates the different routes of human exposure to endocrine disruptors in obesity.

Talks

Neurocognitive underpinning of food choices across clinical populations and contexts.
(More information)

Antonio Verdejo-Garcia (Monash University).

Neural Pathways of Obesity: Exploring the Potential Connection with Ultra-Processed Foods
(More information)

Oren Contreras (University of Barcelona).

Neuromodulation as a tool to assess causal neurocognitive processes underlying individual vulnerability to ultra-processed food consumption.
(More information)

Cassandra Lowe (University of Exeter).

How genomics can energize social sciences.
(More information)

Uku Vainik (University of Tartu).

Role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in obesity and neurodevelopment: The genetic and microbiota link.
(More information)

Ana Rivas & Viviana Ramírez (University of Granada).

Multiomics approach in the metabolic alteration in children and adolescents with obesity.
(More information)

Concepción Aguilera (University of Granada).

Identification of Genetic Markers Associated with Complex Diseases and the Ambietome
(More information)

María Jesús Álvarez Cubero and Luis Javier Martínez González (University of Granada).

Collaborative work

[More information]

Social program

[More information]

Meet the organizing committee

Antonio Verdejo-García
Click here to learn more about his work

Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health. University of Monash.
Melbourne. Australia.

Natalia Lawrence
Click here to learn more about her work

Global Systems Institute. University of Exeter, United Kingdom.

Miguel Pérez García
Click here to learn more about his work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada.

Raquel Vilar López
Click here to learn more about her work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada.

Alfonso Caracuel
Click here to learn more about his work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada.

María Jesús Álvarez Cubero
Click here to learn more about her work

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology III and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine. University of Granada.

Andrea Bernat Villena
Click here to learn more about her work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center. University of Granada.

Francisco Javier Pérez-Comino
Click here to learn more about his work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center. University of Granada.

Luz Stella Algarra-López
Click here to learn more about her work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center. University of Granada. Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia (UPTC).

Marta Becerra Losada
Click here to learn more about her work

CIMCYC Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center. University of Granada.

Discover the city

Have any questions or need more information? We’re happy to help!

📧 Contact Us

neurosummerschool@gmail.com