Barcelona, Spain – July 10, 2026 – The FENS Forum 2026 and ERA-Net NEURON welcomed Linbi Cai as the recipient of the EPNA 2025 Award, recognizing an exceptional early-career researcher for outstanding scientific achievement.

The award ceremony featured a special lecture by Linbi Cai, who presented her award-winning research to an international audience of neuroscientists attending the FENS Forum.

The event was opened by Dr. Ulrike Bußhoff, Coordinator of ERA-Net NEURON, and Dr. Erkki Raulo, responsible for the NEURON Award Program. In her opening remarks, Dr. Bußhoff reflected on the legacy and evolution of ERA-Net NEURON since its launch in 2008, highlighting its pivotal role in fostering pan-European collaboration in neuroscience, neurology, and psychiatry. She also presented the next chapter of this initiative: the European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth).

EP BrainHealth builds on the strong foundation established by ERA-Net NEURON to create a unified, long-term ecosystem for brain research that is more inclusive, integrated, and impactful. For early-career researchers, the partnership offers a broad portfolio of opportunities while emphasizing the importance of recognizing excellence at every stage of a researcher’s career.

Following the EPNA 2025 Award Ceremony, Linbi Cai delivered her special lecture on “Nasal Chemosensation–Dependent Critical Window for Somatosensory Development” on the main stage of the FENS Forum, presenting her award-winning research to a global audience.