SEMARANG — The Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro (FK Undip) continues to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening international academic networks through the Seminar on Neuroscience: Bridging Basic Research, Technology, and Clinical Practice, held on October 16, 2025.
The hybrid-format event featured six experts in the field of neuroscience — four from Kagoshima University, Japan, and two from FK Undip.
Speakers from Kagoshima University included Prof. Hiroyuki Okuno, M.Sc., Ph.D., Prof. Tatsuo Sato, M.D., Ph.D., Prof. Yoshiaki Tagawa, Ph.D., and Prof. Kosuke Hamaguchi, Ph.D. Meanwhile, FK Undip was represented by Dr. dr. Elta Diah Pasmanasari, Sp.S., M.Si.Med. and Ridzky Firmansyah Hardian, M.D., Ph.D.
The seminar’s organizing committee chair, dr. Pulong Wijang Pralampita, Ph.D., explained that the event aimed to deepen students’, researchers’, and lecturers’ understanding of the importance of basic science in neuroscience research.
“In Indonesia, most neurology-related studies are generally conducted in human (on humans). Basic science research is still rarely explored, even though it plays a crucial role before advancing to human studies,” he stated.
He added that this seminar is expected to serve as an initial step toward enhancing neuroscience research collaboration between FK Undip and international partner universities, particularly in strengthening translational research that bridges basic research with clinical practice.
Two Scientific Sessions Discuss Global Neuroscience Developments
The event was divided into two main sessions.
Session I: Neural Development, Memory, and National Perspectives featured Prof. Yoshiaki Tagawa, Ph.D. with a presentation titled “Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neural Circuit Formation: Exploring Abnormalities and Mechanisms.”
This was followed by Prof. Kosuke Hamaguchi, Ph.D., who discussed “Neural Mechanism of Action Selection in AI and Brain,” and dr. Ridzky Firmansyah Hardian, Ph.D., who presented “Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring and Mapping.”
In Session II: Dopamine, Brain Function, and Future Technologies, Prof. Hiroyuki Okuno, Ph.D. delivered a talk on “Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Memory Maintenance and Its Dysfunction,” while Prof. Tatsuo Sato, Ph.D. presented “Functional Heterogeneity of Mesocortical Dopamine Axons: Activity Change during Classical Conditioning.”
The session concluded with dr. Elta Diah Pasmanasari, Sp.S., M.Si.Med., who discussed “Decoding Dopamine: Understanding Its Role in Parkinson’s Disease.”
Advancing Academic Synergy and International Research
The seminar, attended by participants from various domestic and international institutions, concluded with an interactive discussion between speakers and the audience. Through this initiative, FK Undip reaffirmed its commitment to expanding global collaboration in neuroscience, fostering international knowledge exchange, and strengthening basic research capacity aimed at improving public health quality.(*)
