Picturing stories about the brain

From October 31 to November 4, 2016, fifteen teenagers became artistically involved with neurological disorders and their treatment by the use of neurotechnologies in the comic workshop “Hirn-Strips”.

 

The agenda was divided into two segments: A theoretical part with a tour of selected BrainLinks-BrainTools laboratories, an encounter with people affected by brain diseases as well as an ethics role play. The high school students from Freiburg and the surrounding region were inspired by their freshly acquired knowledge and eventually put down their own stories on paper with a pencil (and much creative talent!). On the first day, organizers Mathilde Bessert-Nettelbeck and Sabrina Livanec introduced the participants to the physiology of the brain and the research of BrainLinks-BrainTools with the help of Dr. Birgit Ahrens, Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz and Prof. Dr. Cornelius Weiller. The second day did not only include visits to the labs of PD Dr. Tonio Ball, Prof. Dr. Carola Haas, Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz and Dr. Michael Tangermann, but a meeting with Parkinson’s and epilepsy patients. The guests told the students about their lives with the disease and therapy. Particularly deep brain stimulation and surgical treatment of epilepsy were discussed at length. On the next day PD Dr. Oliver Müller discussed ethical implications of neurotechnology with the participants. On the third day they developed a comic concept and the fourth day was all about drawing the layout. Freiburg based illustrator Ludmilla Bartsch provided technical assistance.