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On June 3–4, 2026, Farabi University hosted the International Symposium “Perspectives of Integrative Neuroscience”, organized by the Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology and the Brain Institute of Farabi University within the framework of the II International Scientific and Practical Forum “Modern Trends in Sustainable Development of Biological Sciences” (IFBioScFU 2026).

The symposium became a landmark event for Kazakhstan’s scientific community, as it was dedicated to the official opening of the Brain Institute of Farabi University — the first specialized Brain Institute in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

The opening ceremony brought together university leadership, represented by Member of the Board – Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Activities Margulan Ibraimov, senior representatives of the National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, including Akhylbek Kurishbayev – President of the Board of NAS of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Academician of NAS of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Almaty, Kazakhstan), Vice-President of NAS RK Elena Shevchenko, heads of leading research institutions, international and national scientists, faculty members, doctoral students, and students. One of the key events of the symposium was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between Farabi University and the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Memorandum aims to strengthen scientific collaboration, promote joint research initiatives, support interdisciplinary neuroscience projects, and consolidate efforts to advance cutting-edge brain research in Kazakhstan.

The symposium served as an authoritative international platform for discussing recent advances in neuroscience, neurotechnology, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, neuroimaging, neurorehabilitation, and biomedicine, while fostering collaboration among research centers from around the world.

The plenary program featured 17 presentations delivered by leading scientists and experts from 11 countries, including Kazakhstan, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Australia, Germany, Finland, India, France, and Sri Lanka.

The symposium brought together distinguished experts in neuroscience, neurology, neurotechnology, neuroimaging, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary brain research. Key speakers included: Almira Kustubayeva – Director of the Brain Institute, Head of the Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience of Farabi University, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Professor (Almaty, Kazakhstan); Konstantin Anokhin – Director of the Institute of Advanced Brain Research at M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia); Serik Akshulakov – Chairman of the Board of JSC "National Center for Neurosurgery", Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of NAS RK (Astana, Kazakhstan); Zhanibek Baiturlin – Head of the Department of Radiology and Radiosurgery, Professor, JSC "National Center for Neurosurgery" (Astana, Kazakhstan); Gerald Matthews – Professor of Psychology at George Mason University, PhD (Virginia, Fairfax, USA); Chingiz Shashkin – Founder and CEO of the Neurosurgery and Rehabilitation Center Shashkin Clinic, PhD (Almaty, Kazakhstan); Bazbek Davletov – Honorary Professor, Sheffield University, PhD (Sheffield, UK); Amirhossein Mosavi – Associate Professor at the Oubuda University, PhD (Budapest, Hungary); Ahmed Mustafa – Professor at Bond University, PhD (Gold Coast, Australia); Oralbai Darmenov – Director of the Center for Vascular Pathology, Professor of the Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience of Farabi University, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor (Almaty, Kazakhstan); Vadim Ushakov Leonidovich – Leading Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study of the Brain of Moscow State University, PhD, Associate Professor (Moscow, Russia); Askar Kalekeshov – General Director of the Institute of Genetics and Physiology, Candidate of Biological Sciences (Almaty, Kazakhstan); Graham Plak – Head of the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Humanities and Education, KIMEP University, PhD, Professor (Almaty, Kazakhstan); Matiak Klaus – MD, PhD, Professor at the Rhine-Westphalia University of Technology (Aachen, Germany); Dushani Palliyaguru – Co-founder and CEO of HealthSurveil at the Innovative Hub of Texas University of Technology, PhD (San Antonio, Texas, USA), Fulbright US Scholar, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; Ray Dipanjan – Principal Investigator at the Mind–Brain–Body–Society Lab at Ashoka University (Sonipat, Haryana, India); Vsevolod Peysakhovich – Associate Professor, Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space ISAE-SUPAERO (Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace, French High School of Aerospace Engineering), Researcher at the Human Factors Group, Department of Design and Management of Aerospace Vehicles (Toulouse, France); Beibit Abdikenov – Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Scientific Innovation Technologies, Astana IT University, PhD, Assistant Professor; and Rashid Giniiatullin – Director of Research at the Institute of Molecular Sciences A. I. Virtanena Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Doctor of Medical Sciences (Kuopio, Finland).

Special emphasis was placed on the interdisciplinary nature of modern brain and nervous system research. The symposium covered a broad range of topics, from fundamental neuroscience and molecular biology to computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and neurotechnologies in education.

The scientific program included six thematic sections:

• Cognitive Neuroscience;

• Clinical and Molecular Neuroscience;

• Computational Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics;

• Integrative Research in Biophysics and Neuroscience;

• Integrative Research in Biomedicine and Neuroscience;

• Neurotechnologies in Education.

A total of 90 scientific contributions were presented during the sectional and poster sessions, including 76 oral presentations and 14 poster presentations. Participants represented Kazakhstan, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Japan, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

In addition to the plenary and sectional sessions, the symposium featured a rich program of educational, practical, and demonstration activities. International guests participated in a campus tour of Farabi University’s advanced scientific facilities, including the Remote Sensing Center, the Supercomputing and Artificial Intelligence Center, the Farabi Hub Innovation Center, the Farabi Robotics and Huibo Robotics Centers, and the Brain Institute.

A major highlight of the event was the Neurotechnology Exhibition, which brought together leading manufacturers of scientific, diagnostic, neurostimulation, and neuroimaging equipment. Neurolab (Almaty, Kazakhstan) presented transcranial magnetic stimulation systems; g.tec (Austria) showcased next-generation EEG systems and brain-computer interface technologies; BrainPatch (United Kingdom) demonstrated a neuroheadset for non-invasive transcranial vestibular galvanic stimulation; Portals Holding presented digital tools for cognitive training and emotional self-regulation; Neurotrend showcased neurotechnologies for education and neuromarketing; and Advena presented stereotactic equipment for neurosurgical research on laboratory animals.

The symposium also featured an exhibition of Farabi University scientific journals, including Neuroscience Perspectives, International Journal of Biology and Chemistry, Farabi University Bulletin. Biological Series, and Eurasian Journal of Ecology.

Particular attention was attracted by seven practical workshops devoted to modern neurotechnologies and brain research methods, attended by more than 50 participants. Evgeny Zakharov, an expert from g.tec (Austria), conducted workshops on brain-computer interfaces and multimodal recording of brain activity in real-world and virtual reality environments. Experts from the National Center for Neurosurgery of Kazakhstan, Zhanibek Baiturlin and Daultai Batyrkhanov, presented advanced functional MRI methodologies. Altynay Karimova, Associate Professor-Researcher at Farabi University and neurologist of the highest qualification category, delivered a workshop on contemporary approaches to Parkinson’s disease rehabilitation. Dauren Zhumakhanov, founder of the Neurolab Center of Neurophysiology and Rehabilitation, presented practical applications of transcranial magnetic stimulation. Specialists from the Neuromarketing and Neuromanagement Laboratory of AlmaU, Akdana Abuzhalitova and Alexandra Pankratova, introduced participants to biometric research methods using Eye-Tracking, GSR, and FaceReading technologies. A separate workshop focused on galvanic vestibular stimulation using a neuroheadset and was delivered by Raimbek Iskendirov, CEO of MindVibe and BrainPatch representative in Kazakhstan.

An important feature of the symposium was the active participation of young researchers. Alongside internationally recognized experts, students, master’s students, doctoral candidates, and early-career scientists presented their research, creating a unique platform for scientific dialogue across generations.

The symposium concluded with the adoption of a resolution aimed at advancing neuroscience in Kazakhstan, strengthening international collaboration, supporting young researchers, and further developing the Brain Institute of Farabi University as a leading scientific center in Central Asia. It was also decided that the Symposium “Perspectives of Integrative Neuroscience” would become an annual international scientific forum.

The Chair of the Symposium, Director of the Brain Institute and Head of the Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience, Professor Almira Kustubayeva, together with the Organizing Committee, expressed sincere gratitude to all speakers, moderators, workshop instructors, participants, partners, and sponsors for their contributions to the success of the event and the advancement of modern neuroscience.

The symposium represented an important milestone in the development of neuroscience in Kazakhstan and demonstrated the strong international potential of the Brain Institute of Farabi University as a new center for advanced brain research, neurotechnology development, and training of world-class specialists. Furthermore, the event contributed to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-being,” SDG 4 “Quality Education,” SDG 9 “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure,” and SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals” through the promotion of brain research, neurotechnology, scientific education, innovation, and international scientific cooperation.

                                                                                                          Brain Institute,

                                                                                                          Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience

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