Professor Steven Laureys, an internationally renowned neuroscientist and neurologist, was invited to visit IBP and give a Bei Shizhang Lecture entitled "Consciousness and Neuroplasticity: From Brain Injury and Recovery to Altered States" on Sep 8, 2026. The lecture was hosted by Prof. HE Sheng and Prof. YANG Yan.

Prof. Laureys currently serves as Director of the Zhejiang-Belgium Joint Laboratory for Disorders of Consciousness, Research Director of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS) at the University of Liège, and a visiting professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. He has long been dedicated to understanding the neural mechanisms of consciousness, severe brain injury, and disorders of consciousness, with research spanning neuroimaging, clinical assessment, and neuromodulation. His work has made important contributions to improving the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients with disorders of consciousness. For his outstanding contributions to this field, he has received numerous honors, including the Francqui Prize and the European Academy of Neurology Award.

In this seminar, Prof. Laureys shared his team's research on the neural mechanisms of consciousness. He explained how consciousness can be understood from the perspectives of wakefulness and awareness, and emphasized the critical role of top-down effects in consciousness. He further introduced his team's pioneering progress in the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of disorders of consciousness using EEG, fMRI, and neuromodulation techniques. Regarding the treatment of disorders of consciousness, he highlighted the important role of the thalamo-cortical circuit and discussed the clinical potential of neuromodulation techniques in enhancing neuroplasticity and promoting the recovery of consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness.

During the Q&A session, Prof. Laureys engaged in a lively discussion with faculty members and students from the IBP and patiently addressed their questions on the neural mechanisms of consciousness and the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of consciousness. This seminar provided an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn more about the latest research advances in consciousness and neuroplasticity.

Prof. Steven Laureys was giving a lecture

Prof. Steven Laureys and Prof. HE and YANG