Awards

The International Brain Stimulation Award

Deadline: 31 July 2026

Previous winners

2017: Barcelona, Spain Anthony T. Barker received this prestigious recognition for his pioneering work in developing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

2019: Vancouver, Canada Mark Hallett received the for his seminal contributions to our understanding of the neurophysiological effects of TMS.

2021: Charleston, USA Alim Louis Benabid, awarded for his invention of high-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions has allowed patients around the world to resume functional and fulfilling lives without the need for radical surgeries.

2023: Lisbon, France John Rothwell was given the award for his pioneering work on how TMS works in the motor system.

2025: Japan Walter Paulus pioneered modern non-invasive brain-stimulation techniques—including tDCS, tACS, and tRNS—advancing neuroplasticity research and improving therapeutic applications for conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, pain disorders, and other neurological disorders.

The International Brain Stimulation Award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the field of brain stimulation. These contributions can be in basic, translational, and/or clinical aspects of neuromodulation, and have had a profound influence in shaping the field. Any one in our field can nominate a candidate for this award. The nominees will be considered by the Senior Editors and Deputy Editors of Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation. None of the current senior or deputy editors can themselves be considered for this award. This award comes with a monetary prize and a memorial sculpture.

We invite the entire brain stimulation community to suggest candidates for this award. Please e-mail the award committee with your thoughts to [email protected], using the subject line ‘2027 International Brain Stimulation Award’. You can simply suggest a name, without any commentary or justification, or you can provide a justification. Regardless, these nominations will be collated, counted, and shared with the award committee. Your input is greatly appreciated and will likely influence the award selection. The deadline for nominations is 31 July 2026. Please mention in your email that your nomination is for the 2027 International Brain Stimulation Award.

For all awards, recipients are selected by the Senior Editors and Deputy Editors of Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation, with consideration given to the diversity of the meeting. The financial aspects of these awards are supported by Elsevier Inc.

International Brain Stimulation Early Career Award

Deadline: 28 August, 2026

Previous Winners

2021: Charleston, USA Michael D. Fox received the award for his research on developing new and improved treatments for brain disease by understanding brain circuits and the effects of neuromodulation.

2023: Lisbon, Spain Colleen A. Hanlon was given the award for her use of imaging and neuroscience principles to innovate and elevate the field of TMS for addictions.

2025: Japan Andreas Horn a pioneering young scientist who is transformed how we visualize and place electrodes in the brain for research and therapy.

The International Brain Stimulation Early Career Award recognizes the impact on the field of neuromodulation of an individual early in their career. The awardee must be 15 years or less since last academic degree or fellowship, and will be selected on the basis of outstanding contributions to the field of brain stimulation, whether in basic, translational and/or clinical research.

Applicants should submit a synopsis of their contributions (≤ 600 words), a list of 5 most important references relevant to the field of brain stimulation, and 2 letters of support from outside their institution. All submissions will be electronic and submitted to the email address, [email protected], with the subject line “2027 International Brain Stimulation Early Career Award”. The awardee will be invited to present a plenary lecture at the Japan meeting, and will receive a certificate, travel expenses, and a cash prize. The deadline for receipt of applications is 28 August 2024.

For all awards, recipients are selected by the Senior Editors and Deputy Editors of Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation, with consideration given to the diversity of the meeting. The financial aspects of these awards are supported by Elsevier Inc.

International Brain Stimulation Best Poster Awards

The International Brain Stimulation Best Poster Awards were first given at the inaugural 2015 meeting in Singapore. At each of the three poster sessions, one poster will be selected for this award. The poster presenter will receive a certificate and a cash prize of $500 (US).

For all awards, recipients are selected by the Senior Editors and Deputy Editors of Brain Stimulation: Basic, Translational and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation, with consideration given to the diversity of the meeting. The financial aspects of these awards are supported by Elsevier Inc.