9th Edition: Brain Health and Longevity

The ninth edition of the Advanced Course in Neurobioethics, promoted by the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, in collaboration with the Science and Faith Institute and the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights, will focus on a highly relevant topic: brain health and the challenge of longevity.

The course builds upon the Vatican Longevity Summit (March 2025), which brought together international experts to reflect on aging, quality of life, and the impact of new technologies on the human condition. In continuity with that experience, the Neurobioethics Research Group (GdN), coordinated by Fr. Alberto Carrara, LC, offers a training program that critically and interdisciplinarily addresses the emerging ethical and anthropological questions raised by neuroscience and the culture of longevity.

Educational Objectives

The aim of the course is to provide tools to deeply understand the transformations affecting how we live —and age— and to respond to a crucial question of our time: what is the meaning of living longer, if we are not living better?

With this in mind, the course explores the concept of brain health in an integral way, linking the nervous system with all dimensions of human existence: biological, psychological, relational, and spiritual.

Special attention will be given to biological rejuvenation, neuroprotection, and the most recent advances in epigenetic research and cellular reprogramming, with references to leading scientists such as Nobel Prize winners Shinya Yamanaka and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan.

The approach will be critical and interdisciplinary, inspired by the Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophical tradition and guided by the principles of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. The course will examine the practical implications of neuroscience on human life, with a particular focus on ethical, legal, social, and cultural aspects, in the belief that the future of humanity is measured not only in years lived, but in the quality and meaning of each stage of life.

Structure and methods of participation

The course will be held in English with simultaneous translation into Italian, and can be attended in one of three formats: in person, live online (synchronous), or recorded online (asynchronous).

It will run over the course of one academic year and includes 10 monthly sessions of two hours each, consisting of seminars and round tables.

Sessions will take place on Fridays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, from September 2025 to June 2026, following this schedule:

Course start: Friday, 26 September 2025
2025 dates: 26 September, 24 October, 21 November, 19 December
2026 dates: 23 January, 27 February, 13 March (special event: Brain Awareness Week), 17 April, 22 May, 19 June

The course includes a total of 25 hours of training and grants 3 ECTS credits.
Final evaluation will be based on regular participation and the submission of a written summary paper.

Admission Requirements

The course is aimed at doctors, bioethicists, philosophers, theologians, jurists, economists, trainers, and cultural operators interested in exploring the new scenarios of neurobioethics and the frontiers of longevity. For enrollment in the course, at least a high school diploma is required. There is no selection process, but a minimum number of 10 enrollees is necessary for activation.

Enrollment Procedure

1. Fill out the contact form by clicking the button at the bottom of the page.
2. Prepare the required documents (copy of the qualification, identity document) and upload them to the online admission form.
3. Await confirmation from the General Secretariat and follow the instructions to complete enrollment.

Costs and Deadlines

• Course cost:C €500
• Early bird enrollment: €450 for those who enroll by October 31, 2025
• Full price enrollment: until January 30, 2026

Contacts

For more information, contact: Renato Zeuli

• Email: info.filosofia@upra.org
• Mobile: +39 3202461802
• Tel.: +39 06 91689901 (Faculty of Philosophy Secretariat)