{
  "id": 28417,
  "title": "An Iranian, an Israeli, and a Palestinian neuroscientist walked into a bar…",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/28/an-iranian-an-israeli-and-a-palestinian-neuroscientist-walked-into-a",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-07-28T04:00:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Transmitter",
    "slug": "the-transmitter",
    "url": "https://www.thetransmitter.org/science-and-society/an-iranian-an-israeli-and-a-palestinian-neuroscientist-walked-into-a-bar/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In November 2024, a group of U.S.-based neuroscientists from Iran, Israel, and Palestine gathered for the first-ever Middle Eastern Systems Neuroscience Symposium. This meeting took place just as thousands of other neuroscientists convened at the Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego. Organized by four postdoctoral fellows who had previously met at a similar SfN social event, the symposium aimed to bridge political barriers through scientific connection. Made up of Arash from Iran, Abdulraheem from a Palestinian community in Israel, and Gily and Noga from predominantly Jewish communities in Israel, the attendees shared both positive and negative experiences from their backgrounds. They formed an empathy that felt both natural and necessary for maintaining hope and humanity. The symposium featured keynote speakers and presentations from young neuroscientists in the region, highlighting a community of shared interests. Attendees reported feeling more at ease and better understood than in previous conferences. Following the success of the first event, plans are underway for the symposium to become an annual gathering, expanding into an online community with social media presence and a dedicated Slack channel. This initiative aims to foster ongoing connections among Middle Eastern neuroscientists, hoping to open doors to meaningful interactions and mutual understanding in an often divided region.",
  "summary": "That chance occurrence at an SfN social led us to organize the Middle Eastern Systems Neuroscience Symposium, and forge a plan to build a community that transcends political barriers through scientific connection.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}