Introducing the new OHBM Cerebellum SIG!
Author: Sheeba Anteraper
Editor: Zaki Alasmar
The OHBM 2026 council has approved a new special interest group (SIG), for all things cerebellum! The new SIG, chaired by Sheeba Anteraper, PhD, focuses on advances in cerebellar research, highlighting the richness and importance of this part of the brain that contains the majority of its neurons!
The field of functional neuroimaging has made great progress in understanding the organization of the cerebral cortex, but less advances have been made in understanding the complexity and nuance inherent within the cerebellum, particularly in the context of cognitive functions. By employing innovative data acquisition and computational modeling approaches, recent neuroimaging experiments are now beginning to challenge the traditionally cerebral cortex-centered view of cognition, pointing instead to the pivotal role of the cerebellum in these processes.
We are here to address this gap with the following key goals:
Build an inclusive global community connecting researchers, clinicians, technical experts, industry partners, and non-profit organizations working in cerebellar imaging and neurological and psychiatric illnesses.
Support researchers across all career stages by creating opportunities for mentorship, peer learning, networking, leadership, and active participation in SIG programs and collaborative initiatives.
Empower trainees and early-career investigators through targeted education in MRI acquisition and processing, access to expert guidance, and opportunities to present research, develop collaborations, and lead new projects.
Foster interdisciplinary and multicenter collaboration by connecting methodological innovation with clinical expertise and encouraging harmonization, shared best practices, and reproducible imaging approaches.
Advance cerebellar imaging science through focused activities addressing Ultra-High-Field MRI, dedicated RF coils, acquisition and analysis methods (e.g., fMRI, MRS, automated segmentation) developmental and aging trajectories, normative modeling, and imaging biomarker discovery.
Accelerate clinical translation by developing sensitive, reproducible, and scalable imaging biomarkers for clinical trials and emerging disease-modifying therapies and intervention strategies (e.g., cerebellar neuromodulation) for a range of disorders.
Create sustained opportunities for scientific exchange through OHBM symposia, moderated discussions, educational programs, and collaborative projects that encourage critical debate and meaningful interaction.
The scope of this SIG includes advancing the understanding of cerebellar structure and function across health, lifespan development, aging, and disease through innovative, rigorous, and collaborative neuroimaging research. The SIG will unite researchers, clinicians, technical experts, trainees, and partners across disciplines and career stages to develop and harmonize imaging methods, foster education and mentorship, and accelerate the discovery and translation of meaningful biomarkers for a range of disorders including neurological, psychiatric and rare diseases. By building an inclusive global community and connecting methodological innovation with clinical application, the SIG will disseminate information to improve research, clinical trials, and ultimately patient care. Our overarching goal is to bring diversity, equity and inclusion to the field of brain mapping by investigating understudied regions of the human brain.
Governance Structure:
| Role | Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Sheeba Anteraper | University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USA |
| Chair-Elect | Mac Shine | The University of Sydney, Australia |
| Secretary | Aikaterina Manoli | Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany |
| Secretary-Elect | Jessica Bernard | Texas A&M University, USA |
| Member | Caroline Nettekoven | University of Oxford, United Kingdom |
| Member | Paule-J Toussaint | Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) at McGill University, Canada |
