International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience (ISAN)

Welcome to the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience (ISAN) and to the new ISAN home page. Here you will find information about the society, and links to the past or future meetings, opportunities to work or study in autonomic neuroscience, other relevant societies, as well as members and membership application and renewal.

Message from Interim President, Kevin Shoemaker.

With this President’s update we first convey the message that Dr. Valentin Pavlov has stepped down from his role as President of ISAN.  We thank him for his service and dedication to autonomic neuroscience research and the research community. We will be selecting a new President at this year’s ISAN meeting. Til then, as Vice President for ISAN, I am pleased to take on the Interim President role.

In the past few years much has happened in the field of Autonomic Neuroscience. Wearables, situational (real life) data, predictive biomarkers, functional brain-periphery axes, bioelectronics for autonomic neuromodulation, data analytics and large data sets, calls for new nomenclature, advances in technologies and new techniques are contributing to a renaissance in this field. The pervasiveness of autonomic neural influences on physiology and health, aligned with advances in measurement tools and modeling approaches, are opening new and important areas to which our researchers and communicators can make significant impact on a global scale. Concurrently, needs for detailed mechanistic information about integrative neurophysiology, neuroplasticity/neurogenesis and neural pathways are growing. The implications of autonomic neuroscience are coming to the forefront of many health and disease cases.  Each of these advances, and others, represent new opportunities and challenges through which ISAN must demonstrate leadership into the future.

We invite you to join colleagues in the International Society of Autonomic Neuroscience, the European Federation of Autonomic Societies and colleagues from around the world at the 14^th ISAN conference (ISAN 2026) in Bologna, Italy (September 2-5, 2026) to discuss these issues, unite with old friends, catalyze new networks and ignite a passion for this critical research.  

Continuing with the ISAN 2026 theme, we congratulate Davide Martelli, the host of ISAN 2026, who has been awarded the title of Ambassador of Bologna by the City of Bologna for his work in promoting the city. Congratulations Davide.

There is also a renaissance occurring in ISAN structure and mission. We are discussing a new governance model and means by which we can expand awareness of key issues in autonomic neuroscience (basic and clinical).  To this end, we invite you to add your voice to the discussion as we advance the impact of ISAN globally. In the coming weeks we will approach you for input and engagement regarding key issues being addressed.  Also, there will be opportunities to participate in ISAN governance over the next two years. We will be opening a call for nominations into these roles in the coming weeks. So, please consider your own interest in participating in our Association to advance autonomic neuroscience.

I look forward to seeing each of you in Bologna soon.

Kevin Shoemaker