The new Kavli prizes were awarded for the first time in Oslo on September 9, 2008. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway led the presentation of the international research prizes to seven of the world's most prominent scientists. The ceremony took place in Oslo Concert Hall. Carlos Belmonte, IBRO President, attended the ceremony.

The Kavli Prizes are awarded every second year in the research fields of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. Their founder is the Norwegian- American businessman and philanthropist Fred Kavli.

Sten Grillner, of the Nobel Institute for Neurophysiology, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, was one of three scientists who won the neuroscience prize, the other two being Pasko Rakic, of Yale University School of Medicine, US and Thomas Jessell, of Columbia University, US. Prof. Grillner is Chair of IBRO's Memberships and Partnerships Committee, and he is also President-Elect of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).

The prizewinners delivered lectures on September 10 about the scientific work that won them their prizes at the University of Oslo, the University of Stavanger and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim.