The Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Neural Circuits and Plasticity (formerly Neural Plasticity) has been held in alternate years since 1977. We are requesting partial support for the June 26-July 1, 2005 meeting, and the 2007 and 2009 meetings, at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rl. The GRCs were established to stimulate scientific interchange in an informal setting. Interchange is promoted by the informal nature of the conference and by the large amount of time committed to questions during the sessions. The GRC rule prohibiting publication or citation of the meetings and presentations promotes open discussion of the latest results and current ideas. This format has been particularly useful for the Conference on Neural Circuits and Plasticity, a highly interdisciplinary meeting in which the formation, function, and plasticity of neural circuits is explored at the molecular, cellular, systems, and computational levels. The 2005 Conference will have 9 scientific sessions, with a keynote talk by Dr. Bert Sakmann, a Nobel Laureate and one of the most renowned scientists studying circuit function and plasticity. The scientific sessions will cover a range of topics of current interest in the field, from synaptogenesis to sensory coding. The speakers and session chairs are all either world leaders in their fields or up-and-coming junior investigators. Afternoon poster sessions provide an opportunity for all interested participants to present and discuss their work, and each session will include 1 or 2 short talks selected from the submitted abstracts. This format worked very well in previous years to promote young investigators. Question and answer periods are generously scheduled, and social events will permit new participants to meet speakers and session chairs informally. Past participants have found these informal interactions to be a highlight of the meeting, and an important source of scientific advancement for junior people. We are requesting support to fund the attendance of underrepresented groups in the field of Neural Circuit plasticity, including women and ethnic minorities.
