The retina is the nerve tissue inside the eye, forming a complex processing stage for visual information. It is the crucial first stage where light reception starts to turn into vision. This conference is the fourth biennial one in a series devoted to the retina. The five day meeting will cover issues of retinal development, cellular functions that support neural signaling in the retina, neural circuits in the retina that process visual information, coding of information in the optic nerve from the retina to the brain, and some of the resulting abilities and limitations of visual behavior. The conference format is designed to promote a lot of discussions, not simply formal talks, and includes two workshops. This meeting will have an impact on visual neuroscience, and because of the emphasis on fostering the careers of young investigators, it will also have an important impact on the infrastructure of neuroscience.
