The broad objective of the conference is to provide a forum for in-depth dialogue in the area of Neural Control of Behavior, with the goal of coming up with ways that investigators can take their research in new directions.
The specific aims to meet this goal are the following: Bring together researchers who are asking similar questions in the area of Neural Control of Behavior, but are using different model systems (from worm to fly to mollusk to mammal) and different experimental approaches (from molecular genetics to cellular and systems physiology to behavior); promote the use of simple model systems for addressing complex biological problems in the field of Neural Control of Behavior; promote interaction between junior scientists, women in particular, and established investigators and leaders in the field. The meeting will take place over the course of 3 days. The first two days will be devoted to a symposium that will be open to the general scientific community (est. 150 registrants). There will be a total of four sessions (Neurosecretion Over Different Time Domains, Genetic Dissection of Behavior, Local Protein Synthesis During Neuronal Plasticity and Regeneration, and Learning and Memory: New Directions), with 5-6 speakers per session. The speakers represent a balance of model system (use of invertebrate, lower vertebrate, and mammal) and experimental approach (use of molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels of analyses), career level, gender, and minority status. The third day of the meeting will be devoted to an intimate workshop of just the speakers (21 participants).
The aim of the workshop is to discuss strengths of the different model systems and experimental approaches discussed during the symposium, and come up with ways that we can use that information to take our respective research areas in new directions. The speakers at this meeting use modern, cutting-edge technologies for addressing problems in the area of Neural Control of Behavior. By bringing together these researchers, and giving them a forum for discussing their experimental approaches, the message can be effectively spread that these modem techniques can (and are) being used with great success in a wide variety of model systems. This will provide an important interdisciplinary communications-mechanism for advancements in the basic-science biomedical community.
