Organized by Emily Dennis, Sue Ann Koay, Michael Reiser, Carsen Stringer, and Jakob Voigts, this Junior Scientist Workshop provides an exciting opportunity for graduate students, recent PhDs, and those in similar positions (e.g. staff scientists) who are interested in the mechanistic basis of cognition to present their research to a diverse audience and discuss ideas for the future, while also discovering potential independent early-career options at Janelia.

Enteric nervous systems can be found in organisms lacking a discernable brain, leading to speculation that the enteric nervous system is, in fact, an evolutionary innovation predating the CNS. Despite striking features, there are marked gaps in understanding the cellular composition of enteric nervous systems, the terminal differentiation of enteric neurons, their assembly into functional circuitry, their plasticity, and their interaction with other organs and the environment. This conference brings together a diverse set of nascent and established experts addressing these questions, using a combination of approaches in a variety of systems (jellyfish, worms, flies, fish, mice and humans). Topics will include the cellular and functional diversity of enteric neurons, the genetic programs that instruct their terminal identities, and their integration into functional circuitry. We will discuss how enteric neurons not only control gut function, but how they also receive and send signals to other parts of the body, namely the immune system, and their interactions with the microbiome. By considering enteric nervous systems in a wide variety of invertebrate and vertebrate species, we look forward to conversations about core conserved features and their evolutionary history. In bringing together field experts, we aim to foster a sense of community, promote collaborations and cross-fertilize experimental approaches.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in that portion of the application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.

Applications are closed.

Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for as broad a representation across labs as possible and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.

The establishment of methods for genome manipulation and transgenesis can be challenging in emerging model systems. This meeting will convene researchers working in non-traditional organisms to share obstacles, successes, and new technologies in the development of new genetic tools, while highlighting the rich biology emerging from these systems. Invited speakers have been chosen to represent a broad taxonomic spectrum of organisms and biological problems. Talks and discussions will facilitate an exchange of resources and identify key areas to improve genetic manipulation and the delivery of transgenes.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in that portion of the application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.

To be considered, applicants must answer a few short questions about their model system and provide a brief research abstract.

Applications are closed.

Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for a broad representation across labs and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.

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This meeting will gather current and future leaders in cellular physiology and AI for a deep discussion at this inflection point of both fields. What problems are ripe for this emerging intersection of AI and cellular physiology? Where are the challenges? We will hear about current efforts in AI-based technologies for unravelling spatial and functional organizations of genomes and dynamic cell architectures. We will reflect upon pragmatic issues of generating sufficient and reliable datasets that are amenable to AI. In addition to learning about technological AI innovations to drive new types of data generation and biological analysis, we will discuss what advances in AI may be needed to address cell biological questions. We anticipate that this timely meeting will stimulate new ideas, promote explorations, and catalyze new collaborations among the multidisciplinary group of attendees.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all onsite participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in your application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 8pm ET on the last.

Applications closed

Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for as broad a representation across labs as possible and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.

Experimental and computational advances are transforming the field of cognitive neuroscience. Sophisticated quantitative behavioral paradigms and analysis have exposed the cognitive capacity of non-human animals, from mammals and small vertebrates to insects. Dramatic improvements in techniques to selectively monitor the dynamics of large cell populations and to perform precise perturbations during complex, flexible behaviors are making it possible to study cognitive computations at the level of multiple brain regions and, in some systems, across the whole brain.

An increasing ability to selectively access and molecularly characterize specific cell types across the brain, combined with advances in light- and electron-microscopy-based connectomics, have helped to reveal the circuit, cellular, synaptic, and molecular components of these computations. Advances in the throughput and computational analyses of these experiments, aided in part by machine learning, are making it possible to close the loop between theory and experiment with increasing speed, significantly accelerating the field’s march toward a mechanistic understanding of cognition.

This conference will bring together researchers who are making important biological, technical, and theoretical contributions to this effort with the goal of identifying emerging principles of cognition and discussing fruitful approaches to still more conceptual and implementation-level insights. Session formats will be designed to either highlight progress along key directions or discuss challenges and opportunities of distinct approaches.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in that portion of the application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.

Applications are closed.

Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for as broad a representation across labs as possible and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.

Connectomics is now a mature field, producing a wealth of data, from connectomes of neural circuits to connectomes of the entire nervous system of small animals. There is an urgent need for modeling and analysis methods to derive insights into brain function from these structural measurements of neural connectivity. This conference is focused on the modeling and analysis of connectomes. Examples include (a) using the connectome to propose how a biological computation works, or determine if a proposed mechanism is plausible; (b) using the connectome plus analysis to determine currently inaccessible parameters, such as learning rates and synapse strengths; (c) improved analysis, modeling, and/or simulation techniques for existing connectomes; (d) analysis techniques for future more comprehensive connectomes, such as those including gap junctions, neuromodulators and cellular machinery; and finally (e) any other results related to the analysis of connectomes.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in that portion of the application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.

Applications are closed

Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for a broad representation across labs and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.

Cell surface serves as a hub for protein-small molecule, protein-protein, and cell-cell interactions, actively studied across diverse fields, including developmental biology, neuroscience, physiology, cancer biology, and immunology. Complex molecular communication between cells is established and regulated by various cell surface molecules. Decades of structural, biochemical, genetic, and cellular research have provided fundamental insights into many of these molecules and their interactions. Recent breakthroughs in chemical biology, protein engineering, advanced imaging, and systems biology have driven the development of powerful new tools for precise understanding and manipulation of cell surface molecules. To bridge these two traditionally distinct fields and connect tool developers with biologists, we are convening leading scientists who employ diverse, cross-disciplinary approaches to uncover the intricate mechanisms of the cell surface.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in that portion of the application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.

Applications are closed.

Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for a broad representation across labs and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.

A mechanistic understanding of how cord circuits operate in both vertebrates and invertebrates is critical for understanding brain function. Beyond serving as simple relay centers, recent progress in animal models - spanning insects, fish, and mammals - has revealed remarkable complexity in cord circuits at the structural and functional levels. Moreover, recent studies have uncovered stark analogies in circuit design and function across model systems. This meeting will bring together experts focused on uncovering organizational and functional properties of cord circuits in a variety of animal models, as well as those using or developing novel tools and techniques for probing cord structure and function (neurophysiology, connectomics, transcriptomics, kinematics, neuromechanical simulations, etc). We look forward to a uniquely interdisciplinary conference with vibrant discussions, cross-fertilization of ideas and exploring new collaborations to further accelerate progress in the field.

Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in that portion of the application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.

Application deadline: June 3, 2025 (11:59 pm ET)

Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for a broad representation across labs and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.