Technological advances in the last decade strongly suggest that bringing the fields of Cell Biology and Evolutionary Biology together into an integrated field of Evolutionary Cell Biology (ECB) will dramatically increase our understanding of cell biological structures, functions, and processes, while also providing deep insights into the mechanisms of evolutionary change. This meeting brought together experts in evolutionary biology, cell biology, and a range of other disciplines to address 1) the application of evolutionary perspectives and methodology to aid in elucidating the structure, function and mechanisms of cellular processes, and 2) the study of cell biological diversity to gain insight into the mechanisms of evolution and the history of life on earth.
View Full DetailsThis meeting was a follow-up to the first one held at Janelia in 2008, and the second in Berlin in 2012. Force-gated ion channels, activated by direct mechanical force, have been found to be involved in both mechanosensation (hearing, touch, proprioception) and osmosensation. Many questions still remain as to the molecular identities of the proteins that form these channels, the nature of the accessory proteins that help convey energy to the channels, channel interaction with plasma membrane lipids, and the molecular events by which force leads to channel opening. This small workshop brought together experts from around the world working in various model systems to address these questions, with the goal of better understanding the gating mechanism and identifying channel linking proteins and enabling lipids. Building on the current momentum in the field, we participated in vigorous discussions and presentations on recent progress, including newly identified channels and their structural and functional properties.
View Full DetailsThe neural circuits underlying motivation have been an important question in neuroscience for over 100 years. Multiple approaches have been applied to study motivation, focusing on circuits for both natural and learned behaviors. This conference brought together researchers with diverse perspectives on this topic. We discussed different approaches and outlooks on motivation in order to better understand the circuits underlying behavioral intent and intensity.
View Full DetailsTopics for this next conference included (but were not limited to) computational mechanisms, color vision, development, motion vision, navigation, and attention, predominantly in insects. Within each topic, talks investigated the function of the insect visual system at a computational, neural and behavioral level, with a focus on the relationship between structure and function. We also brought in a number of talks providing historical and comparative perspectives. The meeting brought together leading scientists working in these areas to provide an open forum for vigorous discussion of novel approaches and recent results, providing insights into visual system function.
View Full DetailsThalamus and cortex form a closely interacting functional unit. Continuous information transfer between thalamus and cortex underlies sensory, motor and cognitive function. Thalamus also controls the interactions of cortex with the cerebellum and basal ganglia. The flow of information through thalamus is adjusted to meet behavioral needs. Despite these facts, cortex and thalamus have mostly been studied in isolation and in behaviorally impoverished situations. This meeting brought together researchers working on corticothalamic interactions at the level of synapses and circuits during behavior. We expected to arrive at a set of testable hypotheses about thalamic function, and perhaps even a hint of a unified view.
View Full DetailsMultisensory integration provides an ideal model system in which to examine neural computations underlying statistical inference, and to understand how computations performed at the level of single neurons and neural populations mediate behavior. This conference covered many of the latest advances in our understanding of the principles by which information from multiple modalities is combined in a range of model organisms. We brought together researchers who are tackling this problem using behavioral, computational, neurophysiological and anatomical (connectomics) approaches. Talks covered a range of topics, including: behavioral strategies underlying cue integration and causal inference, structural basis of multimodal integration, functional properties of multimodal neurons, computations performed by multisensory neurons and circuits, and models for probabilistic computation by populations of neurons.
View Full DetailsCell survival depends on molecular trafficking. Transport of macromolecules within neuronal axons and dendrites is one of the most remarkable examples of intracellular trafficking in biology, but many of the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Besides informing the logic of intracellular trafficking in general, an in-depth understanding of neuronal trafficking may also uncover vital clues related to human disease mechanisms. This meeting brought together aficionados of neuronal trafficking from around the world to share recent and unpublished insights into transport mechanisms, stimulating scientific discussions and collaborations. Additionally, we conveyed our collective enthusiasm for this topic to students, postdoctoral fellows, and other junior investigators.
View Full DetailsRegistration for our spring 2016 conferences opens in September.
Conference Travel Scholarships
Available to grad students and postdocs whose labs do not have travel funding and who would otherwise be unable to attend. Interested applicants must register and note their request for travel support on the registration site.