Theme A – Development

Theme B – Neural Excitability, Synapses, and Glia

Theme C – Neurodegenerative Disorders and Injury

Theme D – Sensory Systems

Theme E – Motor Systems

Theme F – Integrative Physiology and Behavior

Theme G – Motivation and Emotion

Theme H – Cognition

Theme I – Techniques

Theme A – Development

Hair Cells to Brain Cells — The Development and Evolution of the Primary Auditory System

Chair: Richard J. Wingate, PhD

King's College London

Co-Chair: Dalit Sela-Donenfeld, PhD

The Hebrew University

Birds and mammals have auditory systems with similar functional architecture which must have arisen independently, since their last common ancestor did not exhibit a middle ear. The apparatus of the inner ear and the first-order hindbrain circuitry pose striking questions about evolution, development and functional convergence that have been illuminated by new genetic insights into the mechanisms of auditory circuit development and the analysis of the physiology of sound localisation.

Molecular Mechanisms of Cortical Development in Health and Disease

Chair: Shen-Ju Chou, PhD

Academia Sinica

Co-Chair: Xuecai Ge, PhD

University of California, Merced

Cortical development is a tightly regulated process that involves progenitor proliferation, neuronal differentiation and migration, programed cell death, and circuit formation. Emerging studies provide evidence that coordinated molecular and cellular mechanisms govern cortical development and that perturbations of these processes lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. This minisymposium will highlight the latest findings of the rules and logic for cortical development from a diverse group of researchers.

New Insights in Understanding Autism and Intellectual Disabilities — Focus on Mechanisms and Translational Approaches

Chair: Marija M. Petrinovic, PhD

King's College London

Co-Chair: Diana Cash, PhD

King's College London

Autism is frequently accompanied by intellectual disability (ID). Though different in etiology, they both overlap clinically and neuropathologically and are believed to share common neurobiological mechanisms, exemplified by shared mutations in genes for synaptic function, excitation-inhibition imbalance, and neuroinflammation. This minisymposium will present advances in the neurobiology of autism and ID and explore potential common therapeutic interventions.

RASopathies — Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Directions

Chair: Jason M. Newbern, PhD

Arizona State University

Co-Chair: Jill M. Weimer, PhD

Sanford Research

RASopathies are a family of genetic syndromes that frequently exhibit developmental delay, intellectual disability, epilepsy, and an increased risk of autism and ADHD. Many RASopathy mutations target regulators of Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-RAS-MAPK signaling. This minisymposium will focus on recent advances in our understanding of the impairments in human brain development and distinct cellular subtypes in model systems that contribute to neurological abnormalities in RASopathies.

The Logic of Developing Neocortical Circuits in Health and Disease

Chair: Ileana L. Hanganu-Opatz, PhD

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

Co-Chair: Simon Butt, PhD

University of Oxford

A vast number of diverse neurons builds an intricate and complex circuitry that account for the sensory and cognitive abilities of the neocortex. The principles and underlying mechanisms governing the assembly of neocortical circuits in early life remain elusive. This minisymposium will uncover recent evidence demonstrating the dynamic role of neuronal populations in the development of functional neocortical ensembles and highlight the cellular hubs of disease-related miswiring.

Theme B – Neural Excitability, Synapses, and Glia

Glia — The Glue Holding Memories Together

Chair: Michelle Monje, MD, PhD

Stanford University

The contribution of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes to neuronal plasticity and behavior has expanded vastly in recent years. Specifically, research of the role of glia in memory acquisition and consolidation is flourishing thanks to the assimilation of new techniques into the field. To integrate knowledge from ongoing work, this minisymposium will bring together experts that study different angles of this topic: the effect of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes; recent and remote memory; and experimental and theoretical aspects.

Molecular Mechanisms of Glial Engulfment

Chair: Aakanksha Singhvi, PhD

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Co-Chair: Mary A. Logan, PhD

Oregon Health and Science University

Engulfment of neuronal cell bodies and fragments is critical for neural health and proper circuit connectivity. These tasks are carried out by distinct glial subtypes in the central and peripheral nervous systems, but the mechanisms that govern engulfment activity are still unclear. This minisymposium will focus on recent molecular and cellular discoveries for glial phagocytic function across species and offer comparative insights and discussion regarding the development and disease-relevant function of glia.

Spatio-Temporal Regulation of RNA in Neurons

Chair: Shannon Farris, PhD

Virginia Tech

RNA is regulated from transcription to degradation to provide spatial and temporal control over gene expression. This is especially important for morphologically and functionally complex neurons. Accordingly, RNA dysregulation is a causal factor in several neurological diseases, from autism to dementia. This minisymposium will address the unconventional, activity-driven, and cell-specific roles for RNA that have expanded our understanding of RNA regulation in driving neuron function and behavior.

The Rich Dynamism of GABAergic Cell Types — Specificity and Diversity of Inhibitory Plasticity in Microcircuit Function

Chair: Soomin C. Song, PhD

New York University

Co-Chair: Chiayu Q. Chiu, PhD

Centro Interdisciplinario De Neurociencia De Valparaíso

A dynamic landscape of excitation and inhibition in the cortex sustains complex cognitive functions. Given the rich diversity of GABAergic circuits, it is unclear how inhibition changes in adaptive behavior. This minisymposium will highlight recent advances in identifying and manipulating specific GABA cell populations to understand how varied forms of GABA plasticity enable multiplexing of inhibition to match synaptic excitation and drive cortical plasticity in development and learning.

Theme C – Neurodegenerative Disorders and Injury

Axon Damage Signaling and Its Relevance to Disease

Chair: Claire E. Le Pichon, PhD

National Institute of Health

Co-Chair: Catherine A. Collins, PhD

University of Michigan

This minisymposium will present current research on mechanisms of axonal damage responses in the contexts of neuronal injury, repair, and inflammation, and will probe the role of these pathways in neurodegenerative diseases, neuropathies and developmental plasticity. Presentations will focus on the current understanding of neuronal stress signaling based on studies that span multiple model organisms and combined in vivo and molecular work. Speakers will discuss shared molecular pathways that may exist between axonal damage signaling, developmental degeneration, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Mitochondrial Neurodegenerative Diseases — From Pathogenic Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities

Chair: Anne E. Chiaramello, PhD

George Washington University Medical Center

Co-Chair: Joseph Scafidi, MD

Children's National Medical Center

Mitochondria are energy powerhouses and central regulators of cell fate, redox balance and ion homeostasis. They act as central hubs for pathways involved in neural development, synaptic activity and connectivity. Mitochondrial dysfunction underlies neurological diseases ranging from childhood inherited mitochondrial disorders to adult neurodegenerative disorders. This minisymposium will provide insight into the pathogenic mechanisms of mitochondria as a springboard for designing targeted therapeutic tools.

Pathogenic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches for Frontotemporal Dementia

Chair: Fen-Biao Gao, PhD

University of Massachusetts Medical School

Autosomal dominant mutations in three genes — MAPT, GRN, and C9ORF72 — are responsible for the majority of cases of genetic frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), the most common form of dementia in people under the age of 60. This minisymposium will highlight exciting unpublished advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of FTD caused by these mutations, novel models and methodologies that have facilitated these advances, and their implications for the development of targeted therapies.

Shining Light on Neuronal Plasticity After Stroke

Chair: Anna-Sophia Wahl, MD, PhD

University of Zurich

Co-Chair: Anna Letizia Allegra Mascaro, PhD

European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy

Recent applications of optics in neuroscience provided tremendous opportunity for investigating and manipulating brain rewiring in vivo before and after stroke. Speakers will present optical methods for developing rehabilitative strategies and imaging the effects of these maneuvers at the cellular and systems level. This minisymposium will feature basic stroke research with translational potential and showcase recent advancements in optical tools for in vivo investigation of neuronal plasticity.

Theme D – Sensory Systems

Applying Mind-Body Approaches to Treat Pain — From Animal Model to Clinical Settings

Chair: Jian Kong, MD

Massachusetts General Hospital

Co-Chair: Younbyoung Chae, MD, PhD

Kyung Hee University

Chronic pain is a common disorder. An increase in the misuse and complications of opioids has resulted in a serious substance abuse crisis, highlighting the need for non-opioid treatments of chronic pain. Mind-body approaches, including acupuncture, meditation, and Tai Chi, are widely-used nonpharmacologic self-regulation approaches for the management of pain. This symposium will focus on recent developments in the neurophysiological mechanisms and clinical implications of mind-body approaches.

Building Vision — Lessons From Cell Type-Specific Subcortical Circuits for Sensory Processing and Behavior

Chair: Ubadah Sabbagh, PhD

Virginia Tech

How are neurons wired, and what does their organization tell us about how the brain processes information from the outside world? The visual system is a leading model for elucidating mechanisms governing neural circuit formation and sensory information processing. This minisymposium will highlight exciting discoveries in the study of subcortical visual circuits at every processing level, from retina to thalamus and midbrain, with new insights into cell type-specific roles in visual behavior.

Neuroimmunology of Chronic Pain — From Rodents to Humans

Chair: Peter M. Grace, PhD

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Co-Chair: Mark R. Hutchinson, PhD

University of Adelaide

The signaling partnership between immune cells, glia, and neurons is now recognized as indispensable for chronic pain. However, these multi-cellular interactions have not yet been exploited to effectively diagnose and treat chronic pain. Covering a range of model systems and pain disorders, this translational minisymposium will highlight recent advances in understanding fundamental signaling mechanisms, novel therapeutic targets, and technological developments to diagnose chronic pain.

New Insights Into the Neural Mechanisms of Sound Encoding

Chair: Sonja Pyott, PhD

University Medical Center Groningen

Co-Chair: Tobias Moser, MD

University Medical Center Goettingen

The encoding of sound makes enormous demands on the neural circuitry of the auditory system. This minisymposium will highlight recent research that has utilized a diversity of techniques — imaging, single cell RNA sequencing, and electrophysiology — to provide new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to the fast and reliable encoding of sound over a range of intensities. Importantly, these mechanisms also underlie susceptibility of the auditory system to insulting noise, ototoxic drugs and aging.

Theme E – Motor Systems

Decoding Speech From Neural Signals

Chair: Sergey D. Stavisky, PhD

Stanford University

Co-Chair: Christian Herff, PhD

Maastricht University

This minisymposium will present recent advances in decoding speech from direct neural recordings using electrocorticography, stereoelectroencephalography, and Utah arrays. These talks will cover progress toward synthesizing speech with brain-computer interfaces, as well as remaining challenges for restoring speech to patients. Speakers will also delve into the neuroscience of speech production and perception, with special emphasis on how improved biological understanding can inform translational efforts.

Rodents and Monkeys — The Two Dominant Mammalian Models and Their Respective Contributions to Neuroscience

Chair: Cory T. Miller, PhD

University of California, San Diego

Co-Chair: Michele A. Basso, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles

Rodents and monkeys are the two most common mammalian models to study the nervous system. The rodent model offers a suite of powerful genetic and molecular tools that enable a detailed dissection of the role of neuronal circuits in behavior, while the primate model offers a complex behavioral repertoire and a nervous system that is more similar to that of humans. This minisymposium will emphasize the respective contributions of the two models across multiple lines of brain research.

The Neural Encoding and Representation of Time for Sensorimotor Control and Learning

Chair: Joo-Hyun Song, PhD

Brown University

The ability to produce and learn actions in the real world with precise timing is critical for survival in any mobile organism. Yet, a study on mechanisms involved in timed motor behavior and its relation to time perception is relatively scarce. This symposium will present new evidence from behavioral, computational, and neural studies in humans and non-human primates, proposing the pivotal link between sensorimotor control and temporal processing as well as new theoretical frameworks on timing.

Theme F – Integrative Physiology and Behavior

Endogenous Opioid Signaling in the Nucleus Accumbens — New Methods of Analysis, Novel Functions, and Emerging Therapeutic Opportunities

Chair: Patrick E. Rothwell, PhD

University of Minnesota

Co-Chair: Lauren Dobbs, PhD

The University of Texas at Austin

This minisymposium will highlight recent developments in understanding endogenous opioid signaling, with a focus on the nucleus accumbens — a brain region highly enriched in opioid peptides and receptors. Speakers will describe newly developed tools that are facilitating discovery of novel functions for endogenous opioid signaling. Progress in this field is leading toward new therapeutic opportunities for engaging endogenous opioid signaling while avoiding risk for abuse or addiction.

From Circuits to Chromatin — Epigenetic (Dys)regulation in Cognitive Health and Disease

Chair: Philipp Mews, PhD

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Neural circuit activity cooperates with transcriptional mechanisms within each cell to guide and adapt behavior. Fundamental to this interaction are chromatin-based processes that mediate activity-dependent gene expression and neural plasticity so as to encode new information. This minisymposium will explore the epigenetic controls that operate in distinct neural subtypes to shape behavior and provide translational insights about circuit-chromatin dysregulation in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Mechanisms of Stress in the Brain and Beyond

Chair: Carla Nasca, PhD

The Rockefeller University

Co-Chair: Cortney A. Turner, PhD

University of Michigan

The brain is the central organ in adapting to social and physical stress via multiple interacting mediators, from neurogenesis to metabolic factors to epigenetic mechanisms. Stress causes an imbalance in brain networks subserving cognition, reward-seeking behavior, and mood. This minisymposium will discuss recent basic and translational findings on neurobiological mechanisms of neuroplasticity relating to stress as well as avenues for novel treatments to promote resilience to stress-related diseases, such as depression.

Neural Mechanisms of Rodent Vocal Communication

Chair: Morgan L. Gustison, PhD

University of Texas at Austin

Co-Chair: Arkarup Banerjee, PhD

New York University Langone Medical Center

Vocal communication is a complex social behavior that requires the coordination of multiple brain regions. Despite decades of work on the neural basis of bird song, parallel research on mammals has lagged far behind. This minisymposium will present current perspectives on the neural mechanisms underlying mammalian vocal production and perception. It will highlight research from a variety of rodent species and span multiple levels of analysis, from genes to circuits.

Theme G – Motivation and Emotion

Alternative Conceptions of Habits and Their Underlying Neural Circuits

Chair: Youna Vandaele, PhD

Johns Hopkins University

The study of habitual behavior and its underlying circuits is impeded by its operationalization as an absence of goal-directed behavior. This minisymposium will focus on new approaches to characterize habit and its neural mechanisms. This transdisciplinary topic will catalyze insightful discussions about the concept of habit that will be addressed under multiple complementary perspectives, from computational and animal modeling to translation in human research on decision making and psychopathologies.

Early Life Experience and Developmental Plasticity of Neuromodulatory Circuits

Chair: Abigail M. Polter, PhD

George Washington University

Co-Chair: Catherine J. Peña, PhD

Princeton University

Early life is a critical time period where experience interacts with development to shape the neuronal circuitry of emotion, reward, and affect. This minisymposium highlights emerging work from rodent model and human studies suggesting that early life experiences such as adversity, enrichment, and exposure to drugs of abuse alter the developmental trajectory of monoaminergic circuits, with significant consequences for the physiology and behavior of the adult animal.

Hallucinogens in Mental Health — Preclinical and Clinical Studies on LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine

Chair: Gabriella Gobbi, MD, PhD

McGill University

Co-Chair: Jennifer Mitchell, PhD

University of California, San Francisco

A revamped interest for the study of hallucinogens has recently emerged, especially for their potential application in psychiatric disorders. Combining behavioral, neurophysiological, optogenetic, biomolecular and neuroimaging approaches in both humans and rodents, this minisymposium will give an update on the therapeutic findings in the field of hallucinogenic drugs in mental diseases. Differences between psychedelic (i.e., LSD) versus non-psychedelic (i.e., ketamine) hallucinogens will be also highlighted.

Limbic Neuropeptidergic Modulators of Emotion and Their Therapeutic Potential for Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chair: Joanna Dabrowska, PhD

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Co-Chair: Paul J. Marvar, PhD

George Washington University

This minisymposium will present translational research focusing on recent advances in the role of limbic neuropeptides in the regulation of emotion — particularly fear and anxiety — in animal models and human studies. Discussion will focus on the latest research on peptidergic neuromodulators including oxytocin; angiotensin II; vasopressin; and neurokinin B/tachykinin 2 and their unique potential for pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Neurobiology of Threat-Induced Behaviors

Chair: Avishek Adhikari, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles

Different innate and learned threats induce distinct defensive behaviors. However, this diversity of threats and behaviors is rarely explored. This minisymposium will discuss experiments using numerous threats in rodents, including aggressive conspecifics, predators, thermal threats and carbon dioxide. Speakers will discuss circuits that control defensive aggression, escape jumps, escape runs, freezing, avoidance and aversion. They will also consider how sex differences and developmental processes affect these phenomena.

Neurophysiology of Social Behaviors — From Information Gathering to Interaction

Chair: Fabian Grabenhorst, PhD

University of Cambridge

Co-Chair: Raymundo Baez-Mendoza, PhD

Harvard Medical School

This minisympoism will feature some of the latest findings on how neurons in frontal-subcortical circuits perform specialized functions for social behaviors across rodents and primates. The talks will examine different aspects of social behavior, including approach and defeat, social reward learning, decision simulation, social gaze interaction, and group behavior. They will also highlight new developments in innovative behavioral paradigms and neural technologies to address the unique complexity of social neuroscience.

Theme H – Cognition

Manifold Learning and Investigation of Neuronal Population Dynamics

Chair: Alon Rubin, PhD

Weizmann Institute of Science

Recent technological advances enable simultaneous recordings from large neuronal populations, opening up new possibilities for data-driven approaches to studying the neural code. Methods for dimensionality estimation and reduction help to identify neuronal dynamics that reside on lower-dimensional manifolds, and highlight key features of the computational process executed by the circuit. This minisymposium will discuss the prospects of such novel data analysis techniques to transform neuroscience research.

Posterior Cingulate Cortex — Progress in Anatomy and Physiology

Chair: Brett L. Foster, PhD

Baylor College of Medicine

This minisymposium will highlight recent progress in understanding the organization and function of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Speakers will discuss anatomical, electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies of the PCC in humans, non-human primates and rodents. Despite a growing interest in PCC function from multiple fields such as episodic memory, spatial navigation and cognitive control, a consensus is severely lacking. Speakers will address this issue with a comparative focus.

Systems Neuroscience of Natural Behaviors in Rodents

Chair: Emily J. Dennis, PhD

Princeton University

Animals have evolved in complex environments, producing a wide range of behaviors including navigation, foraging, prey capture, and social interactions. This minisymposium will highlight how recent advances in neural recordings, machine learning, and theoretical frameworks provide insight into the mechanisms of naturalistic behaviors. Speakers will demonstrate how ethology, ecology, and systems neuroscience can benefit from each other and how viewing individual behaviors as part of a whole increases understanding.

The Ontogeny of Hippocampus-Dependent Memories

Chair: Flavio Donato, PhD

University of Basel

Co-Chair: Cristina M. Alberini, PhD

New York University

It has long been debated whether infants can make the types of memories that in adults are processed by the hippocampus-dependent memory system, and whether the hippocampus is involved in memory processes at this age. Recent evidence has revealed that the infant hippocampus can produce long-lasting memories, but that its ability to support memory processes matures with age. This minisymposium will present recent work to unravel the ontogeny and biological correlates of hippocampus-dependent memory development.

Theme I – Techniques

Advancing Gene Therapy for Central Nervous System (CNS) Diseases

Chair: Danielle Sliter, PhD

REGENXBIO Inc.

Co-Chair: Megan McGill, MD, PhD

REGENXBIO Inc.

Adeno-Associated Viral (AAV) vectors or genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells deliver gene products into cells and organisms and have broad implications for novel therapeutics. With technologies that can cross the blood-brain barrier or safely deliver therapeutics directly to the CNS, treating neurological diseases is now becoming a reality. This minisymposium will provide a broad perspective on gene therapy, including discussions of technological advancements to treat CNS diseases.

Emerging Applications and Methodologies for Neural Interrogation

Chair: Samantha R. Santacruz, PhD

University of Texas at Austin

Co-Chair: Lan Luan, PhD

Rice University

The future of neural interfaces will leverage multi-modal approaches based on emergent optical, biological, and physical principles for neural interrogation. These methodologies for multi-scale recording and mediation of neural activity will enable new applications for investigating neural function and developing therapies. Focusing on emergent methods for neural interrogation, this minisymposium will present innovative scientific and therapeutic applications of novel approaches to interface with the brain.

Emerging Computational Research for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Chair: Jessica L. Nielson, PhD

University of Minnesota

Co-Chair: J. Russell Huie, PhD

University of California, San Francisco

This minisymposium will discuss the breadth of computational resources and methodologies used to understand the complex heterogeneity of multiple neurological and psychiatric disorders. Speakers will discuss the availability of big data sets for computational research across these disorders as well as the current state of machine learning and statistical methods used for hypothesis generation. They will also identify novel computational models aiding in clinical decision support, improving diagnosis and treatment planning.

Highlights From the Era of Open Source Online Tools — From Genes to Neurons, Circuits, Behaviors, and Whole Brain Data

Chair: Dani Dumitriu, MD, PhD

Columbia University

Open source science is a rapidly growing movement to address the reproducibility crisis and spearhead efficient data sharing. The movement’s momentum has resulted in the recent emergence of many online data sharing repositories. These tools are changing the landscape and culture of neuroscience by maximizing data visibility and impact. In this minisymposium, speakers will highlight different online resources that span across multiple neuroscience sub-disciplines and discuss how these tools can propel research forward.

Patch-seq — Everything You Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask

Chair: Shreejoy Tripathy, PhD

University of Toronto

Co-Chair: Marcela Lipovsek, PhD

King's College London

Single cell transcriptomic approaches are revolutionising neuroscience and are most powerful when multiplexed with complementary techniques. By combining electrophysiology with mRNA sequencing at an individual neuron level, technically-demanding Patch-seq experiments are providing unparalleled insight into the links between gene expression and neuronal function. This minisymposium will showcase recent Patch-seq-enabled discoveries and share practical expertise that makes these experiments successful.

Spatial Transcriptomics Methods for Cell Type Identification in the Central Nervous System (CNS) — Methods and Analysis

Chair: Jennie L. Close, PhD

Allen Institute for Brain Science

Co-Chair: Brian Long, PhD

Allen Institute for Brain Science

A comprehensive census of transcriptomic cell types present in the central nervous system is only possible by preserving tissue architecture and assaying these cells in situ. Spatial transcriptomics methods make this possible by reporting on the number and location of cell types in intact tissue. This minisymposium will serve as a forum for discussing data generation, processing, and analysis methods for these emerging techniques and provide a platform for sharing results and exploring the potential of these methods.