Integrative Approaches to
Brain Complexity
October 7 - 10, 2009
Abstract Deadline - July 31, 2009

Organizers:
Seth Grant, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK
Nathaniel Heintz, HHMI/The Rockerfeller University, USA
Jeffrey Noebels, Baylor College of Medicine, USA

Understanding the structural and functional complexity of the vertebrate nervous system is the theme of this meeting. Advances in genomics and proteomics are defining the molecular building blocks that underpin the structural complexity of the brain and it behavioural output. Combining genetic discoveries with anatomical, electrophysiological and behavioural findings, it is now feasible to integrate this knowledge.

This meeting will address approaches ranging from molecular biology to behaving animal studies, from single gene to complex sets of genes, from synapses to networked brain functions. Emphasis will be placed on large scale approaches that generate accesssible molecular and biological databases. Strategies for acquisition of molecular, physiological and behavioural data on a large scale and the analysis and integration of this data will be addressed. In keeping with traditional Cold Spring Harbor meetings, the majority of oral presentations will be drawn from openly submitted abstracts.

Tentative Topics
Genetic technologies: QTL / Targeted gene mutation / Chemical mutagenesis / DNA microarrays / Proteomics
Genomics and Bioinformatics
Comparative neurogenomics
Brain transcriptome & gene expression mapping
Protein interactions & biochemical pathway mapping
Brain atlases & anatomical pathway mapping
Electrophysiological approaches
Behavioural methods
Databases and management
Data integration and systems biology
Clinical genetics

Keynote Speaker (Francis Crick Lecture in Neuroscience)
John O'Keefe, University College London, UK

Discussion Leaders:
Stephan Beck, University College London, UK
Peter Brophy, University of Edinburgh, UK
Juan Burrone, Kings College London, UK
Timothy Bussey, University of Cambridge, UK
Daniel Chiu, University of Washington, USA
Chris De Zeeuw, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, The Netherlands
Jeffrey Diamond, National Institutes of Health, USA
Bernd Fakler, University of Freiburg, Germany
Jonathan Flint, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Tamas Freund, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary
Jean-Antoine Girault, Ecole des Neuroscience, France
Stephen Haggarty, Broad Institute of Harvard-MIT, USA
Ed Lein, Allen Institute for Brain Science, USA
Istvan Mody, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
Thomas Mrsic-Flogel, University College London, UK
Baldomero Olivera, University of Utah, USA
Matthew Rasband, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Lisa Saksida, University of Cambridge, UK
Peter Seeburg, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Alcino Silva, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Angus Silver, University College London UK
Guus Smit, Vrije Universiteit, The Netherlands
Kevin Staley, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
Peter St. George-Hyslop, University of Cambridge, UK
John Wood, University College London, UK

All registrations and abstracts MUST be submitted by the abstract deadline, July 31, 2009. Late registration may be accepted after the abstract deadline if the meeting is not oversubscribed. In the event of over subscription, every effort will be made to ensure that all groups who wish to participate will be represented. Status (talk/poster) of abstracts will be posted on our web site as soon as decisions have been made by the organizers.

We look forward to seeing you at Hinxton in October.

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