We are pleased to announce the fourth Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meeting on Biology & Genomics of Social Insects. The meeting will begin on the evening of Monday March 25, 2024, and end after lunch on Thursday March 28. The 2024 meeting will discuss recent advances in social insects, with an emphasis on new findings made possible by the sequencing of the genomes and transcriptomes of dozens of species (ants, bees, wasps, termites). This range allows, for the first time, a convergence of knowledge about the molecular basis and mechanisms of sociality in taxa that evolved sociality independently. Topics of this meeting are comparative and functional genomics of caste determination, division of labor, phenotypic plasticity, learning, physiology and immunity. There will be two special sessions on microbiomes and immunity in social insects with an emphasis on honey bees. The meeting is intended to provide a format for the exchange of ideas and information, to discuss the latest research findings and technical advances, and to facilitate interaction among groups active in diverse systems.

Keynote Speakers:

Topics & Moderators:

Abstracts should contain new and unpublished material. Selection of material for oral and poster presentation will be made by the organizers and individual session chairs. Please bring this notice to the attention of any of your colleagues who may be interested in participating in the meeting.

All registrations and abstracts must be submitted by the abstract deadline, January 26th, 2024. 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 Cold Spring Harbor in March 2024.

This conference is supported in part by:

This support allows us to provide partial stipends to graduate students and postdocs submitting abstracts Please send requests for financial aid to Kelley McGrath

Social Media: The designated hashtag for this meeting is #cshlinsects. Note that you must obtain permission from an individual presenter before live-tweeting or discussing his/her talk, poster, or research results on social media. Click the Policies tab above to see our full Confidentiality & Reporting Policy.

In-Person Fees
Academic/Media Private Room/Private Bath Package: $1,415 (Subject to availability.)
Academic/Media Private Room/Shared Bath Package: $1,330
Academic Shared Room Package: $1,220
Academic/Media No-Housing Package: $930
Student Package*: $1,125
Student No-Housing Package: $835
Corporate Private Room/Private Bath Package: $1,825
Corporate No-Housing Package: $1,340

*Student Housing is default double occupancy. Please enquire about availability and fees to upgrade to private room.

Room packages close 2 weeks before the meeting start date

Rules for Virtual Participation: Virtual participation will include access to the oral sessions via Zoom, access to the digital poster sessions and access to the Slack discussion channel, and the Leading Strand video archive.

Presenters: Individuals submitting abstracts and facing financial barriers should first request financial aid (see above). Permission to present your talk or poster virtually will be given only in exceptional circumstances and on a case-by-case basis. If you think you are eligible for an exemption from the requirement to present in person, please provide a justification in writing via email to Kelley McGrath

Non-presenting participants: We plan to broaden access to the conference by allowing certain categories of non-presenting participants to attend virtually at reduced fees. Categories include: 
1. Individuals from low & middle-income countries; 
2. Individuals from non-LMIC countries in Asia, Australasia, Africa or South America; 
3. Individuals from US & Canadian minority-serving institutions; 
4. Individuals with a demonstrable financial barrier; 
5. Individuals with family obligations or other special circumstances. 
For categories 4 & 5 above, please provide a justification via email to Kelley McGrath

Corporate Virtual Package: $435

Late Fee (Registrations submitted after 5:00 p.m. ET on March 21, 2024)
Late Academic Virtual Package: $395
Late Student Virtual Package: $275
Late Corporate Virtual Package: $535