Cell Symposia: Translational Neuroscience

 

Symposium - Arlington, VA, United States

 

Diseases of the nervous system have a devastating impact on millions of people worldwide. Today, more than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, 1 million from Parkinson's, 30,000 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and 30,000 from Huntington's disease. In addition to these neurodegenerative diseases, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect tens of millions worldwide. The costs of these neurological diseases, both in terms of resources required for healthcare and the toll that they exact on patients and their families, is steep and there is an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches.

We are steadily gaining new insight into the molecular and cellular underpinnings of neurological diseases, and our understanding of how they impact circuit function and trigger behavioral abnormalities has significantly advanced in recent years. But translating these discoveries into therapies remains a critical challenge. This Cell Symposium on Translational Neuroscience will focus on the process of translation itself. Considering key areas such as Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and pain, we will address the central question of how we can move from understanding of disease mechanisms towards the translation into therapeutics. We will highlight the progress that has been made and consider the roadblocks that we face and how we might overcome them. And, moving beyond the lab, we will address how policy and organizational issues impact these scientific efforts.

Organization: Cell Press

Translational Neuroscience: Bridging the Gap Between Basic Research Discoveries and Clinical Applications

 Sheraton Pentagon City