Science Researcher Update: Spotlight on Meetings, Conferences, and Events

Spotlight on Science Meetings, Conferences and Events brings you information on the following: NYU Nature Conference on Neurogenetics to be held on 8/9/17 - 8/11/17

The application of genetic and genomic approaches to neuroscientific questions is poised to rapidly advance our understanding of how genes influence brain function and disease risk. Recent technological developments in genetics now allow the large scale cataloguing of genetic variation, from common and rare single nucleotide changes to non-coding, regulatory mutations, and how these are related to health and disease. In neuroscience, new tools for monitoring and manipulating neuronal activity, circumscribed circuits and specific cell types allow interrogating the mechanisms of perception, cognition and action. Despite advances on both fronts, there still remains a significant gap between genetics and neuroscience, limiting the potential for this exciting and important area of research to provide new neurobiological insights. The goal of this Nature Conference is to bridge the gap between neuroscientists and geneticists and provide a forum for discussing recent advances and innovative strategies for future research in neurogenetics. The conference will cover the breadth of neurogenetics—from genome-wide association studies for complex psychiatric disorders to mechanistic investigations of genes underlying behavioral traits in model organisms. We hope that this conference will be the first of many and will facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at developing a more integrated understanding of how genes influence behavior, neuronal development and neurological disease.