Conference Description
The Cephalopod Neuroscience GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Cephalopods represent a unique opportunity in neuroscience. They are the only branch of the animal kingdom besides vertebrates to have evolved large brains, and they have remarkable sensory, motor, and cognitive capabilities. They can independently control eight flexible arms, they can rapidly change their skin patterning to camouflage based on the visual environment, and they exhibit learning and flexible behavior unlike any other invertebrates. Despite the many intriguing questions surrounding the cephalopod nervous system, we have relatively little understanding of how their brains function at the mechanistic level. However, the past few years have witnessed a rapid growth in cephalopod neuroscience, due to the emergence of new tools and the increased recognition of the need to understand brain organization beyond the limited range of standard model species. These rapid developments in the field have led to the establishment of a new Gordon Research Conference focused on Cephalopod Neuroscience. This meeting will bring together the growing community of researchers across cephalopod neuroscience, including genomics, neural development, systems neuroscience, as well as computation and tool development.
The conference will consist of nine sessions, on the topics listed below. The conference chair is currently developing their preliminary program, which will include the names of the invited speakers and discussion leaders for each of these sessions. The preliminary program will be available by May 21, 2025. Please check back for updates.
