Anesthetic Insights into the Unconscious State Across Species

June 11 - 16, 2023

Chair

Vice Chair

Stonehill College

320 Washington Street

Easton, Massachusetts, United States

Venue and Travel Information

Conference Description

The Consciousness, Anesthesia and Evolutionary Biology 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scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages.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.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm	Keynote Session: The Genesis of Consciousness Discussion Leader:
7:40 pm - 8:20 pm	"The Role of Prefrontal Cortex in the Emergence of Consciousness"
8:20 pm - 8:35 pm	Discussion
8:35 pm - 9:15 pm	"Neural Mechanisms of Visual Perceptual Awareness"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Consciousness and Model Organisms Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:45 am	"Exploiting Model Systems to Understand Anesthetic Mechanisms"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 11:15 am	"Cortical Control of Consciousness: Insights from Rodent Studies"
11:15 am - 11:30 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 12:15 pm	"Unraveling the Synergy between Psychedelic States and Setting using Brain-wide Imaging of Immediate Early Gene Expression in Mice"
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm	The GRC Power Hour™ The GRC Power Hour™ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring. Organizer:
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Phylogenetically Conserved Molecular Targets of Anesthesia Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 8:15 pm	"Worms are Unconscious, Flies are Conscious: Insights from Sleep and General Anesthesia"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:15 pm	"The Role of Voltage-gated Calcium Channels in Hypnotic Effects of General Anesthetics"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Anesthetic Effects on Model Organisms Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:45 am	"Cortical Signatures Linked to Behavior Quantitatively Track Arousal Levels"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 11:15 am	"C. Elegans and Anesthetic Pharmacology: Reverse Engineering in a known Neuronal Architecture"
11:15 am - 11:30 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 12:15 pm	"Zebrafish Larvae as Translational Models for Anesthetic Pharmacology"
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Thalamo-Cortical and Cortico-Cortical Signaling in Anesthetic States Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 8:15 pm	"Anesthetic Modulation of Thalamo-Cortical Circuits"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:15 pm	"Cortical Mechanisms of Loss of Consciousness During Anesthesia: Insights from Human Intracranial Electrophysiology"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Subcortical Targets of Anesthetic Hypnosis and Sleep Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:45 am	"Parabrachial Nucleus and Metabolic Contributions to Sleep and Anesthesia"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:00 am - 10:45 am	"Preoptic Role in the Regulation of Spontaneous and Drug-Induced States of Arousal"
10:45 am - 11:00 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 12:15 pm	"Dissecting how Anaesthetics and Sedatives Interact with Sleep-wake Circuitry"
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Perception and Its Ablation Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 8:15 pm	"Waves of Perception and Unconsciousness"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:15 pm	"Bistability and Complexity: Cortical Mechanisms of Loss and Recovery of Consciousness"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Business Meeting Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Dates and Venue; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Dynamics of Anesthetics and Unconsciousness in Non-human Primates Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:45 am	"Central Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation Affects Cortico-Striato-Thalamic Networks to Exert Bidirectional Influence over Consciousness"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:00 am - 10:45 am	"Dynamics of Anesthetic-Induced Loss and Return of Consciousness Across Primate Neocortex"
10:45 am - 11:00 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 12:15 pm	"Deep Brain Stimulation of the Thalamus Restores Signatures of Consciousness in Anesthetized Monkeys"
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	The Unconscious State in Humans Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 8:15 pm	"Positron Emission Tomography Imaging to Identify Brain Structures Critical for Human Consciousness"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:15 pm	"Slow Waves and Anesthetic Unconsciousness in Humans"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Departure