Genes, Brain, and Behavior 2022

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Memphis, TN and Virtual

Main Meeting: May 24-27th

Workshops: May 23rd

The 23rd Annual Genes, Brain & Behavior Meeting will be held on May 23rd-27th, 2022 in Memphis at the UTHSC: Behavior, Blues, BBQ and so much history!  Memphis Tourism. Virtual attendance is also an option.

Practical Information

Meeting Address
Mooney Building
875 Monroe Avenue
Memphis, TN 38163
The meeting room is the Mooney Building Library room 201.

Hotels

Maps and Parking:
https://uthsc.edu/campus-police/parking-and-access/
The main meeting will be held in the Mooney Building (building 9 on the map).
The H-lot (building H on the map) is conveniently located a short (5 min) walk from the main meeting location.
Daily rates in the H-lot are $4 for 3-12 hours.

Abstract Format

Poster dimensions
45 inches wide by 45 inches tall

Draft Schedule

Program Highlights

Plenary Lectures

• Presidential Lecture: Dr. Arpana Agrawal, Professor of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Dr. Agrawal's research focuses on epidemiological and genomic approaches to the study of substance use and addiction. Her  present work is concerned with understanding how genetic and environmental factors work together to shape our liability to  use cannabis and become addicted. 
  
• Keynote Lecture: Professor Susan Ackerman, Stephen W. Kuffler Chair in Biology, UCSD. Dr. Ackerman's research is focused on defining molecular pathways necessary to maintain homeostasis in  developing and aging mammalian neurons particularly in the context of alterations in translation elongation, translational fidelity, proteostasis, and RNA metabolism in neuronal function. 
• Distinguished Investigator Lecture, Professor Elissa Chesler, Ann Watson Symington Chair in Addiction Research, TheJackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor
• Early Career Lecture, Dr. Monica Dus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Neuroepigenetics of brain, behavior and nutrition

Symposia

• Behavior Quantification using Machine Learning: Challenges and Opportunities. (Chair: Vivek Kumar, Speakers: Ann Kennedy, Eric Yttri)
• Revolutionary genomics: Third-generation sequencing and pangenome approaches to understanding genes and behavior (Chair: Dr. David Ashbrook, Speakers: Thomas Keane, Laura Saba, Tomas Fitzgerald, and Erik Garrison)
• Revealing the function of sleep from flies to humans (Chair: Dr. Rozi Andretić and Co- Dr. Kristin Hamre; Speakers: Paul Shaw, Malcom von Schantz)
• Mapping the brain: Neuroimaging and connectome approaches to study genetic variation in brain function, structure, and behavior. Chair: Dr. Clyde Francks and Co-Chair: Dr. Megan Mulligan, Speakers: Al Johnson, Neda Jahanshad, Sofie Valk, Antoine Beauchamp
• The Cerebellar Nuclei in the Limelight (at Last) (Chair: Dan Goldowitz, Speakers: Marylka Yoe Uusisaari, Justus Kebschull, Richard Wingate, Abigail Person)
• Genetic studies of drug addiction-related traits in outbred rats (Chair: Dr. Oksana Polesskaya, Speakers: Abe Palmer, Paul Meyer, Hao Chen, Francesca Telese, Alexandria Szalanczy)

Award Ceremonies

• Distinguished Investigator Award Recipient, Elissa Chesler, Jackson Laboratory
• Early Career Award Recipient, Monica Dus, University of Michigan 
• Outstanding Travel Awardees

Workshops

• Crosscutting applications in genes, brains, and behavior: Single cell and spatial transcriptomics. (Panelists: 10x Genomics, Kristen Maynard, Leonardo Collado-Torres)

Tentative workshop schedule
Monday May 23rd, Times in CDT

Session A: Single Cell Genomics
9:00 to 9:45am Introduction to Single cell genomics tech talk
9:45 to 10:00 break
10:00 to 11:00am Applications, limitations, and future directions of single cell technology for eQTL mapping
11:00 to 11:15am break

Session B: Spatial Transcriptomics
11:15 to 12:00 pm Spatial transcriptomics tech talk about Visium tools and platform
12:00 to 12:15 pm Boxed lunch, working lunch
12:15 to 1:15 pm Applications, future directions, and limitations

• Trainee Workshop: “Networking for Success in Science”

Join us for an opportunity to introduce yourself, your science, and network amongst your peers before the Genes, Brain, Behavior 2022 Conference in Memphis. In “Networking for Success in Science”, trainees will have a chance to practice their scientific elevator pitches during a two-minute lightning talk followed by informal small group discussions to facilitate cross- disciplinary interactions and open windows for potential collaborations.

End the day with an energetic round of speed mentoring where you can cycle through multiple 5-minute Q&A conversations with established IBANGS members and mentors in the field.

Poster Presentations

In person attendees
poster sessions (standard format)

Virtual attendee posters
Displayed on the IBANGS website. Slack channels provided for each poster presenter for communication. Meetings can be arranged privately for more in depth discussion via Zoom.

Banquet

• The Jack Robinson Gallery
• Jacks Robinson Biography
• Archive photographs
• Live Music

For Sponsors

• 2022 Meeting Prospectus
• Venue Photos Detailed
• Exhibitor/Sponsor Registration

Program Committee
Megan Mulligan, UTHSC
Camron Bryant, Boston University
Cathy Fernandes, Kings College
Paul Meyer, University of Buffalo
Francesca Telese, UCSD
Kristin Scaplen, Bryant University
Clyde Francks, Max Planck Institute
Rozi Andretić Waldowski, University of Rijeka
Elizabeth Yen, Tufts School of Medicine
David Ashbrook, UTHSC
Yehuda Ben-Shahar, Washington University
Gang Chen, Jinan University
Inna Gaisler-Salomon, University of Haifa
Rob Williams, UTHSC
Gregg Roman, University of Houston
Judy Grisel, Bucknell University
Jason Bubier, Jackson Laboratory

Local Organizing Committee
Megan Mulligan, UTHSC
David Ashbrook, UTHSC
Kristin Hamre, UTHSC
Byron Jones, UTHSC

Meeting Sponsors