Conference Description
The Barriers of the CNS 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scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages.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.
Early career scientists are also strongly encouraged to apply for the related GRS meeting (see below).
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by February 10, 2024. Please check back for updates.
Keynote Session: Barrier Regulation and Manipulation to Treat Disease
Discussion Leaders
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Richard Keep (University of Michigan, United States)
Speakers
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William Elmquist (University of Minnesota, United States)
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Peter Westenskow (F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Switzerland)
Genetic Diseases and Gene Therapies Targeting BBB Biology
Discussion Leaders
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Dritan Agalliu (Columbia University Medical Center, United States)
Speakers
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Ben Deverman (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, United States)
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Anne Joutel (Inserm, France)
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Yosuke Hashimoto (Smurfit Institute of Genetics in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland)
In Vitro Models and Trafficking at the BBB
Discussion Leaders
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Ana Raquel Santa-Maria (Wyss Institute, Harvard University, United States)
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Akihiko Urayama (University of Texas-Houston, United States)
Speakers
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Morten S. Nielsen (University of Aarhus, Denmark)
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Roberto Villasenor (Roche Innovation Center Basel, Switzerland)
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Maria Deli (Biological Research Centre Szeged, Hungary)
Drug Delivery to the CNS
Discussion Leaders
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Thomas Davis (University of Arizona, United States)
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Choi-Fong Cho (Brigham and Women's Hospital, United States)
Speakers
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Michelle Pizzo (Denali Therapeutics, United States)
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Stina Syvänen (Uppsala University, Sweden)
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Allan Jensen (H. Lundbeck, Denmark)
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Peter Searson (Johns Hopkins University, United States)
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James Gorman (Wyss Institute at Harvard, United States)
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Fiona Elwood (Janssen R&D, United States)
Understudied Cell Types and Novel Barriers of the CNS
Discussion Leaders
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Benjamin Gastfriend (University of California, San Diego, United States)
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Carmen Ruiz de Almodovar (University of Bonn, Germany)
Speakers
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Daniel Saban (Duke University School of Medicine, United States)
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Ukpong Eyo (University of Virginia, United States)
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Maria Lehtinen (Boston Children's Hospital, United States)
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Alison Lloyd (University College London, United Kingdom)
BBB Regulation in Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Diseases
Discussion Leaders
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Gerry Grant (Duke University, United States)
Speakers
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Caroline Menard (Université Laval, Canada)
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Alon Friedman (Dalhousie University, Canada)
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Myriam Heiman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States)
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Omolara Ogunshola (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
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Jorge Alvarez (University of Pennsylvania, United States)
Neuroinflammation and Neuroinfections in BBB Regulation
Discussion Leaders
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Ayal Ben-Zvi (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel)
Speakers
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Michal Toborek (University of Miami, United States)
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Zsuzsanna Fabry (University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States)
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Robyn Klein (Western University, Canada)
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Vanessa Coelho-Santos (CIBIT/ICNAS - University of Coimbra, Portugal)
Dynamic Flow and Novel Concepts in the CNS Barriers
Discussion Leaders
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Britta Engelhardt (University of Bern, Switzerland)
Speakers
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Serge Charpak (VIsion Institute, Sorbonne University, Inserm U968, Paris, France, France)
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Martin Lauritzen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)
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Andy Shih (Seattle Children's Research Institute, United States)
Keynote Session: Regulating the BBB to Treat Neurological Disease
Discussion Leaders
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Anika Hartz (University of Kentucky, United States)
Speakers
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Benoit Vanhollebeke (Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium)
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Helga De Vries (VU University Medical Center, The Netherlands)
The GRC Power Hour™
Organizers
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Dionna Williams (Johns Hopkins University, United States)
