Neurotherapeutics Symposium 2019 – accelerating the pace of translation in neurological emergencies by enhancing diverse workforce in neuroscience and promoting transdisciplinary team science

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PROJECT SUMMARY There is an unmet need in advancing therapeutic approaches in neurocritical care. This field is in its infancy of implementation of translational research, and most of clinical practice is led by expert opinion-derived guidelines informed by studies with low quality of evidence. The Neurotherapeutics Symposium 2019 – Neurological Emer- gencies is a conference that will be held in Rochester/NY aiming at accelerating the pace of translational neu- rology with a focus on severe acute neurologic disorders. This conference centers on diversity enhancement in the neuroscience workforce to bring innovative and creative perspectives to complex scientific questions, and engagement with transdisciplinary team science to facilitate the dissemination of new findings across clinical neuroscientists. Underrepresented minorities have been heavily involved in both the planning and in the confer- ence itself as confirmed speakers and moderators, demonstrating the commitment of this project to inclusion excellence in the neuroscience workforce. The target audience includes clinician-scientists at the forefront of care of neurocritically ill individuals, neuroscientists and bioengineers, rehabilitation experts, and trainees com- mitted to an academic career; a close collaboration with organizations that will assist with recruitment of at- tendees from underrepresented groups will be actively sought. Approximately 75-100 participants are anticipated to join the meeting, with an expected 40% representation of women and nationally underrepresented groups. The conference also sets the stage for long-term networking to nurture collaborations and stimulate new lines of research though a smartphone app that includes a directory with attendees, a link to NIH Matchmaker and online discussion capability. All speakers will select a landmark manuscript relevant to their lecture, which will be avail- able to all attendees ahead of time, so that the yield of subsequent discussions is increased. Sessions will include workshops on team science formation, underexplored funding opportunities and career development, and brief dynamic lectures followed by blocks of lively discussions on the frontiers of critical care neurotherapeutics. Fur- ther, this symposium provides a platform for promising early investigators/trainees to establish and deepen men- toring relationships with more established investigators, which will foster career development and future collab- orations. All speakers and attendees are encouraged to submit their work for poster presentations (all also avail- able in the app), to provide another opportunity for discussions and brainstorming of new projects. At the end of the conference, attendees are expected to apply for pilot funding by submitting their team science project along with a specific aims draft including a scientific question and hypothesis. The use of digital technology connecting profiles and promoting networking beyond the duration of the conference coupled with the availability of seed funding for pilot projects that arise from collaborations formed at the conference are incentives to facilitate the scientific productivity of this innovative and impactful initiative. Abstracts and the proceedings of the meeting will be published in the Neurocritical Care journal.