Synapses: Formation, Function and Misfunction

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案旨在为Keystone专题会议“突触：形成、功能和功能失调”提供支持，该会议将于2010年4月11日至15日在犹他州雪鸟市举行，由Matthew B. Dalva、Peter Scheiffele和Yishi Jin组织。在过去的五年中，已经确定了许多指导突触发育的细胞机制。我们对这些基本过程的日益了解与神经系统疾病之间正在形成令人兴奋的新联系。这次会议将是一个论坛，供来自世界各地的主要科学家讨论这些联系以及如何利用这些联系来解决人类疾病。当前突触研究的主要推动力是新技术。本次会议将集中讨论这些领域，汇集研究模式生物中突触如何形成和新技术发展等基本生物学问题的科学家，以及对了解突触与人类疾病的联系感兴趣的科学家。此外，我们将为学生和博士后提供充足的机会参与会议，包括两次海报会议和大量的简短演讲。总的来说，我们的会议将为科学家之间的互动提供机会，这些科学家可能通常不会互动，也为年轻科学家发展他们的事业提供了充足的机会。最后但并非最不重要的是，本次会议与题为“定义自闭症行为的病理生理学”的会议相结合，为高水平的跨学科互动提供了独特的机会，这可能会导致新的研究方向。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is to request support for a Keystone Symposia meeting entitled Synapses: Formation, Function and Misfunction, organized by Matthew B. Dalva, Peter Scheiffele and Yishi Jin, which will be held in Snowbird, Utah from April 11 - 15, 2010. During the last half-decade, a host of cellular mechanisms guiding synapse development have been identified. Exciting new links are being forged between our growing understanding of these basic processes and neurological diseases. This meeting will be a forum for leading scientists from around the world to discuss these links and how these might be exploited in addressing human disease. A major driving force in current research of synapses is new technologies. This meeting will focus on these areas, bringing together scientists working on the basic biological questions of how synapses form in model organisms and the development of new technology, and those with interests in understanding the links to human diseases. Moreover, we will provide ample opportunity for students and postdoctoral fellow to participate in the meeting with two poster sessions and numerous short talks. Overall, our meeting will provide opportunities for interactions among scientists who might not normally interact, as well as offer ample opportunities for younger scientists to develop their careers. Last but far from least, the pairing of this meeting with the meeting entitled Towards Defining the Pathophysiology of Autistic Behavior provides unique opportunities for high-level interdisciplinary interactions that are likely to lead to new directions in research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The function of the nervous system depends on the formation of a complex array of synaptic contacts during development. Malformation of these structures results in defects that lead to devastating and prevalent human diseases such as autism spectrum disorders and mental retardation. The Keystone Symposia meeting on Synapses: Formation, Function and Misfunction aims to foster communication between investigators focused on different model systems and those studying diseases of the synapse. The meeting will also focus on new technologies that are likely to drive future progress in understanding synapse development and function.