Ibro World Congress of Neuroscience 2007

Invitation from the President

Melbourne watercolour Endeavours in neuroscience hold the allure of revealing the neural bases of emotion, motivation and thought and of discovering treatments for neurologic and psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

Importantly, they progress our understanding of the way in which organisms respond to their surroundings, learn from past events and regulate their internal environment to allow life to be maintained.

The next IBRO International Congress of Neuroscience (Melbourne July 12-17, 2007) aspires to be a show-case of the excellent work carried out in the broad spectrum of neuroscience.

Melbourne is one of the most dynamic cities of the Asia-Pacific region with a highly sophisticated heart that is reflected in the pursuits of its people.

It is a city renowned for scientific research and development, medical innovation and technological progress.

Melbourne pic The arts are a major part of life in Melbourne with a concentration of galleries and multicultural attractions to interest and delight visitors.

The city also has a reputation for high fashion, exclusive boutiques, factory outlets and markets.

Melbourne is where Australians come to shop. The integrated transport network of trains, trams and buses and the covered walkways around the city centre make it easy and comfortable to get around.

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is centrally located on the banks of the Yarra River adjacent to the Southbank entertainment precinct and within close walking distance of all major city hotels, motels and apartments.

The professional team at the Melbourne Convention Centre have secured its reputation as one of the top ten convention destinations in the world.

We look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne, Australia for IBRO 2007.

George Paxinos
President

Draft Scientific Program

Eight plenary lectures and 64 symposia will form the major scientific components of the Program for the Congress.

There will also be workshops in the evenings on topics of wider interest that will be open to the general public.

In addition, 21 specialist satellite meetings will be held in the days before or after the Congress.

Please click here to download the Provisional Scientific Program (PDF file, 181Kb) and the Provisional Symposia Timetable.
Symposia

Melbourne watercolour Listed below are the titles of the Symposia accepted by the IBRO 2007 International Program Committee.

01 - Homeostatic and metaplastic regulation of synaptic function;
02 - Is Na+/Ca2+Exchanger Family Activity Beneficial or Detrimental During Brain Ischemia?
03 - Sex chromosomes, hormones, and brain gender;
04 - ISN Symposium - Mitochondria: Jury and Judge on the Life or Death of Neurons;
05 - Gap junctions, once just aqueous cell-cell channels, now are selective, gated, and regulated, and can open in non-junctional membrane, among other novel activities;
06 - Synaptic and cellular mechanisms of fear learning;
07 - Unravelling the anatomy and functions of the medial visual cortex: Experimental and clinical approaches;
08 - The cerebellum- from genes to behaviour;
09 - G protein-coupled receptor allosterism as a novel approach to CNS drug discovery;
10 - Neural basis of novelty perception;
11 - Genetics and the Addictions;
12 - Purine mediated neuron-glia interactions: physiological and pathological relevance;
13 - Get up and go: Growth cone guidance in development and disease;
14 - Cell adhesion molecules in formation of native and heterologous synapses;
15 - Regulation of glial function by steroids;
16 - Synaptic circuits in the outer and inner retina;
17 - Chemokines and Chemokine Receptors: Their Functions in the Central Nervous System in Health and Disease;
18 - Huntington’s disease: Mechanisms of pathogenesis guiding development of novel therapies;
19 - Contextual Modulation of Neural Responses in Primate Visual Cortex;
20 - Limbic Control of Emotional Behaviour: New evidence for oxytocin action in the limbic system and its role in regulating stress, anxiety and social behaviour;
21 - IPSEN Symposium on Neuronal Plasticity;
22 - Perceptual Learning;
23 - Environmental enrichment: benefits and pitfalls in relation to animal models of human diseases.
24 - Estrogen Signaling in the CNS: Implications for Hormone Therapy;
25 - Molecular And Behavioral Mechanisms Of Memory Retrieval And Reconsolidation;
26 - Axonal excitability;
27 - The role of the neuropeptide galanin as a neuromodulator and trophic factor to the nervous system;
28 - In vivo two-photon imaging of brain function;
29 - Different Brain Atlases, Capabilities and Information: What's best for you?
30 - Brain plasticity following stroke;
31 - Alterations of intracellular signalling pathways in chronic pain;
32 - Drug Addiction: Reinstatement and Models of Relapse to Drug-Seeking Behaviour;
33 - To void or not to void: injury- and disease-related plasticity in neural circuits controlling bladder function;
34 - Role of Infection in Mental Illness;
35 - Stem Cells for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury;
36 - Motors, intra-neuronal traffic and neurodegeneration;
37 - Protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases;
38 - Genomic and proteomic profiling of sporadic Parkinson’s disease;
39 - Cortical development: Genes and genetic abnormalities;
40 - Role of adenosine A2A receptors in noxious brain conditions: effects on neurons, astrocytes or microglia?
41 - Volume transmission by diffusion;
42 - Regulated exocytosis of neuroligands from astrocytes;
43 - Mechanisms of structural plasticity at excitatory synapses;
44 - Physiological genomics of mammalian circadian organization;
45 - Brain adaptations for a successful pregnancy – sponsored by IUPS, Journal of Physiology and The Physiological Society;
46 - Plasma membrane microdomains (lipid rafts) and their contribution to neurotransmitter signalling;
47 - Fetal and neonatal origins of neurological disorders: The influence of the intrauterine environment;
48 - Invertebrate chemoreception: Sensory physiology, neural processing, and behavioural response to chemical signals by animals with “simple� nervous systems;
49 - fMRI connectivity studies: exploring functional integration in normal and dysfunctional cognition;
50 - Novel mechanisms of glucocorticoid actions on brain and cognitive function;
51 - Regulation of neurotransmitter transporters and its functional implication;
52 - Novel developments in the neuropharmacology of schizophrenia;
53 - Neuroinflammation;
54 - How cortex colours in: the neural machinery of colour vision;
55 - Regulatory signaling networks controlling neural cell type specification and differentiation;
56 - Dendritic inhibition and the control of neuronal output;
57 - Recent progresses in Alzheimer’s disease research;
58 - Age-related deterioration of the hearing function – neuroscience of the hearing loss;
59 - Dopamine/Serotonin Interactions in Psychosis: A Translational View;
60 - Dynamic regulation of neurotrophin signaling and trafficking;
61 - Minds with an eye for movement: Visual motion processing in simple and complex brains;
62 - New insights into the role of the basal forebrain in cortical plasticity and attention;
63 - Protein trafficking and synaptic;
64 - mRNA Trafficking and Local Protein Synthesis in Dendrites;
65 - Neurobiological basis of individual differences in susceptibility to illness.

Plenary Lectures

Plenary speakers and topics will include:

• Peter Agre - Duke University, USA
  Aquaporin Water Channels: from atomic structure to clinical medicine
• Norio Akaike - Kumamoto Health Science University, Japan
  Single synapses studied with the synaptic-bouton preparation
• Herta Flor - Central Institute of Mental Health, Germany
  Pain/emotion in humans
• Simon Gandevia - Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute Australia
  Motor control in humans
• Lily Jan - Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA
  Functions and regulations of potassium channels in neurons
• Edvard Moser - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
  Spatial maps in the parahippocampal cortex
• Mu-Ming Poo - University of California USA and Chinese Institute of Neuroscience, China
  Role of activity in development
• Mandyam Srinivasan - Australian National University, Australia
  Vision in honeybees

General Information

Transport

Melbourne watercolour A taxi fare between Tullarmarine Airport and the Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre is approximately $40-$45.

Skybus operates a transfer bus service from the airport to Spencer Street Station in the city for a cost of $26 return or $15.50 one-way.

This service runs every 15 minutes in peak times, and every 30 minutes thereafter.

Travel within Australia

Information on pre- and post-conference tours (which you should arrange yourselves) is available through the Australian Tourism web site at www.australia.com

Weather

July is a winter month and temperatures average around 14°C (57°F). Warm clothing is recommended and an umbrella or light raincoat would be wise.

Travel

Most major airlines operate flights directly in and out of Melbourne's Tullarmarine International Airport.

Tullarmarine International Airport is a 30 minute drive (depending on traffic) from the city and all major hotels.

Arrival

It is strongly recommended that international visitors from Europe and America allow at least one day in which to adjust to the time difference. Travellers crossing the Pacific will lose one day when crossing the International Date Line.

Attendance Certificate

Letters of verification of attendance will be available on request at the registration desk.

Currency and Banking

Melbourne pic The Australian Dollar ($A) is a decimal currency with units in dollars and cents. Check the currency converter on the website: www.xe.net/ucc/.

Currency exchange facilities are available at the international airport, major hotels and city banks. Normal banking hours are Monday - Thursday 09:30 to 16:00 and 09:30 to 17:00 Friday.

Banks are closed weekends but ATMs are available 24 hours per day.

Electricity

The power supply in Australia is 240 volt AC 50Hz.

The connection for appliances is a flat 3-pin plug. Hotels usually supply 110 volt outlets for electric shavers, but an adaptor might be necessary for other appliances.

Medical and Travel Insurance

It is strongly recommended that international visitors seek advice and take out appropriate travel insurance and medical cover. Overseas visitors are required to pay in full all medical expenses incurred while in Australia. The Congress organisers accept no responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance.

Special Dietary Requirements

It is important that all special dietary requirements are indicated on the registration form.

Tipping

Tipping is not widespread or regulated in Australia, and is generally recognized as a reward for exceptional service. In a more expensive restaurant, a tip of about 10% is usually expected.

Language

All sessions will be conducted in English. Simultaneous translation will not be provided.

More Information

Web: www.ibro2007.org