2024 Neurosciences Department Retreat

Wednesday, August 14, and Thursday, August 15, 2024

We are excited to announce that our annual departmental retreat will take place at The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake. The Lodge is situated next to Geneva State Park and is about one hour away from the CWRU campus.

The retreat will be held over two days and one night. It will begin with a welcome breakfast on Wednesday morning (August 14) and will conclude after lunch on Thursday (August 15).

All departmental faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, undergraduate students, and trainers are invited to attend. In addition, all first-year students (BSTP or MSTP) who have indicated an interest in neuroscience are also invited. 

Registration is now closed.

Keynote Speaker:

Andrew M. Dacks, PhD

Visiting Associate Professor, 
Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University

"Differential modulation of feedforward inhibition reflects topographic organization in the olfactory system."

Abstract: The nervous system must be able to flexibly process information under different conditions. To do this, neural networks frequently rely on uniform expression of modulatory receptors by distinct  classes of neurons to fine tune the computations supported by each neuronal class. In this study, we explore an alternate organization in which one population of output neurons in the olfactory system of Drosophila melanogaster expresses all of the receptors for the modulator serotonin  (5-HT). We find extensive and heterogeneous co-expression of 5-HT receptors by ventral projection neurons (v-PNs), with many different combinations of 5-HT receptors present. There was a large amount of overlap in glomerular innervation of v-PNs expressing each 5-HT receptor, however the axon terminals innervated largely distinct zones within the lateral horn, a higher order olfactory region. Both endogenous release of 5-HT and 5-HT receptor pharmacology differentially modulated the odor-evoked responses of v-PNs with distinct receptor expression. Finally, connectomic analyses revealed that the v-PNs that were differentially modulated by 5-HT synapse upon separate sets of third order olfactory neurons. This functional organization implies that 5-HT differentially modulates the responses of PNs that participate in divergent, downstream olfactory circuits. Overall, our work demonstrates that heterogeneous receptor expression within a neuronal class enables a single modulator to differentially impact neurons participating in the representation of odor categories.

This two-day retreat will feature presentations from students, postdocs, a keynote speaker, and others in the Neurosciences dept., showcasing their research through talks and posters. 

Submit your abstract for a presentation or poster.

We expect all trainees to submit an abstract for either a poster or an oral presentation. We strongly encourage all senior students (those who expect to defend their thesis by summer 2025) to request an oral presentation.

Preliminary abstracts are welcome. 
Abstract submissions must be completed by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on Sunday, July 28, 2024.

Retreat Schedule 

Day 1 - Wednesday, August 14

• 8 - 9 am - Check-in & Welcome breakfast

• 9 am - Presentations & Keynote Speaker

• 12 pm - Lunch

• 1 pm - Presentations & Poster Sessions

• 4 pm - Room Check-in

• 5:30 pm - Social Hour

• 7 pm - Dinner

Day 2 - Thursday, August 15

• 8 - 9 am - Breakfast & Room Check-out
  9 am - Presentations
  1 - 2 pm - Lunch & Awards Presentation

Schedule is subject to change.

Explore The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake and Geneva State Park Amenities.

The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake
4888 North Broadway (SR 534), Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio 44041
www.TheLodgeAtGeneva.com

Maps and Directions

See the full schedule of Seminars and Events.

Questions - Neurosciences@case.edu