2023 Fifth International Brainstorm

Thank you to our co-sponsors, invited speakers, and everyone who attended for making the Center for Neurogenetics Fifth International Brainstorm successful.

The CNG’s Fifth International Brainstorm Symposium commenced a few weeks ago. The event allowed for collaboration across the globe with some of the top scientists in their field. We had speakers from across the United States, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland. This two-and-a-half-day symposium brought together an outstanding and diverse group of scientists allowing for discussions on varying aspects of genome biology and neurogeneration. This meeting serves to inspire young researchers and stimulate collaboration and interdisciplinary research.

This year’s Brainstorm titled “Therapeutic Strategies and Molecular Mechanisms across Repeat Expansion Diseases” was held January 25th-27th at the Harn Museum of Art. On day one we had our first Keynote Speaker, Beverly Davidson, from the University of Pennsylvania, present on therapeutic approaches for repeat expansion diseases using AAV, preceded with our welcome reception. Day two was full of many amazing talks, including sessions on proteinases and disease, therapeutic strategies and biomarkers, transcriptomic and proteomic perturbations, and RANopathies in emerging diseases. After day two’s session we had our Gala Dinner which allowed for even more collaborations and networking. *Photos below* Jump to more of the story

Day three consisted of more great talks, these sessions included topics over clinical and basic science perspectives on ALS and PD, connecting the dots – XPD, PD, and AI, and translational regulation. We then held our Poster Awards giving out three $500 scholarships to our top placers out of those who submitted. The third day ended with our final Keynote Speaker, Stephen Tapscott, from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, who spoke on molecular mechanisms of FSHD.

We’d like to thank everyone who came out to our event and made it successful. We hope to see you at the Sixth International Brainstorm Symposium!

Thanks again to our Co-Sponsors

University of Florida

Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute

University of FLorida

Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology

University of Florida Health

Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases

University of Florida

Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease