Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm
Vision and Light Perception
Discussion Leader: Kevin Gardner (CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, United States)
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:05 pm
Kristin Tessmar-Raible (Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Austria)
"How Can Animals Discriminate Between Sun and Moonlight?"
8:05 pm - 8:10 pm
Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:30 pm
Robert Lucas (University of Manchester, United Kingdom)
"Melanopsin's Contribution to Discerning Patterns in Mice and Humans"
8:30 pm - 8:35 pm
Discussion
8:35 pm - 8:55 pm
Zuzana Musilova (Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic)
"See You in the Dark: Rhodopsin-Based Visual System in the Mesopelagic Deep-Sea Fishes"
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm
Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:20 pm
Akihisa Terakita (Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan)
"Diverse Molecular Properties of Eumetazoan Opsins"
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Blue-Light Dependent Sensing Mechanisms
Discussion Leader: Margaret Ahmad (Sorbonne University, France)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:35 am
Charalambos Kyriacou (University of Leicester, United Kingdom)
"Cryptochrome and Magnetic Field Effects in Drosophila"
9:35 am - 9:40 am
Discussion
9:40 am - 10:05 am
Daniel Kattnig (University of Exeter, United Kingdom)
"Cryptochrome Magneto-Sensation: Of Old and New Quantum Models"
10:05 am - 10:10 am
Discussion
10:10 am - 10:25 am
Tilman Kottke (Bielefeld University, Germany)
"Interplay of BLUF and Adenylate Cyclase in OaPAC Crystals and in Solution"
10:25 am - 10:30 am
Discussion
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Coffee Break
11:00 am - 11:25 am
Dongping Zhong (Shanghai Jiao Tong University , China)
"New Perspectives on the BLUF Photoreceptors"
11:25 am - 11:30 am
Discussion
11:30 am - 11:55 am
Rodrigo Maillard (Georgetown University, United States)
"The Cofactor-Dependent Folding Mechanism of Drosophila Cryptochrome Revealed by Single-Molecule Pulling Experiments"
11:55 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm
Elmar Behrmann (University of Cologne, Institute of Biochemistry, Germany)
"The Odd One in the Family: How Platynereis Dumerilii L-Cry Could Help Deciphering Moon Phases"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm
Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm
Danielle Swingle (The City College of New York Advanced Science Research Center, United States)
"Structural and Biochemical Investigations of a Dark-Active LOV-Histidine Kinase Signaling Pathway"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The GRC Power Hourâ„¢
The GRC Power Hourâ„¢ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring.
Organizer: Chandra Tucker (University of Colorado School of Medicine, United States)
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Bilin-Based Photoreception
Discussion Leader: Sarah Mathews (Louisiana State University, United States)
6:00 pm - 6:05 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
6:05 pm - 6:25 pm
Emina Stojkovic (Northeastern Illinois University, United States)
"Capturing Phytochrome in Action at X-Ray Free Electron Lasers"
6:25 pm - 6:30 pm
Discussion
6:30 pm - 6:50 pm
Sebastian Westenhoff (Universities of Uppsala , Sweden)
"The Primary Structural Photoactivation Mechanism in Phytochromes and Photolyases: The Role of the Protein Matrix"
6:50 pm - 6:55 pm
Discussion
6:55 pm - 7:15 pm
Jon Hughes (Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany)
"Dark and Light-Activated Structures of Plant Phytochrome A"
7:15 pm - 7:20 pm
Discussion
7:20 pm - 7:40 pm
Tomonao Matsushita (Kyoto University, Japan)
"Molecular Mechanism of Light-Regulated and Phytochrome-Mediated Transcription Start Site Selection in Arabidopsis "
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Discussion
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm
Oliver Maximilian Eder (Technical University Graz, Austria)
"Bilin D-Ring Properties: Lessons from a Bacteriophytochrome Binding PCB"
7:55 pm - 8:00 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Dinner
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Light Sensing and Responses by Plants
Discussion Leader: Charlotte Gommers (Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:30 am
Giltsu Choi (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea)
"Characterization of Phytochrome B Photobody by Fluorescence-Activated Particle Sorting"
9:30 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Christian Fankhauser (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
"Directional Light Sensing in Plants: From Photosensory Tissue Properties to Signaling Mechanisms"
9:55 am - 10:00 am
Discussion
10:00 am - 10:20 am
Dmitri Nusinow (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, United States)
"Reducing Shade and Thermomorphogenesis Responses in Pennycress Through Altering Phytochrome Signaling"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:55 am
Coffee Break
10:55 am - 11:15 am
Jorge Casal (Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina)
"How Light and Temperature Cues Regulate Plant Growth"
11:15 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Clara Richet-Bourbousse (Institute of Biology Paris-Seine, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Superieure, France)
"The Interplay of Cellular Metabolism with Nuclear Architecture and Activity: Impact of Chloroplast Biogenesis"
11:40 am - 11:45 am
Discussion
11:45 am - 12:05 pm
Claudia Oecking (Universität Tübingen, Germany)
"AI-Assisted Decoding of Condensate Assembly in the Plant Phototropic Response"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Elena Monte (Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Spain)
"What Does it Take to Deetiolate? Insights from Microalgae"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Free Time
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Retinal-Based Photoreception
Discussion Leader: Peter Hegemann (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany)
6:00 pm - 6:05 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
6:05 pm - 6:25 pm
John Kennis (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
"Multiple Retinal Isomerizations During the Early Phase of the Bestrhodopsin Photoreaction"
6:25 pm - 6:30 pm
Discussion
6:30 pm - 6:50 pm
Przemyslaw Nogly (Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland)
"Time-Resolved X-Ray Crystallography on Membrane Proteins: Watching Ions Moving in Time and Space"
6:50 pm - 6:55 pm
Discussion
6:55 pm - 7:15 pm
Moran Shalev-Benami (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel)
"Gigantic Rhodopsin Complexes Were Discovered in an Algae Near Antarctica: Can Novel Structures of 7TM Ancestors Reveal a Missing Link to GPCR Signaling Pathways?"
7:15 pm - 7:20 pm
Discussion
7:20 pm - 7:40 pm
Keiichi Inoue (The University of Tokyo, Japan)
"The Photochemistry of Retinal Chromophore and its Biological Role in New Rhodopsins"
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Discussion
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm
Katrina Forest (University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States)
"A Novel Role for Microbial Rhodopsins in Building the Lopid Bilayer"
7:55 pm - 8:00 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Dinner
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Adaptations to Ultraviolet Light
Discussion Leader: Alex Jones (National Physical Laboratory, United Kingdom)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:30 am
Gareth Jenkins (University of Glasgow, United Kingdom)
"UVR8 Photoreceptor Action in Plant Responses to Ultraviolet-B Light"
9:30 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Roman Ulm (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
"UV-B Perception, Signalling and Responses in Plants"
9:55 am - 10:00 am
Discussion
10:00 am - 10:20 am
Laura Jeffreys (University of Manchester, United Kingdom)
"An Unusual Light-Sensing Function for Coenzyme B12"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:55 am
Coffee Break
10:55 am - 11:15 am
Roseanne Sension (University of Michigan, United States)
"Ultrafast Optical and X-Ray Probes of Excited State Dynamics"
11:15 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Yogev Burko (ARO Volcani Institute, Israel)
"Comparing Phytochrome-Interacting Factor's Role in Shade and Temperature Response Across Arabidopsis and Tomato"
11:40 am - 11:45 am
Discussion
11:45 am - 12:05 pm
Moona Kurttila (National Physical Laboratory Management Ltd, United Kingdom)
"Tuning of B12 Photochemistry in the CarH Photoreceptor to Avoid Radical Photoproducts"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Gustavo Fuertes Vives (Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic)
"Using Genetic Code Expansion to Trigger and Monitor Biological Responses in Photoactive and Non-Photoactive Proteins"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Free Time
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Light Entrainment of Circadian Clocks and Periodic Behavior
Discussion Leader: Brian Zoltowski (Southern Methodist University, United States)
6:00 pm - 6:05 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
6:05 pm - 6:25 pm
Akane Kubota (Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan)
"Ambient Temperature Acts as a Time-Dependent Cue to Regulate the Timing of Flowering in Arabidopsis "
6:25 pm - 6:30 pm
Discussion
6:30 pm - 6:50 pm
Susan Golden (University of California, San Diego, United States)
"Regulation of Circadian Gene Expression In Vitro and In Vivo"
6:50 pm - 6:55 pm
Discussion
6:55 pm - 7:15 pm
Joel Stavans (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel)
"How Does a One-Dimensional Multicellular Organism Keep Time?"
7:15 pm - 7:20 pm
Discussion
7:20 pm - 7:40 pm
Jay Dunlap (Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth , United States)
"The White Collar Complex: Blue Light Photoreceptor and Circadian Clock Component"
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Discussion
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm
Gabriel Bertolesi (Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada)
"The Mystery Behind the Third Eye: Which Opsin is the Key Regulator of Circadian Clocks?"
7:55 pm - 8:00 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Dinner
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Business Meeting
Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Dates and Venue; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Development and Applications of Optogenetic Tools
Discussion Leader: Michael Lin (Stanford University, United States)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:30 am
Chandra Tucker (University of Colorado School of Medicine, United States)
"Perturbing Cells with Light: Optogenetic Applications of Arabidopsis Cryptochrome 2"
9:30 am - 9:35 am
Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am
Andrew Woolley (University of Toronto, Canada)
"Engineering Optogenetic Tools from Old and Newly Discovered Photoreceptors"
9:55 am - 10:00 am
Discussion
10:00 am - 10:20 am
Johannes Vierock (Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)
"Multicolor Optogenetics at the Plasma Membrane and in Organelles"
10:20 am - 10:25 am
Discussion
10:25 am - 10:55 am
Coffee Break
10:55 am - 11:15 am
Bianxiao Cui (Stanford University, United States)
"Light-Inducible Pain Through Opto-iTrkA"
11:15 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:40 am
Hannes Beyer (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany)
"Engineering Optogenetic In-Vitro Tissue Models"
11:40 am - 11:45 am
Discussion
11:45 am - 12:05 pm
Erin Berlew (University of Pennsylvania, United States)
"Optogenetics for Mechanobiology Applications Using BcLOV4"
12:05 pm - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Allison Tang (Princeton University, United States)
"Small but Mighty: Light-Switchable Nanobodies for Post-Translational Control of Metabolism"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Free Time
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Frontier Areas of Photosensory Reception
Discussion Leader: Eirini Kaiserli (University of Glasgow, United Kingdom)
6:00 pm - 6:05 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
6:05 pm - 6:25 pm
Benedetta Mennucci (University of Pisa, Italy)
"Deciphering the Mechanisms of Action of Photoreceptors through Atomistic Modeling"
6:25 pm - 6:30 pm
Discussion
6:30 pm - 6:50 pm
Alexandra Worden (Marine Biological Laboratory, United States)
"Photosensing in Marine Microbes"
6:50 pm - 6:55 pm
Discussion
6:55 pm - 7:15 pm
Yiyang Lin (Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China)
"Synthetic Receptor-Mediated Phototransduction in Artificial Cells"
7:15 pm - 7:20 pm
Discussion
7:20 pm - 7:40 pm
Gebhard Schertler (Paul Scherrer Institute, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland)
"The Role of Water Molecules in the Activation Mechanism of Retinal-Binding Membrane Proteins and Light Activated G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)"
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Discussion
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm
Firas Fadel (Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Switzerland)
"Designing Photoactivatable hTRPV1-LOV Chimeras as a Potential Opsin-Free Optogenetic Actuator"
7:55 pm - 8:00 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Dinner
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am
Departure