Conference Description
The Neural Development GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes an array of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
While maintaining its strong historical emphasis on representing our exciting field as broadly as possible, the 2026 edition will additionally focus on how different timescales shape the nervous system. Our exceptional speakers will address cutting edge questions including how evolution shaped the emergence and diversification of extant nervous systems, how developmental mechanisms prime the nervous system for future function and how the nervous system ages under healthy and pathological conditions.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by April 4, 2026. Please check back for updates.
Keynote Session: Fate to Function
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Neurogenesis and Gliogenesis
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Cell Lineages and Identity
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Neural Niches
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Phenotypic Variation
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Patterns to Synapses
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Foundations of Neural Circuitry
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Nervous System Evolution
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Keynote Session: Wiring the Nervous System
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