Meetings Held in 2009
Please note: We do not make public any information about our current year's program.
 S-H Lee, E. Dennis |
March 1-4 NSF Workshop - A Vision For Plant Biology Funded by: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) National Science Foundation The Salk Institute for Biological Studies Organized By: J. Ecker, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, A. Millar, University of Edinburgh |
| The International Steering Committee on Plant Genomics is an informal group made up of funding organizations with a special interest in promoting genomic techniques in improving crops. Amongst other goals, the Committee is intended to facilitate communications between funding agencies in this area and promoting research collaborations. A small group of scientists drawn from participating countries (including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Korea, United Kingdom, and United States) came to Banbury to discuss their perspectives of current and future challenges in the plant sciences, and to develop an International Model for the Future of Plant Science. A draft report was prepared by the scientists at the conclusion of the meeting and presented at widely-attended community meetings for comment during 2009. The final report will be published in 2010. |
 H. Akil, H. Mayberg |
March 22-55 Neurobiology Of Depression: From Molecules To Mood Funded by: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc. Hope for Depression Research Foundation Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Research Lilly Research Laboratories NIMH Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Organized By: R. Hen, Columbia University B. McEwen, Rockefeller University R. Duman, Yale University H. Manji, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research |
| Depression is a devastating illness that effects 15 to 20 percent of the population, resulting in enormous personal suffering and economic loss to society. Despite intensive research the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the etiology and treatment of major depressive disorders have not been identified. The aim of this meeting was to bring together basic and clinical investigators to provide a comprehensive and integrated assessment of the current state of knowledge of depression research. Discussions covered the genetic, molecular and cellular determinants of mood and depression in animal models and in humans, as well as the latest information from clinical studies on the circuitry, imaging and the treatment of mood disorders. |
 W. Spooren |
April 5-8 New Developments In Fragile X Syndrome: From Basic Mechanisms To Therapeutics Funded by: NIMH Grant to the University of Illinois Organized By: K. Huber, UT Southwestern Medical F. Gasparini, Novartis Pharma W. T. Greenough, University of E. Berry-Kravis, Rush University Medical K. Clapp, FRAXA Research |
| There has been much progress in the past year in several areas of research on Fragile X, but there is still much to be learned. This meeting focused on the basic mechanisms of FMRP function, the consequences of its loss on synaptic and circuit function, and therapies for treatment. Some questions that were examined included: How does FMRP regulate translation and processing of its associated mRNAs? How is neuronal circuit function altered in Fragile X Syndrome and can this explain the behavioral symptoms of the disease? |
 G. Buzsaki |
April 12-15 Searching For Principles Underlying Memory In Biological Systems Funded by: The Swartz Foundation Organized By: W. A. Suzuki, New York University S. Fusi, Columbia |
| This workshop brought together experimentalists and theoreticians studying both medial temporal lobe functions and prefrontal functions, as well as their interactions. Participants included experimentalists working on questions of synaptic plasticity, systems level behavioral neurophysiology, as well as human neuropsychologists. The goal was to encourage interaction and discussion between theoreticians and experimentalists working at all of these different levels of analysis. |
 S-I. Imai, P. Sassone-Corsi |
April 26-29 Molecular Biology Of Sirtuins Funded by: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program Organized By: L. P. Guarente, Massachusetts Institute of D. A. Sinclair, Harvard Medical School |
| In the 1990's, the Sir2 protein was identified as a key regulator of lifespan in budding yeast. Since then, it has become increasingly clear that the Sir2 family proteins are highly conserved enzymes that mediate many of the health benefits of calorie restriction. Sirtuins are becoming increasingly appreciated for their potential in treating diverse diseases, from neurodegeneration to Type II diabetes. The modulation of sirtuins by metabolites such as NAD+ and nicotinamide, by environmental changes such as DNA damage, diet and exercise, and most recently by small drug-like molecules, has further increased interest in sirtuins. Participants in this meeting discussed new directions for research on sirtuins, and identified how sirtuins can be used for improving human health. |
 J. Coughlin, M.Nakic |
April 29-May 2 The 1st NIMH Sponsored Brain Camp Funded by: National Institute of Mental Health Organized By: M. Akil, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland T. R. Insel, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland |
| There is a need to link psychiatry training to neuroscience. While psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression are regarded as brain disorders, current training programs in psychiatry include very little of the findings of modern neuroscience. This NIMH-sponsored "brain camp" was a first attempt to see whether this situation can be rectified by providing psychiatry residents with an intense exposure to the world of cognitive neuroscience. To this end, over 20 psychiatry residents and 17 speakers participated in in-depth discussions of a variety of topics. |
 J. Weissenbach |
June 16-17 International Catalog For The History Of The Human Genome Project Funded by: The Wellcome Trust Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Organized By: M. Pollock, Library & Archives, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory J. A. Witkowski, Banbury Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory |
| The Human Genome Project (HGP) was one of the great scientific enterprises of the 20th century and we have initiated a program to document the history of the HGP and related sequencing projects. The first goal of this project is to create a comprehensive database of the locations, nature and a description of materials relating to the HGP, whether held by scientists, academic institutions, foundations or government departments. This discussion meeting was held to examine how other organizations have assembled such databases; to review the proposed project; and to suggest amendments and modifications in the light of other experience. |
 U. Paszkowski |
September 8-11 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbioses And Their Impact On Plant Nutrition Funded by: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program Organized By: M. Harrison, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York U. Paszkowski, UniversitÈ de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland |
| The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is a widespread plant-fungal interaction that occurs between roots of terrestrial plants and Glomeromycotan fungi. This association has received considerable scientific attention because of (a) the nutritional benefit it confers on the plant by improving access to otherwise limiting sources of nutrients, (b) its widespread occurrence among extant plants and significance in terrestrial ecosystems and (c) its ancestral role in the evolution of symbiosis signaling pathways. This discussion meeting focused on AM symbioses and their impact on plant nutrition and brought together key researchers from the AM symbiosis, plant mineral nutrition and root architecture fields. |
 D. Shungu, B. Natelson |
September 13-16 From Infection To Neurometabolism: A Nexus For CFS Funded by: National Institutes of Health and the CFIDS Association of America Organized By: S. Vernon, CFIDS Association of America E. Hanna, NIH, Office of Research on Women's Health |
| Chronic fatigue and widespread pain are common physical symptoms and unfortunately are the most likely to remain unexplained. Chief among illnesses characterized by medically unexplained chronic fatigue and pain is chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), afflicting at least 4 million American adults. Despite more than 20 years of CFS research and more than 5000 peer-reviewed biomedical publications detailing infection, genetic polymorphisms and brain metabolism in CFS, there is still no evidence-based diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this workshop was to lay the foundation for an expanded CFS research network that will work toward evidence-based objective diagnosis and treatment of CFS. |
 D. Ware, M. Timmermans |
September 20-23 Epigenetic Inheritance, Gene Regulation And Plant Development Funded by: The Cold Spring Harbor-Pioneer Collaborative Research Program Organized By: R. Martienssen, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York S. Tingey, DuPont Experimental Station, Wilmington, Deleware |
| This meeting fulfilled two functions. The first was that it provided an opportunity for participants in the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory-DuPont-Pioneer collaboration to meet one another and to exchange data, information and ideas, and to review progress. Second, epigenetics is of special interest in plant science, and one day of the meeting was devoted to a mini-symposium on the topic with invited speakers drawn from outside the collaboration. |
 A. Moran, B. Shobe |
September 23-24 Psychiatric Genetics: Current Progress And Future Directions Funded by: The Stanley Research Foundation Organized By: J. D. Watson, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York S. C. Gary, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York E. M. Scolnick, Broad Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Ted and Veda Stanley and the Stanley Medical Research Institute are most generous supporters of research on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Among their initiatives are the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute, and the Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). Both groups are using the latest genome technologies to search for genetic alterations which contribute to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This meeting brought Stanley-funded investigators from the Broad Institute and CSHL together, with the goals of providing an update on the research and reviewing topics which may be the basis for future projects and collaborations. |
 C. Walther, I. Drinnenberg |
October 1-8 Science - Get It Across! Funded by: Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation for Basic Research Organized By: C. Walther, Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, Heidesheim, Germany S. Schedler, Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, Heidesheim, Germany |
| The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds Foundation returned to the Banbury Center for their biannual fellows meeting in North America. In addition to providing training for their fellows, the Foundation very generously supported a special lecture by a visiting young scientist, given in Grace Auditorium and open to all CSHL scientists. This year's lecture, "Measuring evolution through space and time" was given by Beth Shapiro, Shaffer Assistant Professor from the Department of Biology at Pennsylvania State University. |
 J. Messing |
October 18-21 Aquatic Plants - Environment, Energy & Evolution Funded by: The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Organized By: R. Martienssen, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York J. Shanklin, Brookhaven National Laboratories, Upton, New York T. Michael, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey |
| The aquatic plant duckweed (Lemna spp.) has been proposed as an aquatic plant "model" system. They are easy to culture; some species have relatively compact genomes; they propagate vegetatively as well as sexually, have the fastest known doubling time of flowering plants; and are amenable for transient transformation. The Joint Genome Institute recently embarked on sequencing the Spirodela polyrhiza genome. Participants in this workshop critically reviewed the biological and genetic properties of duckweed, which may lead to its use in many fields, including plant biology, aquatic biology, biomass, biofuels, metabolic engineering and bioremediation. |
 R. Davis |
November 8-10 Feedback Networks In The Intersection Of Metabolism And Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling Funded by: OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Organized By: J. Haley, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Farmingdale, New York |
| In recent years it has become clear that proliferative and survival signaling pathways can be made redundant by compensatory signaling through alternative pathways. Many of receptor tyrosine kinase networks are subject to dynamic feedback controls through other pathways which impact the efficacy of single agent targeted therapies. Similarly, many of the pathways specifically targeted by recent cancer therapeutics are intersected by metabolic control networks which can dynamically alter pathway inhibition and efficacy. This discussion meeting reviewed what is known of signaling networks affecting feedback control of energy utilization, receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and their intersection nodes, and the modeling and imaging of networks and nodes. The goal was to develop a better understanding of how combinations of targeted antitumor agents can overcome compensatory and feedback control which limits their use as single therapies. |
 A. Beaudet |
November 15-18 Structural Variation In The Human Genome Funded by: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program Organized By: J. Lupski, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas E. Eichler, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington |
| Chromosomal rearrangements were the first genome-scale variations to be discovered in human beings. These were detected by light microscopy of chromosomes stained with simple dyes, and later at higher resolution when Giemsa banding was introduced. Fifty years later, extraordinary resolution is being provided by genomic microarrays and sequencing, and new classes of genomic variations are being revealed. Copy number variants (CNVs) are, perhaps, the most important of these. Ranging in size from kilobases to megabases, CNVs have been associated with a range of human developmental disorders. However, much remains to be done before CNVs can be used routinely as diagnostic markers. The goals of this meeting were to review the occurrence and generation of CNVs in the human genome; to discuss approaches for their discovery; examine their relationship with disease; to discuss their use for genetic diagnoses; and to explore how to develop cost-effective tests. |
 T. Insel, E. Kandel |
December 3-5 Promoting Research On Severe Mental Illness Funded by: NARSAD The Brain & Behavior Research Fund World Heritage Foundation - Prechter Family Fund Simons Foundation Organized By: J. Watson, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York E. Scolnick, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts H. Pardes, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York H. Heimer, Schizophrenia Research Forum, Providence, Rhode Island A. Moran, NARSAD, Great Neck, New York J. Witkowski, Banbury Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory |
| Mental disorders place a terrible burden on society, and there is an urgent need to encourage Congress to promote research on these disorders. While a major effort to find the genes involved in mental disorders began in the 1980s, the then available tools were not suitable for the analysis of disorders caused by many mutations. Continuing technical developments, many arising from the Human Genome Project, have revitalized genetic analysis of complex disorders, and these new techniques are being applied to mental disorders. Participants in this meeting included eminent scientists and psychiatrists, as well as individuals familiar with promoting research, in this case, genomics-based research, an approach offering the best path to treatments or prevention of mental disorders. |
 D. Fish, B. Luft |
December 14-15 Co-Infections In Lyme Disease Funded by: Time for Lyme, Inc. Organized By: S. Schutzer, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ |
Since the 1990s, the Banbury Center, has been the venue for a series of very influential meetings on Lyme disease. A benefit of such meetings has been collaborations into research on co-infections carried by the same tick vector that transmits Lyme disease. This meeting reviewed what is known of co-infections in Lyme disease, and provided an opportunity for planning a Lyme disease meeting at Banbury in 2010
