L-glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system and acts on both ionotropic and metabotropic receptors.  This symposium will focus on recent advances in our understanding of glutamate’s action at ionotropic receptors (iGluRs).  Notwithstanding the key role that glutamate plays in normal physiological function, it has become apparent that de novo mutations in ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits underlie neurological disorders, many of which would have been undiagnosed in terms of their origin without rapid advances in genome-wide association studies.  Furthermore, the once held view that glutamate ionotropic receptors acted as macromolecular complexes in isolation of other proteins is no longer justified as a myriad of regulatory proteins have been identified as playing pivotal roles in shaping the properties of this family of ligand-gated ion channels. Ionotropic glutamate receptors: structure, function and dysfunction will bring together leading researchers in the field of glutamate ion channel physiology and pathophysiology and will provide a current assessment of our understanding of this family of neurotransmitter receptors.