Dr Srikanth Ramaswamy
Newcastle University, UK
Professor Jenny Read
Newcastle University, UK
Professor Evelyne Sernagor
Newcastle University, UK
Neuroplasticity in Brain Health and Disease: Advances in Techniques, Translation and Education
This meeting will unify the mechanisms underlying the neuroplasticity of brain function and dysfunction by integrating a spectrum of multidisciplinary techniques ranging from microscopy, imaging and transcriptomics to computational modelling, data science and artificial intelligence.
The invited speakers will provide insight into brain physiology and pathology while highlighting emerging techniques, translational applications and educational approaches to inspire the next generation of neurophysiologists.
By attending this meeting you will:
- Learn the latest cutting-edge tools and techniques to study brain function and dysfunction
- Expand your understanding of brain physiology and the translation of research findings to clinical applications
- Gain insight into the state-of-the-art methods in neuroeducation; including emerging digital tools and the intersection of the neuroscience of learning and education, which have the potential not only to inform but also to transform processes of teaching and learning
This meeting is supported by 3Brain.
10:00 SA01 Love, death, and oxytocin: The challenges of mouse maternity
Professor Rob Froemke, New York University, US
10:30 SA02 Impaired visual discrimination in a mouse model of SYNGAP1-related Intellectual Disability
Dr Danai Katsanevaki, University of Edinburgh, UK
11:30 SA03 Mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity in the developing nervous system
Professor Peter Wenner, Emory University, US
12:00 Information storage in memory engrams
Dr Tomas Ryan, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
13:30 C01 Development of novel co-opsins to manipulate intracellular and extracellular ionic content
Amy Marshall, Newcastle University, UK
13:45 C02 Altered network activity patterns and transcriptomic profile in an in vitro human model of STXBP1 encephalopathy
Dr Faye McLeod, Newcastle University, UK
14:00 C03 Comparison of Cx45 and Cx36 expression in retinal organoids and mice retinas
Dr Gerrit Hilgen, Northumbria University, UK
14:15 C04 Spontaneous retinal waves and angiogenesis: A widefield calcium imaging perspective
Dr Michael Savage, Newcastle University, UK
15:00 C05 Absence of axon initial segment plasticity in human and rodent cortex on short and long time-scales
Dr Sam Booker, University of Edinburgh, UK
15:15 C06 Histamine stimulates calcium-dependent cation transmembrane current through H1R-Gq/11 pathway in human retinal glial Müller cells
Dr Vsevolod Telezhkin, Newcastle University, UK
15:30 CO7 Mitochondrial dysfunction in parvalbumin cells triggers a juvenile-onset severe neurological disorder in vivo
Dr Elizaveta Olkhova, Newcastle University, UK
16:00 Odd numbers
17:00 Even numbers
09:00 SA04 Educational neuroscience: Mechanisms of learning and other factors that influence educational outcomes
Professor Michael Thomas, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
09:30 SA05 Better tools for better science: How open hardware is on its way to revolutionize the way we think about research and education
Dr Andre Maia Chagas, University of Sussex, UK
10:00 SA06 Plasticity of neural population activity in the medial prefrontal cortex during maze learning
Dr Mark Humphries, University of Nottingham, UK
11:00 SA07 Building 3D brains online, a course-based undergraduate research experience on neuroanatomy
Dr Marina Yasvoina, King's College London, UK
11:30 SA08 Knowledge assessment through single-best answer questions
Dr Phil Smith, Cardiff University, UK
12:00 Empowering Africa's Future: TReND's Vision for Local Science and Global Collaboration
Samyra Salek, TReND in Africa and Dr Andre Maia Chagas, University of Sussex, UK
13:30 Regulation of neuroplasticity by the extracellular matrix structure perineuronal nets
Dr Jessica Kwok, University of Leeds, UK
14:00 SA09 The role of the neurovascular unit in diabetic retinopathy: Pathophysiology and therapeutic targets
Professor Tim Curtis, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
14:30 Imaging and regulating white matter plasticity in healthy humans and stroke patients
Dr Cassandra Sampaio-Baptista, University of Glasgow, UK
15:30 Machine learning tools for neuroplasticity: from electrophysiology to analysis of population activity
Professor Matthias Hennig, University of Edinburgh, UK
16:00 SA10 Morphological and functional dissection of microglia
Professor Sandra Siegert, Institute of Science and Technology, Austria
16:30 SA11 Record and analyze electrical activity in organoids, cell cultures and brain slices: BioSignal Processing Unit (BioSPU)-integrated plates
Dr Sercan Deniz, 3Brain, Switzerland
Registration
If you would like to be added to the registration list, please email events@physoc.org before the deadline of 27 March.
| Membership category | Early registration until 01 March 2024 | Standard registration rate until 27 March 2024 |
| Undergraduate & Master’s Member | £130.00 | £170.00 |
| Postgraduate Member | £130.00 | £170.00 |
| Full Member (concessionary)* | £130.00 | £170.00 |
| Full Member | £195.00 | £235.00 |
| Fellow Member | £195.00 | £235.00 |
| Honorary Member | £195.00 | £235.00 |
| Retired Member | £130.00 | £170.00 |
| Non-Member | £320.00 | £420.00 |
| ECR Non-Member* | £205.00 | £305.00 |
*please email events@physoc.org for the appropriate discount code.
Please note, Full Member (concessionary) refers to those who have Full Membership at the reduced rate.
Before registering, please read our event terms and conditions.
Member registration
In order to register as a member, you first need to log in with username and password. The system will default to the correct fee for your membership category.
Should you have any queries, please email events@physoc.org
Non-member registration
In order to register as a non-member you need to create a guest account.
By joining as a member, you will benefit from reduced registration and other key member benefits including:
- Free online access to The Society’s three world-class journals
- Free or discounted registration for Society events
- Eligibility for Society’s grant schemes
To find out more about membership with The Society, please click here or email membership@physoc.org
Applying for a visa
Do you need a visa to be able to participate in the meeting?
To check whether you need a visa to be able to attend, please click here
For more detailed information, application forms and guidance notes, please visit the official UK visa website.
It is recommended that you apply for your visa well in advance (at least 12 weeks before the meeting) as applications for UK visas in certain countries can take longer than expected. Attendees are requested that they book early enough and apply for a visa with sufficient time prior to the conference.
The conference organisers cannot be held responsible if delegates do not receive their visas in time, and the cancellation policy will automatically apply. Every effort will be made to support genuine applications. The conference organisers are happy to provide you with documentation to support your application which will be sent as a PDF attachment. If you require a hard copy to be sent to you, please include your mailing (postal) address. The Physiological Society will only send via regular post.
Documentation to support visa applications will only be provided to those attendees who have registered to attend.
Please complete the webform below, and attach confirmation of your registration, and submitted abstract (if appropriate).
Supporting documentation will be distributed within 10 working days – it is the responsibility of the attendee to allow sufficient time for processing.
Please note that The Society are not involved with and cannot influence consular decisions.
Abstracts
Late-breaking submission is now closed. Thank you to all who have submitted their work for consideration. Our review process is underway, and accepted authors will be notified in due course.
In the meantime, please view our oral and poster presentation guidelines in preparation for the meeting and make sure to register for the conference to join the discussions, network with peers, and expand your knowledge with the latest advancements in the field.
Key Information
Key dates
| Registration opens | 1 December 2023 |
| Abstract submission opens | 1 January 2024 |
| Early abstract review deadline | 07 January 2024 |
| Abstract submission closes | 05 February 2024 |
| Early bird registration deadline | 01 March 2024 |
| Conference Attendance Award deadline | 29 February 2024 |
| Registration deadline | 27 March 2024 |
| Meeting dates | 8 – 9 April 2024 |
Venue
The meeting will take place in the Medical School, the address is:
Medical School
Newcastle University
Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4HH
Travel
By train
Newcastle Central Station is on the East Coast Mainline and just a 15 minute walk to the campus. Travel from London in under 3 hours, and regular direct rail services run from many UK cities.
Here are some of the websites you might visit when planning on coming to Newcastle by train:
- National Rail and Trainline – journey planning, live arrival and departure boards for UK stations
- Eurostar – helps you plan your journey to us from Europe
By Metro
Newcastle University is connected to the city’s suburbs, airport, the coast, and a range of museums and sight-seeing opportunities by the Tyne and Wear Metro light rail service.
Haymarket is the closest station to the University campus and trains run frequently during the day, starting at around 05:45 and ending at around 23:30. Travel is quick, inexpensive, and even cheaper with a Student Metro pass.
Visit the Nexus website to find maps of the Metro system and Metro timetables.
By car
The University is easy to get to by car, particularly if you’re travelling along the A1 (M).
The postcode is NE1 7RU if you’re using a sat-nav or route planner. Park and ride is the best option for drivers, as the University doesn’t offer parking on campus.
By bus
You can also travel by Megabus or National Express and enjoy a scenic journey that’s fuss-free and wallet-friendly. It’s cost-effective as from London or Glasgow it’s under £10.
Newcastle is well-connected to all the culture, countryside, and nightlife the north east has to offer via our local Tyne and Wear bus service. For more information visit the Nexus bus website to find bus timetables and bus ticket fares.
By plane
Newcastle Airport is located about seven miles north west of University campus and hosts regular flights to domestic and international airports.
The University is connected to the airport by Metro line, and it’s just a cheap, quick, and fuss-free 25 minute journey from the airport to campus.
Buses from the airport entrance run to Newcastle city centre regularly, and you can plan this in advance through the Traveline website.
Arriving by sea without a car
If you’re a foot passenger arriving at the North Shields ferry terminal, there are buses to Newcastle city centre. The bus journey takes approximately 30 minutes.
The nearest Metro station is Percy Main, about a 20-minute walk from the terminal building. The Metro journey into the city centre takes 20 minutes..
Accommodation
We do not have a specific conference hotel so attendees are able to choose accommodation which meets their needs and budgets.
Support to Attend
The grants below support attendance at our events.
Grants for Carers
We care because you do. We are aware that many of our members have caring responsibilities or need care. We have funds allocated to help you with care costs to facilitate your attendance at meetings.
Conference Attendance Award
Up to £375 for the support of member engagement at our own meetings. The deadline for this meeting is 29 February 2024.