Processing and Modulation of Sensory Signals: From the Periphery to the Cortex
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Organised by Jamie Johnston, University of Leeds, UK, Jennifer Linden, University College London, UK and Susan Deuchars, University of Leeds, UK
This meeting is designed to help foster new connections and cross-pollinate ideas between researchers studying sensory systems in different modalities and at different levels from peripheral transduction to cortical integration.
Registration opens on 1 February 2020.

Registration
Welcome and introduction
Session 1: Circuits for Locating Stimuli
Session 1 talks
- 09:30 Brainwide mapping of collicular circuits mediating defensive behaviours
- Karl Farrow, Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Belgium
- 10:00 The space of actions - Neural circuits for transforming spatial representations into actions
- Marco Tripodi, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- 10:30 How does auditory cortex construct auditory space?
- Jennifer Bizley, University College London, UK
- 11:00 Olfactory search with VR
- TBC
Refreshments
Speed dating of techniques
Small groups with an expert at each table to chat about their approaches and why they use them
Lunch and poster viewing
Session 2: Peripheral and Brainstem Processing
Session 2 talks
- 14:00 Peripheral gate of somatosensory system
- Nikita Gamper, University of Leeds, UK
- 14:30 Differences in the neurotransmission of sensory signals between hair cell type in the mammalian vestibular system
- Stuart Johnson, University of Sheffield, UK
- 15:00 Auditory brainstem processing
- Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug, LMU-Munich, Germany
- 15:30 Modulation of visual processing in the retina
- Michal Rivlin, Weizmann Institute, Israel
Flash poster session
3 minutes x 10 posters
Dedicated poster session
Conference dinner
Venue: TBC
Session 3: Thalamic and Cortical Processing
Session 3 talks
- 09:00 A retinal code for motion along the gravitational and body axes
- Shai Sabbah, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
- 09:30 Auditory thalamic and cortical processing
- Jennifer Linden, University College London, UK
- 10:00 Prediction of choice during active tactile decision making
- Rasmus Petersen, University of Manchester, UK
Refreshments
Keynote Lecture
Discovery of an interoceptive sensory system in the vertebrate spinal cord
Claire Wyart, ICM - Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, France
Lunch and poster viewing
Session 4: Neural Correlates of Sensory Stimuli
Session 4 talks
- 13:00 What does a smell look like in the brain?
- TBC
- 13:30 Learning a tactile sequence induces selectivity to multiple task variables in the mouse somatosensory cortex
- Miguel Maravall, University of Sussex, UK
- 14:00 Feature selectivity in V1
- Petr Znamenskiy, Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, UK
- 14:30 Encoding sound frequency and pitch
- Kerry Walker, University of Oxford, UK
Refreshments
Session 5: Modulation of the Senses
Session 5 talks
- 15:15 Layer-specific integration of sensory and motor information in mouse barrel cortex
- Asli Ayaz, Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Belgium
- 15:45 Modulation of olfaction by gustatory cortex
- TBC
- 16:15 Modulation of retinal outputs by behavioural state
- Sylvia Schroeder, University College London, UK
- 16:45 Satiety and olfaction
- Jamie Johnston, University of Leeds, UK
Closing remarks
End of meeting

Registration
Registration is now open. Register here.
Before registering please read our event terms and conditions.
PLEASE NOTE that meat will not be provided at lunchtime unless specially requested by contacting the events team. All food will be vegetarian in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint at our conferences.
Registration fees
| Membership category | Early bird (before 1 May 2020) | Late registration (after 1 May 2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Full Member | £150 | £200 |
| Affiliate and Undergraduate Members | £90 | £140 |
| Non-Members | £250 | £300 |
| Conference dinner | £60 | £60 |
Please note, if you work at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre or are a member of the British Neuroscience Association you are eligible to register at the Member rate. To register at this rate, please contact the events team at events@physoc.org.

Abstract submission
Abstract submission will be open from 1–31 March 2020. Before submitting your abstract, please read the abstract submission guidelines.

Key information
Key dates
| Registration opens | 1 February 2020 |
| Abstract submission opens | 1 March 2020 |
| Abstract submission closes | 31 March 2020 |
| Abstract decisions released | 23 April 2020 |
| Travel Grant deadline | 30 April 2020 |
| Early bird registration deadline | 1 May 2020 |
| Online registration deadline | 1 June 2020 |
| Meeting dates | 22–23 June 2020 |
Venue
Royal College of Physicians,
11 St Andrews Place,
Regent’s Park,
London NW1 4LE
Transport
Nearest mainline train stations:
- Euston station (15 mins walk)
- King’s Cross and St Pancras stations National and International rail services (5 minutes by taxi)
- Marylebone station (5 minutes by taxi)
Arriving by London underground
- Regent’s Park station on the Bakerloo line (5 minutes walk)
- Great Portland Street Station on the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith and City lines (5 minutes walk)
- Warren Street Station on the Victoria and Northern lines (10 minutes walk)

Support
Travel grants
Our travel grants help physiologists attend conferences and workshops and provide invaluable opportunities for networking. Full Members can apply for up to £700, Affiliate Members can apply for up to £500 and up to £100 is available for Undergraduate Members. The travel grant deadline for this meeting is 30 April 2020.
Grants for carers
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.