UK DRI at Cambridge Programme Leader Emmanouil Metzakopian is on the organising committee for this event.
Development of the dopaminergic system – from stem cells to circuits
The mammalian brain is anatomically and functionally complex, and susceptible to diverse forms of neuropathology. A fundamental goal of developmental neuroscience is to understand the molecular, cellular and activity-based mechanisms that control the formation and maintenance of neural circuits. This knowledge is fundamental to better understand how these mechanisms become compromised in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative/psychiatric disorders.
In recent years, the development and function of dopamine neurons has come under intense focus, driven by the ambition of generating dopaminergic neurons for cell replacement strategy in Parkinson’s disease (PD). To deepen our understanding of dopamine biology in the healthy brain and to develop strategies to ameliorate disease states, it is essential to bring together neurodevelopmental research, approaches to dissect complex neuronal networks, and advanced pluripotent stem cell technologies.
The 2019 conference “Development of the dopaminergic system-from stem cells to circuits” will feature an exciting and diverse scientific programme focused on recent advances and future directions in fundamental and applied developmental neuroscience centred on the midbrain dopaminergic system. We look forward to you joining us in this interesting and informative meeting and help us form a growing network of interactions and collaborations aiming at pushing the boundaries of research in the field of dopaminergic development.
