Preliminary Program

Historical overview of research on the cholinergic system, foundational discoveries, cutting edge advances in the past 5 years.

3 talks (15-min talk + 5-min Q&A) · Nicotinic & muscarinic structure and signaling (state landscapes, bias, downstream cascades) · Anatomical & circuit mapping (cell-type tracing, mesoscale maps connecting structure to function) · Cross-species conservation (what’s conserved vs. specialized and why it matters) Panel Discussion (15-min)

3 talks (15-min talk + 5-min Q&A) · Real-time ACh sensing (GRABACh & next-gen biosensors; in vivo calibration/validation) · Optogenetic stimulation of cholinergic circuits (projection/cell-type specificity; closed-loop use) · Chemogenetic modulation (DREADDs & beyond) (specificity, dosing windows, off-target controls) Panel (15-min)

3 talks (20-min talk) · Functional models & perturbation (e.g., VAChT cfKO; causal links to behaviour) · Synaptic plasticity I: mechanisms (cholinergic control of LTP/LTD; circuit-level mechanisms in vivo) · Synaptic plasticity II: learning & memory (attention, consolidation, task performance) Panel Discussion (15-min)

Poster presenters available from 4:45 - 5:30 p.m.