Regulation and Development of the Prefrontal Cortex

University Of Rochester, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

In May, 2005 there will be a meeting consisting of a series of workshops focusing on "Regulation and Development of the Prefrontal Cortex: Basic and Clinical Perspectives". The conference will take place at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater, Florida. The Principal Investigator is Suzanne N. Haber, University of Rochester, and the co-organizers are: Barry Everitt, Stan Floresco, Anthony Grace, Ahmad Hariri, Ann Kelley, Jacqueline McGinty, Bita Moghaddam, Celeste Napier, Linda Porrino, Jeremy Seamans, and Daniel Weinberger, NIMH. This meeting will be dedicated to the memory of Pat Goldman-Rakic. To stimulate active, informal discussion, the meeting consists of a series of workshops and will be relatively small. In preparation for the meeting, we have chosen four workshop topics. Four focus groups have been created to develop the questions and issues for discussion in the workshops. The focus groups are comprised of a cross section of 5-6 scientists to include clinical and basic scientists, and a mixture of junior and senior scientists. These groups will also prepare an introductory summary that begins each workshop on a specific topic. Following each workshop there will be summary session for all of the participants. These will comprise a meeting summary to be published in Neuropsychopharmacology. The workshops will be an open forum, led by a facilitator, with a written summary by a scribe. Workshops will be devoted to active participation from all attendees, addressing new questions and directions that cut across the specific areas of expertise. This unique format, which was very successful at our last meeting, encourages free exchange of ideas. A specific emphasis is on recruiting young scientists to the field. Therefore each workshop will engage at least one young scientist in a leadership role, (as facilitator, scribe, or presenter).