Mechanisms of Intellectual Disability: from genes to treatment
Roscoff (Brittany), France, October 3-7, 2012
Deadline for application: June 20, 2012
Chairperson: Maria Vincenza CATANIA
Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami N° 18
95126 Catania, Italy
Phone: + 39 095 7338111 /7338134 - Fax: + 39 095 7338110
Mail: m.catania@isn.cnr.it
Vice-Chairperson: Laurence COLLEAUX
Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, INSERM U781, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France
Phone: (33) 1 44 49 40 00 ext 97830 – Fax: (33) 1 44 49 51 50
Mail : laurence.colleaux@inserm.fr
Intellectual disability, also referred as Mental Retardation (ID/MR), is the most common developmental disorder, with a prevalence of 1-3%, and includes a highly diverse group of cognitive disorders. Gene defects account for about half of all patients and mutations have been identified in more than 400 genes, of which 97 are in the X chromosome. The rapid advancing in the knowledge of genes mutated or dysregulated in ID/MR and the application of new system and bio-informatics technologies to the field will bring to the identification of pathways common to different forms of ID. Unravelling these common pathways might be extremely important for the future cure of ID because drugs targeting similar pathways might be used for different form of ID, most of which are singularly rare and thus difficult to attract pharmaceutical research.
The conference represents the second edition of JMC dedicated to ID/MR and is based on the highly successful formula of the previous one which brought together geneticists involved in the search for MR genes and neuroscientists experts of structure and mechanisms of function of synapses. Other topics such as epigenetics, neurogenesis, role of interneurons and circuit formation, whose importance in the mechanisms of ID have recently emerged, will be covered in different sessions.
While the present conference is based on the consideration that exchanging information between geneticists and neuroscientists is useful for the advancement in the pathophysiology of ID/MR, a special emphasis will be given to the real possibility that a cure should follow their neurobiological understanding.
The conference will cover the following topics:
- Genetics and Epigenetics of cognition and intellectual disorders
- Cloning and characterization of genes
- RNA metabolism and ID
- Structures and plasticity of synapses and ID
- Neurogenesis and synaptogenesis
- Migration, interneurons and ID
- Neuronal circuit development and ID
- Towards a cure: lessons from animal models
Invited speakers
(provisional titles)
BARDONI Barbara (Nice, France)
Molecular pathways involved in Fragile X syndrome in developing and adult brain
BEN-ARI Yehezkel (Marseille, France)
Developmental disorders recapitulate ontogenesis: treating autism with a diuretic
BROCCOLI Vania (Milano, Italy)
The atypical Rett syndrome molecule CDKL5 is necessary for correct neuronal spine development and synapse formation
BUREAU Ingrid (Marseille, France)
Plasticity defects and learning in Fragile X mutant mice
CANCEDDA Laura (Genoa, Italy)
Non-hyperpolarizing GABA and cortical maldevelopment
CATANIA Maria Vincenza (Catania, Italia)
Role of mGluR in neuronal development: implication for an early treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders
CHELLY Jamel (Paris, France)
Neuronal migration disorders and Intellectual disability
COLLEAUX Laurence (Paris, France)
Unravelling the molecular and pathophysiological bases of autosomal recessive intellectual disability
FAGNI Laurent (Montpellier, France)
Modulation of excitatory synaptic transmission by glutamate receptor scaffolding proteins
FRANCIS Fiona (Paris, France)
Molecular, morphological and functional analysis of hippocampal lamination defects in the mouse
GECZ Josef (Adelaide, Australia)
mRNA surveillance and learning and memory
GRANT Seth (Cambridge, United Kingdom)
The evolution of cognition and the price of mutation
KIEBLER Michael (Vienna, Austria)
The role of RNA granules in dendritic mRNA localization
LALANDE Marc (Farmington, USA)
Application of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to imprinting disorders of human chromosome 15q11-q13
LLEDO Pierre-Marie (Paris, France)
The hipe and hope of adult neurogenesis and mental illness
MANSUY Isabelle (Zürich, Switzerland)
Epigenetics underpinning of cognitive and behavioral disorders: Modeling in animals
MARIN Oscar (Alicante, Spain)
Cortical interneuron development in health and disease
MICHAUD Jacques (Montreal, Canada)
Genetics of autosomic dominant forms of intellectual disability
MULLE Christophe (Bordeaux, France)
Impaired morphofunctional maturation of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses in mouse models of learning disability
PREAT Thomas (Paris, France)
Genetics of learning and memory and brain imaging in Drosophila
RAYMOND Lucy (Cambridge, United Kingdom)
Genetics approaches to identify genes that cause Intellectual Disability
SCHRATT Gerhard (Marburg, Germany)
The role of microRNAs in synapse development, plasticity and dysfunction
SILVA Alcino (Los Angeles, USA)
Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits associated with Rasopathies
SÜDHOF Thomas (Stanford, USA)
Neurexins and neuroligin: function and dysfunction
TRILLER Antoine (Paris, France)
Alterations of molecular dynamic in neurodegenerative synaptopathies
VAN AELST Linda (Cold Spring Harbor, USA)
The Rho-linked mental retardation protein Oligophrenin-1 controls synapse formation and plasticity
VAN BOKHOVEN Hans (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
Genetic and epigenetic networks in intellectual disabilities
Deadline for application: June 20, 2012
Registration fee (including board and lodging)
400 € for PhD students
550 € for other participants
Application for registration
The total number of participants is limited to 115 and all participants are expected to attend for the whole duration of the conference. Selection is made on the basis of the affinity of potential participants with the topics of the conference. Scientists and PhD Students interested in the meeting should send:
- their curriculum vitae
- the list of their main publications for the 3 last years
- the abstract of their presentation
to the Chairperson of the conference (m.catania@isn.cnr.it) before the deadline. After it, the chairman will select the participants. Except in some particular cases approved by the Chairperson, it is recommended that all selected participants present their work during the conference, either in poster form or by a brief in- session talk. The organizers choose the form in which the presentations are made. No payment will be sent with application. Information on how and when to pay will be mailed in due time to those selected.