Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

 
 
Program Overview
Date: Monday, 19/May/2025
11:00am
-
12:00pm
Executive Committee Meeting
12:00pm
-
1:00pm
Lunch
Location: Veranda
12:00pm
-
4:30pm
Trainee Workshop: Networking for Success in Science
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Kristin Scaplen

Join us for an opportunity to introduce yourself and your science and
network amongst your peers before the start of the meeting. In
“Networking for Success in Science”, trainees will have a chance to
practice their scientific elevator pitches during a two-minute lightning talk
followed by informal small group discussions to facilitate crossdisciplinary
interactions and open windows for potential collaborations.
End the workshop with an energetic round of speed mentoring where
you can cycle through multiple five-minute Q&A conversations with
established IBANGS members and mentors in the field.

5:00pm
-
6:00pm
Presidential Address: Professor Margaret McCarthy
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Megan Mulligan
 

Power Play: Enduring Impacts of Adolescent Social Behavior

Margaret McCarthy

University of Maryland

6:00pm
-
8:30pm
Welcome Reception
Location: Lagoon Lawn / Beach

Entertainment: Fire Dance Performance

Hors d'oeuvres & Refreshments

Date: Tuesday, 20/May/2025
8:00am
-
10:00am
Symposium 1: Weaving Together the Strands: Cross-Species Insights into the Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Early Adversity
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
Chair: Tracy Bale
 

Translational methods to capture PTSD-related phenotypes in humans with trauma and PTSD

Tanja Jovanovic

Wayne State University



Mechanisms linking early adversity experience with fear and sensory system programming

Tracy Bale

University of Colorado Anschutz



ADHD and the Hidden Complexity Behind Contrasting Environments

Diego Rovaris

University of São Paulo



Epigenetic Impact of Trauma and Cocaine Use Disorder: Evidence from a Human Cohort

Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira

Aarhus University

10:00am
-
10:30am
Tea/E-Poster Session 1
Location: Veranda
 

Operant set-shifting in mouse lines selectively bred for ethanol preference

Cheryl Reed

Oregon Health & Science University



Investigating the Role of Drosophila Dorsal Paired Medial (DPM) Neurons in Alcohol-Reward Memory.

Kristin Scalpen

Bryant University

10:30am
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11:30am
Keynote Address: Professor Barry Dickson
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Timothy Bredy
 

Wired for sex: How the mating instinct is programmed into a fly’s brain

Barry Dickson

Queensland Brain Institute

11:30am
-
12:00pm
Data Blitz 1
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: André Lucas Silva Borges
 

Effects of Chronic Unpredictable Stress on Dopamine: Stimulated Release, Half-life, and Auto receptor functioning in C57BL/6J and DBA2/J mice.

Melloni Cook

University of Memphis



Differential striatal gene expression profiles underlying the propensity for depressionlike behaviour in a mouse model of vertical sleeve

Renee Papaluca

University of Melbourne



A possible mechanism to link HTR1B genotype with the callous-unemotional phenotype.

Caroline Moul

University of Sydney



The role of context dependant cis-regulatory elements in disease: an intronic region of BDNF gene involved in the modulation of mood and anxiety.

Andrew Mcewan

University of Aberdeen



Effects of chronic ethanol exposure on proteolytic processing of the perineuronal net protein brevican and role for brevican in aversion-resistant ethanol consumption

Jonathas Almeida

Virginia Commonwealth University



Overexpression of OTX2 in Human Neural Cells Links Depression Risk Genes

Cathy Barr

Krembil Research Institute



Knockout of the Histone Chaperone Anp32e Alters H2A.Z Distribution, Gene Expression, and Adult Behavior

Sandra Youssef

University of Ottawa



Genetic Influences on the Metabolism of Orally Administered Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Mouse

Winona Booher

University of Colorado Boulder



Endocannabinoids system and alcohol effects across lifespan

Emmanuel Onaivi

William Paterson University

12:00pm
-
1:00pm
Lunch
Location: Veranda
1:00pm
-
3:00pm
Open
3:00pm
-
5:00pm
Symposium 2: RNA Modifications: Implications for Brain Function and Behavior
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Ina Anreiter
 

Epitranscriptomic regulation of feeding behaviour in Drosophila Melanogaster

Ina Anreiter

University of Toronto



Deciphering the roles of m6A and YTHDF proteins in synaptic function and plasticity

Mathieu Flamand

Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval



CircRNA-derived micropeptides at the synapse: a new mechanism of plasticity and memory?

Tim Bredy

University of Queensland



RNA modulation in brain disorders

Yanhong Shi

City of Hope

5:00pm
-
5:30pm
Tea/E-Poster Session 2
Location: Veranda
 

E-Poster: Differential striatal gene expression profiles underlying the propensity for depressionlike behaviour in a mouse model of vertical sleeve

Renee Papaluca

University of Melbourne



E-Poster: Endocannabinoids system and alcohol effects across lifespan

Emmanuel Ovaivi

William Paterson University

5:30pm
-
6:30pm
Selected Talks 1
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Andrew Mcewan
 

GWAS of Neuroimaging Derived Subtypes of Alcohol Use Disorder

Alexander Hatoum

Washington University School of Medicine



Genetic basis of paclitaxel-induced mechanical and cold hypersensitivity in a C57BL/6 reduced complexity cross

Will Lynch

Boston University



Phenomic Characterization of C. elegans orthologs of Parkinson’s Disease-Associated Genes

Catharine Rankin

University of British Columbia



A female-specific role for cortical Eph receptors in depression

Melissa Perreault

University of Guelph

6:30pm
-
7:00pm
Data Blitz 2
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Olivia Wiliams
 

The autism-linked gene ap2s1 modulates acoustically-evoked habituation learning and behavior selection by regulating excitatory drive on hindbrain command neurons

Roshan Jain

Haverford College



Immp2l gene knockdown in mice increases stimulus-driven instrumental behaviour but does not alter goal-directed learning in a model of Tourette syndrome and autism spectrum disorder

Teri Furlong

University of New South Wales



Do genetic predictors of poor mental health capture biological or environmental factors in humans?

Anna Dearman

University of Essex



Distinct prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles bidirectionally regulate heroin seeking

Jamie Peters

University of Alabama at Birmingham



A Novel Approach for Targeting Brain Long Non-Coding RNA to Influence Behaviour

Kelly Clemens

University of New South Wales



Effects of chemogenetic activation of hypothalamic oxytocin neurons on alcohol self-administration in male and female mice

Sam Gottlieb

Medical University of South Carolina



A Single-Cell Atlas of Gene Expression and Chromatin Accessibility in the Rat Nucleus Accumbens Reveals Molecular Signatures of Oxycodone Addiction

Francesca Telese

University of California San Diego



State-dependent properties of co-transmitting neurons

Lewis Sherer

Brown University



LAGS+ an LAGS- two new mouse models based on bidirectional genetic selection to identify death-induced genes in epilepsy

Benoit Martin

Université de Rennes INSERM



2. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) in rats: How reward value “drives the wheel”

Kaixin Huang

Monash Univesity

7:00pm
-
10:00pm
Dinner/Resort Restaurants
Location: Dinner Resort Restaurants
Date: Wednesday, 21/May/2025
8:00am
-
10:00am
Symposium 3: Mechanisms underlying individual variation in motivated behavior
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Karla Kaun
 

Inter-individual differences in Drosophila are shaped by sex, motivational states and physiology.

Galit Shohat-Ophir

Bar-Ilan University



Cross-species paradigm for understanding differences in punishment avoidance

Philip Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel

UNSW Sydney



Responding on a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement correlates with nucleus accumbens core dopamine transmission in a genetically diverse inbred mouse panel

J. David Jentsch

Binghamton University



Mechanisms for individual variation in alcohol self-administration in Drosophila

Karla Kaun

Brown University

10:00am
-
10:30am
Tea/E-Poster Session 3
Location: Veranda
 

E-Poster: Genetic Influences on the Metabolism of Orally Administered Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Mouse

Winona Booher

University of Colorado Boulder

10:30am
-
11:30am
Early Career Achievement Award Lecture: Caroline Ménard
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Kelly Clemens
11:30am
-
12:00pm
Data Blitz 3
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Sonali Reisinger
 

Acute and chronic psilocybin in mouse models of psychiatric disorders

Thibault Renoir

University of Melbourne



Toward an understanding of the therapeutically relevant mechanisms of psilocybin for treating anorexia nervosa

Claire Foldi

Monash University



CNS-wide engraftment of Human Monocytes, but not Microglia, induces a chronic proinflammatory state associated with demyelination, astrogliosis, synapse loss, and behavioral dysfunction

Hayk Davtyan

University of California Irvine



Specific regulation of extracellular matrix hyaluronan in distinct brain regions following spatial learning.

Karen Mifsud

University of Bristol



AKT2 modulates astrocytic nicotine responses in vivo

Charles Hoeffer

University of Colorado Boulder



Multiomic Quantification of Strain and Sex Differences in the Acute Behavioral Response to High-dose Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Megan Mulligan

University of Tennessee Health Science Center



Maternal immune activation and raloxifene treatment differentially alter neurotransmitter-related transcripts in the dorsal striatum of adult rats

Priscila Costa

Neuroscience Research Australia



Associations between genetic influences for distinct aspects of impulsivity and early substance use initiation in the ABCD Study

Ethan Kinstler

Washington University in Saint Louis

12:00pm
-
1:00pm
Lunch
Location: Veranda
1:00pm
-
3:00pm
Open
3:00pm
-
5:00pm
Symposium 4: Molecular Switches of Addiction: Unraveling the Role of RNA Splicing in Substance Use Disorders
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Amy Lasek
 

Functional consequences of alternative splicing in polysubstance use

Emily Petruccelli

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville



Chromatin-mediated alternative splicing in cocaine behavior

Elizabeth Heller

University of Pennsylvania



2. Molecular Mechanisms of Alcohol Withdrawal: The Emerging Role of the RNA-Binding Protein PCBP1

Luana Carvalho

Virginia Commonwealth University



Elevated intron retention implicates neuroinflammation in brains of individuals with alcohol use disorder

Yunlong Liu

Indiana University

5:00pm
-
5:30pm
Tea / E-poster Session 4
Location: Veranda
 

E-Poster: CNS-wide engraftment of Human Monocytes, but not Microglia, induces a chronic proinflammatory state associated with demyelination, astrogliosis, synapse loss, and behavioral dysfunction

Hayk Davtyan

University of California Irvine



E-Poster: AKT2 modulates astrocytic nicotine responses in vivo

Charles Hoeffer

University of Colorado Boulder

5:30pm
-
6:30pm
Selected Talks 2
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Renee Papaluca
 

Selective breeding and gut bacteria: enhanced active tameness in mice by administration of Limosilactobacillus reuteri

Tsuyoshi Koide

National Institute of Genetics



Seahorse vision: Regional retinal specialisations support small prey capture

Stephanie Heyworth

University of Queensland



The Role of Novel Histone Modifications in Sleep Regulation

Wanhe Li

Texas A&M University



Fut2 genotype alters ethanol consumption, conditioned place preference, and gut microbiota composition in mice

Amanda Barkley-Levenson

University of New Mexico

6:30pm
-
7:00pm
Data Blitz 4
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Jonathas Almeida
 

Developing a model to understand individuality in motivated response in Drosophila

John Hernandez

Brown University



Impact of Repeated Binge Alcohol Consumption on Nucleus Accumbens Splicing

David Linsenbardt

University of New Mexico



The Pedagogy of Neuroscience Research: Bridging Theory with Accessible Practice for Undergraduate Student Success

Colleen Dockstader

University of Toronto



Neonatal opioid withdrawal traits in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice: Implications for genetic mapping in BXD recombinant inbred strains

Camron Bryant

Northeastern University



Modelling cognitive and psychiatric behavioural traits in a mouse model of Neurofibromatosis type I

Sonali Reisinger

Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health



Phenotypic and Genotypic Relationships Among Addiction-Related Traits in Heterogeneous Stock Rats

Paul Meyer

University at Buffalo



Anxiety- and depression-like behavior in Slc39a8 deficient mice

André Lucas S. Borges

University of New Mexico



PKA instructs Drosophila Clock protein in regulating circadian transcription, mediating transcriptional synchrony in the circadian neuronal network.

Deniz Top

University of Alberta



Sex-specific differences in cortical gene expression, neuronal oscillatory function, and behaviour following prenatal valproic acid exposure

Olivia Williams

University of Guelph



Alcohol Conditioned Place Preference and Alcohol Consumption in Dpp6 Knockout Mice.

Maribel Hernández

University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

7:00pm
-
10:00pm
Dinner/Resort Restaurants
Location: Dinner Resort Restaurants
Date: Thursday, 22/May/2025
8:30am
-
9:30am
Distinguished Investigator Award Lecture: Professor Hee-Sup Shin
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Megan Mulligan
9:30am
-
10:00am
Tea / E-poster Session 5
Location: Veranda
 

Bergmann glia suppress Purkinje cell firing via interneurons

Sang Jeong Kim

Seoul National University College of Medicine



E-Poster Neonatal opioid withdrawal traits in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice: Implications for genetic mapping in BXD recombinant inbred strains

Camron Bryant

Northeastern University



E-Poster: Phenotypic and Genotypic Relationships Among Addiction-Related Traits in Heterogeneous Stock Rats

Paul Meyer

University at Buffalo

10:00am
-
12:00pm
Outstanding Travel Awardees
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Amy Lasek
 

rbfox1 loss of function in zebrafish leads to dysregulation in bdnf/trkb2 and pac1a expression resulting in HPI axis hyperactivation, altered stress response and allostatic overload

Adele Leggieri

Queen Mary University of London



Genetic and cellular sources of individual difference in goal-directed learning

Alanna Carey

Boston University



Assessing Migraine Intensity Using Machine Vision Empowered Ethology

Jacob Beierle

The Jackson Laboratory



High fat diet alters behavior and hippocampal gene expression in mice

Melissa Totten

Salem College

12:00pm
-
1:00pm
IBANGS Business Meeting/Lunch
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
1:00pm
-
3:00pm
Symposium 5: Moving the needle on eating disorders: novel neurogenetic and behavioral genetic insights
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Claire Foldi
Chair: Morgan H James
 

A biological basis for binge eating as 'self-medication'

Morgan James

Monash Univesity



Gut-brain mechanisms underlying disordered eating and mental health impacts of bariatric surgery

Robyn Brown

University of Melbourne



1. A genetic signature of resistance to activity-based anorexia in corticostriatal projection neurons

Kaixin Huang

Monash Univesity



Characterizing the Genetic Relationship between Binge Eating and Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders

Maia Choi

Rutgers University

3:00pm
-
3:30pm
Tea
Location: Veranda
3:30pm
-
5:00pm
Selected Talks 3
Location: Ratu Makutu Event Centre
Chair: Lewis Sherer
 

Intergenerational Effects Of Chronic Alcohol Exposure On The Mammalian Transcriptome

Sean Farris

University of Pittsburgh



The role of gut microbiota on inter-breeder differences of aggression in ICR male mice

Aki Takahashi

University of Tsukuba



Genetic mapping of tame behavior in a cross population of Japanese indigenous chickens

Tatsuhiko Goto

Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

6:00pm
-
8:00pm
Closing Banquet
Location: Lagoon/Beach

Entertainment: Meke Performance

Date: Friday, 23/May/2025
6:30am
-
10:00am
Breakfast & Checkout

 
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