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Press Release
April 9, 2003

Genes, Brain and Behavior Symposium April 16

Prominent experts on genes, brain and behavior will discuss the impact of genomics on neuroscience in an all-day scientific symposium at the National Institutes of Health, April 16. Sponsored by seven NIH Institutes, the event is a satellite symposium of "50 Years of DNA: From Double Helix to Health," a month-long celebration of the genome, sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute. The symposium, "Genes, Brain, Behavior: Before and Beyond Genomics," will be held 8:30a.m.-5:45p.m., Wilson Hall, Bldg 1, 1 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland.

The sponsoring Institutes are:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Advances in molecular genetic techniques have transformed the way neuroscientists work. Molecular shortcuts to discovery, such as knockout mice, are now routinely used to solve problems that would have been considered daunting, if not unthinkable, just decades ago. The symposium will discuss how genes and model organisms are being manipulated to gain insights into nervous system functioning and complex behavior. It will also explore how knowledge about gene expression and function is contributing to the development of new therapeutic strategies for brain and behavioral disorders.

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NIMH, NIAAA, NIDA, NIA, NEI, NIDCD and NINDS are components of the NIH, the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Genes, Brain, Behavior: Before and Beyond Genomics

8:30a.m. - 8:45a.m.Welcoming Remarks
Moderator:		Francis Collins, NHGRI
James F. Battey, Jr. NIDCD
8:45a.m. - 10:15a.m.Genetics of Brain Development and Complex Behavior
*Post-Genomic Approaches to Identify Brain Wiring MechanismsMarc Tessier-Lavigne, Stanford University
*Learning and MemoryEric Kandel, Columbia University
10:15a.m.-10:30a.m.Break
10:30a.m.-11:15a.m.
*Neurobiology of Circadian Rhythms Joseph Takahashi, Northwestern University
11:15a.m.-12:00p.m.Genetics of Brain Disorders
*Parkinson Disease Robert Nussbaum, NHGRI
12:00p.m.- 1:00p.m.Lunch
1:00p.m. - 3:15p.m.Genetics of Brain Disorders (Cont'd)
*Drug Abuse Eric Nestler, University of Texas
*Alcoholism Howard Edenberg, Indiana University
*Alzheimer's Disease Rudolph Tanzi, Harvard University
3:15p.m.- 3:30p.mBreak
*Rett Syndrome and Autism Huda Zoghbi, Baylor College of Medicine
*Fragile X SyndromeStephen Warren, Emory University
*Pharmacogenomics Geoffrey Duyk, Exelixis Pharmaceuticals
5:45p.m.Adjourn
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The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the burden of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. More information is available at the NIMH website.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit the NIH website.