Cell biology: Cytoskeleton, Organelles and Trafficking
These presentations will focus on membranous and non-membranous organelles, structural and regulatory components of the cytoskeleton and their interactions in maintaining cellular homeostasis or supporting developmental changes.
- autophagy
- biomolecular condensates
- cell junctions and adhesion
- cell migration
- cell polarity
- cellular organelles
- cellular remodeling
- centriole
- cytoskeleton
- endocytosis
- endoplasmic reticulum
- endosomes
- extracellular matrix
- golgi
- intracellular forces
- intracellular transport
- live imaging
- lysosomes
- membrane dynamics
- mitochondria
- nuclear pore complex
- nucleus
- Peroxisomes
- Phase separation
- secretion
- small GTPases
- other
Cell Division and Cell Growth
These presentations will focus on the metabolic and developmental control of the cell cycle and the cell biology of cell divisions.
- autophagy
- cell competition
- cell cycle control
- cell growth
- centrosome
- checkpoint
- compensatory proliferation
- cytokinesis
- developmental modulation
- DNA repair
- DNA replication
- endocycle / endoreplication
- gene amplification
- hippo signaling
- homeostasis
- Insulin signaling
- kinase / phosphatase / cyclin
- kinetochores and cohesion
- meiosis
- mitosis
- organelle maintenance & replication
- polyploidy
- regeneration
- ring canals
- spindles and motors
- tissue growth
- TOR signaling
- transcriptional regulation
- tumor suppressors and oncogenes
- other
Cell Stress and Cell Death
Stressed cells engage diverse response pathways, among them hypoxia or oxidative stress responses, autophagy, the unfolded proteins response, or programmed cell death pathways, including apoptosis. Presentations under this topic will focus on the roles these pathways play in development, aging and pathophysiology.
- apoptosis
- apoptosis-induced proliferation
- autophagy
- caspases
- death mutants / genes
- inhibitors of apoptosis (iaps)
- JNK signaling
- necrosis
- unfolded protein response
- other forms of cell death
- other
Chromatin, Epigenetics and Genomics
These presentations will focus on mechanisms that influence chromatin organization and histone modifications, and how they influence transcription on a local and/or genome-wide scale.
- chromatin assembly
- chromatin structure
- DNA replication
- dosage compensation
- heterochromatin
- histone variants and modifications
- insulators / boundary elements
- nuclear organization
- nuclear pore complex
- pairing / transvection
- polycomb / trithorax complexes
- remodeling complexes
- telomeres
- other
Evolution
Presentations under this topic will focus on evolution and development and/or population genetics.
- adaptation
- bioinformatic and genome tools
- canalization/robustness
- chromosome structural variation
- computational models
- evo-devo
- evolution of gene expression
- genome evolution
- genome-wide association studies
- genotype to phenotype
- genotype-by-environment interaction
- meiotic drive
- other organisms
- phylogenetics
- physiology
- population variation
- quantitative traits
- selection
- speciation
- systems biology
- other
Immunity and the Microbiome
These presentations will focus on the role of the innate immune system in response to encounters with microbes and to internal insults. Beyond the microbiome’s interactions with the immune system, we will also discuss its possible effects on metabolism, pathogenesis, neurobiology, ecology, evolution, and aging.
- anti-microbial peptides
- cellular immunity
- fat body
- hemocytes
- host-pathogen interactions
- humoral immunity
- infection
- innate immunity
- JAK-STAT signaling
- microbial metabolites
- microbiome
- NF-kB signaling
- stem cells
- Wolbachia
- other
Initiatives in Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
These presentations will focus on sharing concrete ideas and strategies to strengthen the genetics research community through inclusive teaching, mentoring, and outreach practices.
- classroom undergraduate research experience
- college / university curriculum
- DEI at the graduate student level
- DEI at the postdoc level
- DEI in faculty hiring and promotion
- DEI in the classroom
- ethics
- funding initiatives for DEI work
- genomics education partnerships
- K-12 curriculum
- vision and change
- other
Models of Human Disease
These presentations will focus on Drosophila models of human diseases including neurodegeneration, neurological disorders, and developmental and physiological disorders
- cardiovascular disease
- cell biology of disease
- circadian rhythms and sleep
- developmental disorders
- diabetes
- drug discovery
- epilepsy
- genetic modifiers of disease
- inflammation
- metabolic disorders
- metastasis
- models of Autism Spectrum Disorder
- muscle disorders
- neural degeneration
- neural disorder
- obesity
- regeneration
- renal disease
- sterility / infertility
- stress
- trinucleotide repeat expansion
- tumorigenesis
- other
Neural Circuits and Behavior
These presentations will focus on the anatomical and functional examination of neuronal circuits, their synaptic connections, and the behaviors they control.
- aggression
- chemosensation
- circadian rhythms and sleep
- circuits
- courtship and mating
- feeding behavior
- grooming behavior
- gustation
- hormones
- ion channels
- learning / memory
- locomotion / flight
- mechanosensation
- neuropeptides
- neurotransmitters
- olfaction
- social behavior
- synaptic function and organization
- vision
- other
Neural Development and Physiology
These presentations will focus on neuronal diversity, axon guidance and connectivity in development and the mechanisms by which neurons maintain their functions, including circadian rhythms and sleep.
- axon guidance
- CNS
- dendrites
- glia
- hormones / hormonal control
- ion channels
- neuroblasts / synaptogenesis
- neuromuscular junction
- neuronal morphogenesis
- neuronal specification
- neuropeptides
- neurotransmitters
- PNS
- RNA binding proteins
- RNA transport and localization
- sensory cell development
- sex-specific traits
- stem cells
- other
Patterning, Morphogenesis and Organogenesis
These presentations will focus on classic themes in developmental biology and modern experimental approaches to address them.
- axis specification
- biomechanical forces
- cell migration
- cell-cell interactions
- commitment
- compartments and boundaries
- computational models
- convergent extension
- ectodermal derivatives
- endodermal derivatives
- epidermis
- epithelial sheets
- eye disc
- gonads
- gut
- homeotics
- leg disc
- live imaging
- mesodermal derivatives
- metamorphosis
- morphogens
- muscle
- other imaginal discs
- post-embryonic tissue or organ remodeling
- segmentation
- tissue growth and remodeling
- tissue specification
- wing disc
- other
Physiology, Metabolism and Aging
These presentations will focus on the functions of different organ systems and their communications and roles in regulating metabolism and aging.
- autophagy
- circadian rhythms and sleep
- dietary restriction / fasting
- ecdysone
- endocrine function / hormonal control
- homeostasis
- insulin signaling / insulin-like peptides
- juvenile hormone
- lifespan
- lipids and metabolites in signaling
- metabolism
- mitochondria
- nutrient sensing
- nutrition
- oxidative damage
- physiology of adult organs
- post-embryonic tissue or organ remodeling
- proteostasis
- regeneration
- sex-specific traits
- stress responses
- TOR signaling
- other
Regulation of Gene Expression
These presentations will cover different mechanisms regulating gene expression including transcription, RNA biology, translation, posttranslational modifications, and technological progress in analyzing these mechanisms in complex organisms.
- activators / coactivators
- alternative splicing
- canalization / robustness
- cis-regulatory logic
- computational models
- core promoters and general transcription factors
- DNA methylation
- enhancers
- epigenetics
- lncRNAs
- miRNA
- networks
- non-coding RNAs
- nuclear pore complex
- pattern formation
- piRNA
- posttranslational modifications
- repressors / corepressors
- RNA binding proteins
- RNA transport and localization
- siRNA / RNAi
- stability / turnover
- transcription initiation / elongation / termination
- translational regulation
- other
Reproduction and Gametogenesis
These presentations will cover oogenesis, spermatogenesis and other aspects of reproductive biology.
- Balbiani body
- cell differentiation
- cell migration
- cyst cells
- follicle cells
- fusome
- gonads
- live imaging
- meiosis
- non-coding RNAs
- nuage
- oogenesis
- pre-gametogenic germ cell development
- primordial germ cells
- ring canals
- RNA binding proteins
- RNA transport and localization
- sex determination
- sex-specific traits and molecules
- somatic cell differentiation
- spermatogenesis
- stem cells
- other
Stem Cells, Regeneration, and Tissue Injury
Presentations under this topic will focus on the properties of stem cells and the niches they live in, and models for examining regeneration and response to tissue injury.
- asymmetric cell division
- clonal analysis
- computational modeling
- cyst stem cell
- follicle stem cell
- germline stem cell
- hematopoietic stem cells
- homeostasis
- injury
- intestinal stem cells
- intrinsic factors
- live imaging
- muscle stem cells and adult muscle precursors
- neural stem cells
- neutral competition
- niche and other local signaling
- population asymmetry
- regeneration
- systemic factors
- other
Techniques and Technology
Highlights of novel methods and technological improvements will be the emphasis of these presentations.
- bioinformatics
- computational algorithms and modeling
- CRISPR/Cas9
- gene targeting and modification
- high-throughput phenotyping
- live imaging
- microscopy
- molecular interactions
- mutational screens
- next-generation sequencing
- proteomics
- recombination systems
- RNAi
- single-cell sequencing
- small compounds / drug screening
- Spatial transcriptomics
- webtools and databases
- other
