The inaugural CephNeuro conference!

CephNeuro attendees gather for a group photo outside the historic Lillee building at the MBL.

This week the whole lab has been in Woods Hole, MA, for the inaugural Cephalopod Neuroscience Conference. Gabby and Diana presented talks, with Sarah and Kira presenting posters.

Crook Lab alumni Ryan Howard and Abbi Koenigsmark also presented their ongoing work as posters. The conference brought together over 200 researchers interested in neuroscience of cephalopods, and was a great success overall. We certainly had a fun, tiring and stimulating week interacting with cephalopod researchers new and old.

Diana presenting her work on the sucker ganglion connectome ©CrookLab

Gabby presenting her work on molecular mapping of the octopus arm nerve cord. ©CrookLab

We also attended some fantastic, hands-on workshops in the two days before the main conference began. Gabby spent her time learning about Crispr and other techniques for establishing genetic tools for cephalopods, Diana attended a workshop on calcium imaging and electrophysiology, and Sarah, Kira and Diana all also attended a workshop on analysis tools for behavioral, imaging and electrophysiology. Kira, Sarah and Robyn demonstrated handling and husbandry techniques to new cephalopod researchers in the Care, Handling and Welfare workshop. Lastly, Robyn presented the lab’s latest work on connectomics and molecular mapping in the octopus arms to a small group of PIs all working on the octopus nervous system. These intensive training activities allowed sharing of techniques and knowledge among the field, and helped forge connections among labs that we all hope will lead to greater collaboration and cooperation.

Overall it was a great experience that we look forward to making a regular event. Conference organizers are already mobilizing for a second CephNeuro conference in two years’ time. Stay tuned!