Confirmed Symposia for our Annual Meeting in Fiji. May 19-22, 2025
Title
Moving the needle on eating disorders: novel neurogenetic and behavioral genetic insights.
Symposium Chairs
Claire Foldi, Monash University
Morgan James, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Speakers
Danielle Dick, Rutgers University
Robyn Brown, University of Melbourne
Kaixin (Catherine) Huang, Monash University
Morgan James, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Abstract
Eating disorders are highly prevalent and have alarmingly high mortality rates. Despite this, research into the etiology of eating disorders has been consistently underfunded worldwide. As a result, pharmacological treatment options for eating disorders remain extremely limited, with only a handful of repurposed drugs available to help manage these conditions. This symposium brings together an accomplished group of researchers from USA and Australia who, collectively, are attempting to ‘move the needle’ in terms of our understanding of the neurobiological basis of these conditions. Drawing on a combination of population genetics (GWAS), RNA sequencing, multi-omics, and behavioral approaches, our panelists will present entirely unpublished data at the cutting edge of eating disorder research. Importantly, our panel has a cross-species emphasis, with work carried out in human, mouse and rat. Our speakers include Danielle Dick, Ph.D.: Dr. Dick leads an international consortium that is applying multivariate genomic structural equation modeling to GWAS data from several million individuals to identify genes involved in impulsive and dysregulated behavior. Their analyses demonstrate that genes involved in self-regulation impact eating behaviors, obesity, and BMI, in addition to their more widely studied role in substance use disorders, providing new insights into the nature of genetic pathways that impact binge eating. Robyn Brown, Ph.D.: Dr. Brown will present proteomic evidence that binge-like eating alters pathways relating to glutamatergic synapses, oxidative stress and synaptic plasticity, specifically in dorsolateral striatum. She will also show that this region exhibits drastic changes in transcriptomic signatures of glutamate signaling following treatment with plasticity-modulating therapeutics. Kaixin (Catherine) Huang: Using a novel viral-based tagging technique with RNA sequencing, Ms Huang has revealed a genetic signature within a corticostriatal circuit that differentiates rats that are susceptible or resistant to weight loss in a model of anorexia nervosa. Her talk will focus on how these outcomes can contribute to the development of novel targets for treating anorexia nervosa. Morgan James, Ph.D.: Dr. James’ lab recently developed a behavioral model in rats that recapitulates the ‘self-soothing’ type of eating reported by persons with binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa. He will show that this type of eating is mediated by plasticity in hypothalamic-midbrain pathways. His talk will span mechanistic experiments (involving behavior, gene expression analysis, calcium imaging and circuit manipulations) through to the development of novel orexin-based therapeutics to manage overeating. Our panelists were intentionally selected to enhance speaker diversity. Our panel includes 3 women and 1 man, ranging in seniority from full Professor (Dick) to Assistant Professor (James, Brown), to graduate-level trainee (Huang). Our speakers are from a diverse range of public institutions, including medical schools and universities in the USA and Australia. Our work spans a variety of approaches (GWAS, RNAseq, behavior, multi-omics, calcium imaging, drug discovery) across multiple species (human, rat, mouse). Critically, this panel seeks to highlight the dire underrepresentation of research dedicated to eating disorders, which are known to disproportionately affect women.
Title
Mechanisms underlying individual variation in motivated behavior
Symposium Chairs
Karla Kaun, Brown University and Andrew Holmes, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Speakers
Philip Jean-Richard Dit Bressel, University of New South Wales
Andrew Holmes, NIAAA
Karla Kaun, Brown University
Galit Shohat-Ophir, Bar-Ilan University
Abstract
Background and importance of the question: Understanding the mechanisms underlying individual variation in motivated behavior is crucial for advancing our knowledge of how behavior is regulated and influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Such insights can lead to the development of personalized interventions for various mental health disorders, where motivation plays a key role. Additionally, this understanding contributes to our broader understanding of evolutionary processes, as motivated behavior is often linked to survival and reproductive success. Our goal is to provide four distinct but convergent perspectives that showcase multiple levels of analysis, from genes to circuits to brains to behavior, to provide unique insights into the mechanisms underlying motivated behaviors. Speakers: Chairs are Andrew Holmes (2024 IBANGS Distinguished Investigator) and Karla Kaun (2023-24 IBANGS President) and will introduce and give talks. Other speakers include Galit-Shohat Ophir and Philip Bressel. Speakers represent diverse regions (Australia, Israel, USA), professional levels (from new to senior PI), and gender identities (2m, 2f). Speaker 1: Philip Jean-Richard Dit Bressel will talk about findings from a novel cross-species paradigm that gives insight into psychological variables driving differences in learned avoidance and its transcriptional correlates. Avoidance of negative consequences is bimodally distributed across individuals and these differences were driven by failures in Action-Punisher learning, indicating an overlooked source of punishment insensitivity. Speaker 2: Andrew Holmes will present novel data from a computer vision-based system - coupled with artificial intelligence classification of behavioral features – that chronically measures spontaneous homecage behavior in inbred mice and successfully predicts individual differences in alcohol-drinking and conditioned fear. The presentation will relate these findings to variation in these same behavioral measures in genetically complex (Diversity Outbred) mouse populations. Speaker 3: Karla Kaun will describe how a simple dopamine-acetylcholine circuit in the Drosophila mushroom body mediates individual variation in operant alcohol vapor self-administration. Despite genetic homogeneity, the transcriptional profiles in these circuits differ significantly between high- and low-administrating animals, revealing dynamic epigenetic regulation driving motivation to administer alcohol. Speaker 4: Galit Shohat-Ophir will present a conceptual framework to study the interplay between social conditions and personality in Drosophila. Analysis of inter-individual differences between male and female flies subjected to different social conditions reveals the existence of 4 continuous personality dimensions that distinguish individuals across the behavioral space and are sensitive to state-dependent neuropeptidergic signaling. Relevance to IBANGS Genes, Brains & Behavior meeting: This symposium brings together a group of scientists representing a diversity of gender-identity, career-stage and geography. The presentations will provide the audience with new insights obtained from a breadth of organisms (humans, rats, mice, flies) and experimental approaches (behavior, circuit analysis, genetics, transcriptomics). Taken together, the presentations will bring together complementary perspectives coalescing around the highly topical, but still poorly understood issue of the genetic, neural and behavioral mechanisms which underlie individual differences in disease-relevant motivated behaviors.
Title
RNA Modifications: Implications for Brain Function and Behavior
Symposium Chair
Ina Anreiter, University of Toronto
Speakers
Timothy Bredy, University of Queensland
Yanhong Shi, City of Hope
Mathieu Flamand, Université Laval
Ina Anreiter, University of Toronto
Abstract
Overview modifications have emerged as key regulators of gene expression, affecting translation, RNA stability and subcellular localization. In recent years, one of the most common RNA modifications, N6-methyladenosine (m6A), has been shown to influence brain development, cognitive functions, and behavior. This symposium will bring together established researchers and early career faculty to discuss the role of m6A to explore the cutting-edge discoveries regarding RNA modifications and their impact on neurological function, synaptic plasticity, learning, memory, and brain disorders. The speakers will present diverse perspectives and approaches in a variety of animal systems (mice, Drosophila) and humans. Speakers and Presentations:1.Dr. Timothy Bredy (Queensland Brain Institute)Title: The qualitative state of regulatory RNA determines its influence on plasticity and memory. Timothy Bredy open the symposium by discussing how the RNA modification m6A regulates memory formation and synaptic plasticity. His team has discovered that learning-induced m6A modifications, including those on the long noncoding RNA Malat1, are integral to the formation of fear-extinction memory. Dr. Bredy will showcase how m6A readers in the synaptic compartment influence experience-dependent learning processes, focusing on the role of these modifications in shaping RNA functionality during memory consolidation. His findings expand the understanding of how RNA modifications drive synaptic changes critical for learning and behavior.2.Dr. Yanhong Shi (Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope)Title: RNA Modifications in Brain Disorders: Decoding the Functional Impact on Disease Mechanisms. Yanhong Shi presentation will discuss the growing understanding of RNA modifications in brain disorders such as neurological diseases and glioblastoma. Her presentation will explore how dysregulated RNA modifications contribute to the pathogenesis of these conditions. Dr. Shi's research provides key insights into how RNA modifications, parallel to DNA and protein modifications, regulate biological functions in the nervous system in the context of brain disorders.3. Dr. Mathieu Flamand (Université Laval) Title: Deciphering the roles of m6A and YTHDF proteins in synaptic function and plasticity. Mathieu Flamand will present his research on the role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in mRNA localization and synaptic plasticity. His work demonstrates that m6A contributes to the transport and localization of select mRNAs in neurons, specifically in dendrites and axons. Using advanced techniques such as proximity labeling, Dr. Flamand’s team is mapping protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions in synapses, aiming to elucidate how disruptions in these interactions lead to cognitive impairments and neurodegenerative diseases. His research represents a major step toward understanding the molecular mechanisms behind synaptic plasticity and memory formation.4.Dr. Ina Anreiter (University of Toronto)Title: Epitranscriptomic regulation of feeding behavior in Drosophila melanogaster Ina Anreiter will conclude the symposium by discussing her work using Drosophila as a model organism to explore the role of RNA modifications, specifically m6A, in brain development and behavior. Her research uncovers sex-specific roles for mRNA modifications in regulating developmental and behavioral phenotypes, including stress response and food choice. Dr. Anreiter’s findings highlight the conserved nature of epitranscriptomic marks across species and their potential to modulate complex behaviors, providing new insights into how RNA modifications contribute to sex-specific brain functions and disease susceptibility. Objective: To foster a deeper understanding of RNA modifications as pivotal regulators of neuronal gene expression, and to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration to translate these discoveries into a better understanding of brain function, behavior, and brain disorders. This symposium also promises to advance the field of neuroepitranscriptomics, providing attendees with cutting-edge insights and tools to study RNA modifications in the context of brain health and disease.
Title
Molecular Switches of Addiction: Unraveling the Role of RNA Splicing in Substance Use Disorders
Symposium Chairs
Amy Lasek and Luana Carvalho, Virginia Commonwealth University
Speakers
Emily Petruccelli, Southern Illinois University
Elizabeth Heller, The University of Pennsylvania
Luana Carvalho, Virginia Commonwealth University
Yunlong Liu, Indiana University
Abstract
This symposium explores the role of alternative splicing in addiction, emphasizing its impact on neural function, memory, and behavior. RNA splicing is a dynamic process that generates transcript and proteomic diversity, which substance use often disrupts. Studies reveal that substances like alcohol and cocaine can alter splicing patterns, affecting neuronal function and behavior across species. This session brings together researchers investigating RNA splicing regulation in substance use across multiple models, linking molecular mechanisms with addiction vulnerability and behavioral outcomes. The symposium will be chaired by Dr. Luana Carvalho and Dr. Amy Lasek, who will introduce the speakers and lead the discussion. Dr. Carvalho will also serve as a speaker, alongside Dr. Emily Petruccelli, Dr. Elizabeth Heller, and Dr. Yunlong Liu. The speakers represent diverse regions, professional levels, and cultural identities, enriching the perspectives presented. Dr. Emily Petruccelli is an Associate Professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where she uses Drosophila melanogaster to study how chronic, repeated alcohol treatment impacts the neural transcriptome and addiction-like behaviors. She will discuss collaborative work conducted with Dr. Karla Kaun which defines how alcohol exposure triggers alternative splicing in the Drosophila mushroom body. The work discussed will focus on the functional consequences of alternative splicing of Dop2R and Stat92E on generalized psychostimulant sensitivity. This work underscores the conservation of alcohol- and drug-induced RNA splicing changes from flies to humans, suggesting a fundamental pathway through which addictive substances affect memory circuits and shape behavior. Dr. Elizabeth Heller extends the study of RNA splicing to cocaine use, focusing on the interplay between epigenetic modifications and alternative splicing in mice. Her talk will highlight how the histone modification H3K36me3 and its writer enzyme, SETD2, regulate splicing within cocaine reward pathways. Through advanced techniques like CRISPR-based epigenetic editing, Dr. Heller manipulates H3K36me3 and SETD2 to test their roles in driving splicing at specific exons, revealing a novel epigenetic layer in the regulation of addiction-related splicing. Luana Carvalho will present findings on alcohol withdrawal’s impact on alternative splicing in the rat hippocampus, focusing on the RNA-binding protein PCBP1. Using RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing, she discovered that PCBP1-associated transcripts are enriched in neurodegeneration and axonal guidance pathways, suggesting that PCBP1 mediates splicing changes linked to neuronal loss and dysfunction. Her work proposes a new mechanism by which alcohol withdrawal affects brain function and behavior. To establish the translational relevance of these findings, Dr. Yunlong Liu will conclude the symposium with insights from post-mortem human brain tissue. Combining GWAS and multiomics, Dr. Liu investigates how alternative splicing patterns contribute to genetic vulnerability and responses to chronic alcohol exposure in alcohol use disorder (AUD). His findings illuminate how transcriptomic alterations may predispose individuals to AUD, linking molecular changes to behavioral and genetic susceptibility.
Title
Weaving Together the Strands: Cross-Species Insights into the Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Early Adversity
Symposium Chairs
Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira, Aarhus University and Tracy L. Bale, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Speakers
Tanja Jovanovic, Wayne State University
Diego Rovaris, University of São Paulo
Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira, Aarhus University
Tracy L. Bale, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Abstract
This symposium will explore the intersection of epigenetic and genetic mechanisms in the context of early adversity, integrating insights from humans, mice and rats. The aim is to deepen our understanding of how prenatal and postnatal environmental factors, such as trauma and substance exposure, interact with genome and epigenome to shape behavioral outcomes. Through four complementary talks, this session will provide a multidisciplinary and cross-species perspective on the biological underpinnings of early life stress and brain development, with a focus on the translation of preclinical findings to human conditions. Tracy L. Bale, PhD (USA) will present her work on the sensory connections with trauma and PTSD using a preclinical mouse model. Her research utilizes chemogenetic activation of neuronal-like Merkel cells in the skin to trace the activation pathways through the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) to the somatosensory cortex, and further to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). This approach elucidates the relationship between these pathways and alterations in fear conditioning and stress reactivity. Tanja Jovanovic, PhD (USA) will follow with a presentation that expands on Dr. Bale’s findings by examining human data on trauma and PTSD. Her talk will focus on findings related to the 17q21 gene cluster, derived from studies on human primary keratinocytes and trauma-exposed adults, highlighting the use of translational methods to capture PTSD-related phenotypes, such as fear-potentiated startle. She will discuss the relevance of these findings for understanding the biological basis of stress reactivity and the potential for identifying biomarkers that predict vulnerability to stress-related disorders. Diego Rovaris, PhD (Brazil) will offer insights into the genetic and early adversities interplay in the study of ADHD in Brazil, a country characterized by significant social disparities and genetic diversity. His talk will discuss how admixture populations complicate the nature versus nurture dichotomy. Dr. Rovaris will present recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from 2,000 individuals and epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) data from 1,000 individuals, providing a comprehensive overview of the genetic and epigenetic landscape associated with ADHD and early adversity in a highly diverse population. Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira, MD, PhD (Denmark) will close the session by discussing the interplay between prenatal and postnatal adversities in the context of cocaine use disorder. Our research highlights how prenatal cocaine exposure leads to detectable epigenetic alterations at birth both in humans and rats, including changes in epigenetic age and neurotrophic factor levels. Complementing this, data from a large cohort of adults with cocaine use disorder who reported high levels of childhood trauma reveal distinct epigenetic markers associated with early adversity. By presenting evidence from both prenatal and postnatal periods, this discussion will shed light on how early life adversities shape the epigenetic landscape and influence the development of cocaine use disorder. Together, these talks will provide a comprehensive cross-species overview of the complex interplay between genetics, epigenetics, and early environmental factors in shaping behavioral outcomes, offering valuable insights for advancing the field of behavioral and neurodevelopmental epigenetics.
