Conference: 3rd Optogenetic Technologies and Applications Conference

The 3rd Optogenetic Technologies and Applications Conference will have an expanded range of topics and will emphasize burgeoning areas of research such as optogenetics in neuroscience, optogenetics in medicine and optogenetics in biotechnology. The broader range of topics will allow the conference to host scientists and engineers with diverse backgrounds. The conference will also allow students and early career professionals to share their work and learn about new advances in a rapidly growing field. Additionally, the conference will promote the continuous growth of members of the optogenetic research community, encouraging discussions among normally separated scientists and engineers and encouraging collaborations, which are critical for the development of new optogenetic technologies and applications for biotechnology and medicine. Optogenetics is an emerging technique that allows researchers to use light in order to control living cells that have been modified to be light sensitive. Optogenetics has a myriad of applications in fields such as healthcare, energy, and chemical manufacturing. Because of rapid advancements in optogenetics and its substantial potential for medical and biotechnology applications, the 3rd Optogenetic Technologies and Applications Conference showcases novel and cutting-edge research being conducted in the field of optogenetics. The Conference touches on a broad range of topics including advances in fundamental science, applications in cell signaling and epigenetics, and applications to a number of fields including neuroscience, cardiology, control of metabolism, and drug delivery. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.