Meeting Organizers

Keith Choe, University of Florida
Eric Guisbert, Florida Institute of Technology
Sandy Westerheide, University of South Florida
​Melissa Borgen, Florida Institute of Technology
​Karen Kim Guisbert, Florida Institute of Technology

Keynote Speaker 2023

The keynote speaker for the 2023 Florida Worm Meeting is Dr. Kevin Collins!  Dr. Collins runs the Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behavior at the University of Miami.

"Our fundamental goal is to understand how neurons communicate in circuits to establish an appropriate level of activity that produces a robust, stable behavior. Our approach is to analyze in detail a model neural circuit that controls egg-laying behavior in the nematode C. elegans. We are taking advantage of the optical clarity and powerful genetics in this experimental system to literally watch the activity of every cell in the circuit in behaving animals using fluorescent Ca2+ reporters, and also to manipulate their activity using optogenetic tools. Using mutations and transgenes to discover and alter molecular signaling events between cells, we are determining how the complex pattern of activity in a circuit creates a coherent, regulated behavior. The neural circuit we study uses conserved, medically relevant neurotransmitters, including serotonin and acetylcholine, and we expect these studies will reveal general principles of neurotransmitter signaling and neural circuit function with applications to understanding the human nervous system and its dysfunction in disease." - U. Miami website

sponsors

Many thanks to our sponsors for their support.  Due to their generosity, the registration for the meeting this year is FREE!
​
    Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology
    The Company of Biologists
​    Nanostring
    Tango Technologies
 
We are looking for additional sponsors.  

contact us

Questions, comments or concerns?
Contact Eric Guisbert at eguisbert at fit.edu