May 20, 2025 – Full day 8:00-20:00
Organizers: Canadian Association for Neuroscientists who study Glia (CANGlia) (website: CANGlia.ca) Steering committee: Maryam Faiz, Baptiste Lacoste, Natalina Salmaso & Marie-Eve Tremblay
Location: University of Toronto, Downtown campus
Over the last few decades, glial science has grown exponentially worldwide, with some remarkable glial scientists located in Canada. However, we often find ourselves in the position of being one of few, or even the only, glial researcher at our respective institutions. As such, we established a network called the Canadian Association of Neuroscientists who study Glia (CANGlia) to bring together Canadian glial researchers, from trainees to Principal Investigators, to highlight the diversity of our researchers, disseminate our newest findings, share leading-edge methodologies (e.g., glial specific-omics, human 3D culture models, and ultrastructural analyses), and encourage data sharing, networking, and teambuilding among research groups.
We held an inaugural event in May 2024 in Ottawa Canada, which featured the work of PIs and trainees from across Canada through a full day of talks and poster presentations. Our meeting featured work from a diverse group of scientists, including BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+ and a balanced group of female and male speakers. In addition to great science, we had poster prizes for trainees, choose your favourite glial cell pins, inclusive pins for various communities and allies and tote bags with glial swag (see photos included). This first event was a success with over 100 attendees, we conducted an anonymous survey, and attendees were excited for future events, and we received a great deal of feedback about how this network was much needed in Canada. In addition to our annual meeting, our trainees are organizing bimonthly seminars highlighting the work of trainees from across Canada.
Importantly, CANGlia values our trainees, our diversity, and we will strive to always create an inclusive environment to ensure that everyone is welcome. In the same way that we cannot understand central nervous system function, health, and disease without considering glia and neurons, we also strengthen our science by bringing together many voices from all walks of life.
Speakers
- Dr. Maiken Nedergaard (Invited; University of Rochester, Professor)
- Dr. John Lukens (Accepted; University of Virginia, Professor)
- Dr. Faith Brennan (Accepted; Queen’s University, Assistant Professor)
- Dr. Jessica Rosin (Accepted; University of British Columbia, Assistant Professor)
- Dr. Maria Ioannou (Invited; University of Alberta, Assistant Professor)
- Dr. Véronique Miron (Accepted; University of Toronto, Professor)
- Dr. Olamide Adebiyi (Invited; University of Saskatchewan, Assistant Professor)
- Dr. Naguib Mechawar (Accepted; McGill University, Professor)
- Technical advisor (Sponsor; Parse Bioscience: Technical Sales Manager)
