Abstract
The 2024 Synaptic Transmission Gordon Conference will bring together international leaders and rising stars,
creating a diverse, inclusive, dynamic forum to communicate, contemplate and advance our understanding of
the most pressing and fascinating current topics in synapse biology. Synapses are the fundamental site of
communication between neurons. Synapses form, break, grow and shrink during development and throughout
life in response to changes in the external environment and changes to internal states. Diseases and disorders
ranging from Alzheimer’s and ALS to schizophrenia and intellectual disability are associated (primary cause or
secondary effects) with synaptic dysfunction and/or degeneration. Yet, the means by which disease directly
intersects with synaptic biology remains largely unknown. The long-term goals of the Synaptic Transmission
Gordon Research Conference (GRC) reflect these challenges. We aim to (1) to define the fundamental
molecular and cellular mechanisms that achieve synapse specification, connectivity and diversity, (2) to define
mechanisms responsible for synaptic plasticity on scales that range from milliseconds to hours and years, and
understand how these modalities are integrated during the complex neural computations underlying behavior
(3) to explore the interface of synapses and disease, with the goal of discovering novel therapeutic avenues to
treat a broad spectrum of neurological disease and psychiatric disorders.