2026 Cephalopod Neuroscience Gordon Research Conference - Project Summary Cephalopod neuroscience offers a unique perspective in comparative brain research. Similar to vertebrates, cephalopods have evolved large, complex brains, enabling remarkable sensory, motor, and cognitive abilities. They exhibit sophisticated behaviors such as independent control of eight flexible arms, dynamic skin patterning for camouflage, and advanced learning and decision-making capabilities. Understanding the cephalopod nervous system has the potential to uncover fundamental principles of brain organization and function across species. Despite their fascinating neurobiology, the mechanistic workings of cephalopod brains remain largely unexplored. However, recent technological advances have catalyzed rapid progress and an influx of new researchers into the field, leading to the establishment of the first Cephalopod Neuroscience Gordon Research Conference. This meeting will bring together scientists from diverse areas of cephalopod research, including genomics, neural development, systems neuroscience, computation, and tool development. Our key objectives are to: (1) foster knowledge exchange and highlight recent discoveries, (2) cultivate an engaged and collaborative research community, and (3) facilitate resource and technique sharing. A strong emphasis will be placed on supporting trainees to ensure broad participation, and provide a strong foundation for this new Gordon Conference in the future. By combining cutting-edge science with community-building efforts, this conference aims to accelerate advances in cephalopod neuroscience and provide insight into broad principles of brain function.
