PROJECT SUMMARY Brain Barriers Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory March 28 - April 1, 2023 The proposed “Brain Barriers” meeting, to be held at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) from March 28- April 1, 2023, will assemble leaders in the fields of central nervous system (CNS) barriers, including the BBB and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, to present and discuss the latest scientific advances that will elucidate barrier function in health and disease. This application seeks support for the eighth meeting of a biennial series of CSHL meetings on this topic. Similar meetings in the field organized by other non-profit organizations have historically focused on more physiological or pharmacological aspects of the BBB. In contrast, this premiere scientific conference will emphasize modern, multi-tiered approaches spanning cellular, molecular, transcriptomic, proteomic, genetic, and imaging technologies to elucidate CNS barriers biology throughout life. CNS barrier topics to be discussed during the 2023 meeting include: (i) Emerging concepts and hot topics; (ii) Imaging approaches; (iii) Development, plasticity, and specialization; (iv) 3D and organoid CNS barrier models; (v) BBB-omics in health and disease; and (vi) Aging, senescence and neurodegeneration. Recent fundamental discoveries in CNS barriers including new knowledge regarding cell diversity and function in the human BBB, new advances in techniques to investigate barrier biology and the application of these new approaches to better understand BBB contribution to neurological diseases have set the stage for an unprecedented scientific discovery. As such, communication within the international research community is essential for fostering collaborations and fueling future advances in the field. Each session will be chaired by a pair of leading scientists at different career stages. Selected speakers will include 2-3 invited speakers as well as graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty selected from submitted abstracts. We have a strong emphasis on promoting junior investigators, including an entire session with platform presentations from selected young investigators and chaired by two junior faculty. One keynote lecture presented at the beginning of the meeting will provide an overview of the field and the critical background to stimulate discussion throughout the meeting. There will also be two poster sessions, one panel discussion on `Barriers to success for women and minorities in academia and industry: impact and solutions' followed by a workshop on “How to frame and write constructive and fair peer-review”. These sessions will provide support for the professional growth of all meeting attendees in particular women and minorities in STEM careers, and stimulate the scientific growth of all young scientists. Three poster prizes (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) will be presented as late breaking short talks in the final session. The meeting has grown steadily since its inception in 2008 with a much higher virtual attendance during the COVID19 pandemic. We anticipate a meeting of moderate size (200-250 in-person participants and 150-250 virtual participants), including a high proportion of students and postdoctoral fellows.

PROJECT NARRATIVE Brain Barriers Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory March 28 - April 1, 2023 The central nervous system (CNS) barriers regulate the transport of nutrients, toxins, immune cells, and antibodies originating from peripheral sources in order to provide a healthy brain environment. These barriers are located at the interface of CNS parenchyma with blood vessels [the blood-brain barrier (BBB)], blood and cerebrospinal fluid [the blood-CSF barrier]. Impaired function of CNS barriers is common to many neurological and psychiatric diseases, including brain trauma, stroke, cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders; conversely, an intact barrier provides a challenge to CNS drug delivery in many neuropathological settings. International scientists attending this conference will present and discuss the newest discoveries in CNS barrier development and maintenance and breakdown in disease, new models and techniques to study CNS barriers and cutting-edge strategies for delivering therapeutics into the brain.