Given the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, WCBR is implementing a mandatory vaccine and booster requirement for all in-person meeting attendees. Entrance to the Conference Center and all designated WCBR meeting spaces will be limited to registered scientific meeting attendees, staff, and guests. All attendees and guests must provide proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccination record and a minimum of (1) COVID-19 booster shot.

All WCBR registrants will be required to upload a photo of their COVID-19 vaccination card during registration. Those wishing to apply for a medical exemption authorized by their primary care provider may reach out to the WCBR Executive Office at info@winterbrain.org to request a medical exemption form.

During registration, attendees will also be asked to sign the WCBR Waiver and Release of Liability for Communicable Disease, acknowledging that they understand the risks involved with in-person meetings.

FINAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Consistent with the commitment of The Winter Conference on Brain Research (Winter Brain) to provide a safe and productive conference experience and comply with applicable laws and regulations and is based upon guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and public health authorities, as applicable, Winter Brain has adopted the following
vaccination policy.

All attendees and guests must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for at least 14 days prior to the first date of the conference. Winter Brain strongly recommends all attendees maximize their
protection by being up to date on their vaccines, which includes getting COVID-19 boosters when eligible.

All attendees and guests will be required to attest to their vaccination status and submit a waiver of liability and assumption of risk during registration process. All attendees and guests will be required to attest that they will test for COVID-19 and follow current CDC isolation and masking guidance if exhibiting any symptoms prior to the departure for the meeting or while attending the meeting. All attendees and guests will adhere to all safety and health protocols issued by Winter Brain or any  federal, state or local authorities in place at the time of the conference.
Masks are welcome but not required. Any attendee or guest that exhibits cold-like symptoms should wear a mask to help prevent the spread of communicable disease.

– Attestation of COVID Vaccination Status (Revised November 22, 2023)
– Winter Brain Waiver and Release of Liability for Communicable Disease (Revised November
22, 2023)
– Code of Conduct (Revised November 22, 2023)

The Winter Conference on Brain Research (WCBR) is dedicated to providing a safe, productive and discrimination-free experience for all participants during the Annual Meeting regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, perceived disability, ancestry, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, citizenship, past, current or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. WCBR does not tolerate discrimination or any form of harassment and is committed to enforcing this Code of Conduct Policy. CLICK HERE to continue reading WCBR’s Code of Conduct Policy.

A partial refund will be honored before December 28, 2023 less a $150 service fee. No standard refunds will be issued after December 28, 2023. Substitutions are allowed at any time. For cancellations regarding COVID-19 restrictions and limitations, please contact the Executive Office directly at info@winterbrain.org. 

Gina Poe, Ph.D.
Eleanor Leslie Professor of Innovative Brain Research at UCLA

Gina Poe is the Eleanor Leslie Professor of Innovative Brain Research at UCLA. Her laboratory resides in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology with joint appointments in the Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurobiology. Her internationally renown research investigates the role of sleep in memory consolidation, focusing on the different electrophysiological and neurochemical features characteristic of different states of consciousness and the actions of catecholamines, anesthesia, etc. on learning and unlearning. Her keynote, titled “Sleep to change your mind“, will explore the conditions of sleep-dependent neural plasticity necessary to update one’s cognitive schema. Updates are necessary during learning, when recovering from addiction or post-traumatic stress disorder, or any other condition when one changes one’s mind. She will later give a Brain Talk Town Hall engaging clinicians, basic scientists, and the public in discussion around the various functions of sleep, how sleep can go wrong in mental health disorders, and how sleep can be optimized.

Plenary: Sleep to change your mind

Brain Talk Town Hall: Optimal sleep for an optimal you