Neuronal communication is essential for every movement, sensation and thought in motile animals, and the axonal extensions of neurons provide all long-range communication to, from, and within the brain and spinal cord. Axons extend distances ranging from hundreds of microns to more than a meter in humans, lengths that both require specialized mechanisms for formation and maintenance, and increase the risk of degeneration and dysfunction upon injury or disease. 

     Thus, diverse communities of basic researchers and clinicians must address problems rooted in axonal cell biology, but to date there is no meeting that serves as a central venue for this field. Axon biology meetings in the past have focused on specific sub-topics such as axon guidance, trophic factors, or neurodegeneration. 

     This meeting will bring together the multiple disciplines required for accelerating progress in the field of axonal biology and pathology, providing a unique venue to bring together basic research on molecular and cellular biology of axons with clinical needs and industry interest. The conference will cover a broad spectrum of the latest developments in molecular and cellular axonal research, from development and maintenance, through to survival and repair, in both the central and pe**heral nervous systems. 

    Additional topics and late-breaking developments will be incorporated via talks selected from abstracts, specifically encouraging participation of junior researchers and those new to the field. The multidisciplinary theme and shared focus will facilitate communication across the entire continuum from basic to clinical neuroscience.