Your browser does not support or is disabling JavaScript.

stamp
MENU
 

India|EMBO Lecture Course

Neuroethology: How the brain controls natural behaviours

07 – 11 December 2025 | Pune, India

  • Registration Deadline
  • 31 July 2025
  • Abstract Submission Deadline
  • 31 July 2025
  • Chosen Participants Will Be Notified By
  • 31 August 2025
  • Payment Deadline
  • 30 October 2025

Apply now!

Use #EMBOneuroethology

Download calendar invitation

About the India-EMBO Lecture Course

Neuroethology, the study of the neural mechanisms underlying natural behaviours, has faced challenges due to the complexity of behaviours, limitations in genetic manipulation, and recording constraints in freely moving animals.

However, recent advances in machine learning, viral gene delivery and CRISPR/Cas9 based genetic editing tools, and wireless neural recordings have the potential to revolutionise this field. Machine learning tools like DeepLabCut and SLEAP enable precise quantification of animal posture, facilitating the study of complex behaviours. Viral gene delivery and CRISPR/Cas9 have unlocked genetic manipulation in previously intractable species. Additionally, wireless recording with silicon probes has enabled neural recordings in diverse species like goldfish and bats, even across large environments. This meeting will unite scientists studying varied species and provide graduate students and postdocs with valuable exposure to neuroethological models, fostering growth and collaboration in this exciting field.

Image credits: Kizhakoot Devika Babu, Vinay Subramanyam Rajan and, Anusha Subramanyam Rajan


About EMBO Courses and Workshops

EMBO Courses and Workshops are selected for their excellent scientific quality and timelines, provision of good networking activities for all participants and speaker gender diversity (at least 40% of speakers must be from the underrepresented gender).

Organisers are encouraged to implement measures to make the meeting environmentally more sustainable.

 

Speakers

 

Programme

 

Registration

  • Registration Deadline
  • 31 July 2025
  • Abstract Submission Deadline
  • 31 July 2025
  • Chosen Participants Will Be Notified By
  • 31 August 2025
  • Payment Deadline
  • 30 October 2025

 

  • STUDENT/POSTDOCS Rs. 8000/
    EUR 300
  • ACADEMIC Rs. 11000/
    EUR 400
  • INDUSTRY Rs. 15000/
    EUR 700

Registration includes:

  • Registration material

  • Accommodation

  • Breakfast (from Day 2), lunch, dinner and snacks

  • Excursion

Does not include travel to and from the conference.

Payment

Cancellation policy

Full registration fees excluding bank transactions will be refunded upto: 30 October 2025
After 30 October 2025, 50% of the registration fees will be refunded up to: 30 November 2025

Selection criteria

Abstract will be evaluated by a committee comprised of organizers and members from the course organizer's labs.

Selection will also be based on relevance of the conference topic to the area of research of the applicant, career stage (preference will be given for later stage of PhD).

Abstract guidelines

Please provide the title, authors name, affiliation, and email of the presenting author.
Abstract should be < 300 words. It should clearly explain the background, research question, methods used, results and the implications.

Poster specifications

Poster boards are 5 feet height and 4 feet width.

Travel grants and registration fee waivers

Travel grants and registration fee waivers are available for participants.

Selection of awardees is handled directly by the organizers. EMBO travel grants and registration fee waivers are allocated on the basis of the quality of the submitted abstract.

Applicants do not need to apply separately for these but should indicate on the registration form if they wish to be considered.

Additional travel grants are available for EMBC Associate Member States Chile, India, Singapore and Taiwan.

Child care grants

EMBO Courses and Workshops offers grants to offset additional childcare costs incurred by participants or speakers when participating at any EMBO Courses and Workshop funded meeting. Eligible costs include fees for a caregiver or child-care facility, travel costs for a caregiver, or travel costs for taking the child to the meeting etc. Please indicate on the registration form whether you would like to be considered for the grant. Please also describe how you intend to use the childcare grant and specify the sum that you will need.

Sustainability measures at the meeting

  1. A discount on registration fees will be provided to participants traveling by train.
  2. Catering will include vegetarian days, locally sourced ingredients.
  3. Single-use wares will be avoided.
  4. A water dispenser will be present for participants to fill/refill water bottles. Bottled water will be avoided.
  5. All participants will be accomodated on campus. Accommodation is within walking distance of lecture/poster venue and dining halls. Abstract books and programs will be shared in electronic form only.

Accessibility grants

EMBO offers accessibility grants to support participants at EMBO Courses & Workshops with any access needs. These grants cover up to 500 euros for any additional costs e.g. to adapt the conference environment, or to be accompanied by someone to assist them where necessary.

Participants with access needs may apply for a grant via the registration system of the related EMBO event, or by emailing the organizers of the related EMBO event directly.


Code of conduct

Anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy

At EMBO, we believe that harassment and discriminatory behaviour are unacceptable in any setting.

Media and communications policy

Recording or communication of the presented data needs to be agreed upon by all concerned.

EMBO's code of conduct is applicable for all participants of this EMBO meeting and can be found here.

 

Contact

Raghav Rajan
Email: raghav.rajan@gmail.com
+91 20 25908168

Queries can also be emailed to rajan.neuroethology.lab@gmail.com

 

 

Venue

Lecture Hall Complex
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)
Dr Homi Bhabha Road
Ward No. 8
NCL Colony
Pashan, Pune
Maharashtra 411008
India

Accommodation

Accomodation for all participants will be provided within the campus. Students and post-doc will be given shared accommodation either in IISER Pune guest house or in hostel (depends on availability). Faculty will be given single room in IISER Pune guest house.

Transport

IISER Pune is located in between Pashan and Baner areas, in the north-western part of Pune city. It is about three kilometers from Pune University circle. If you take Baner road from Pune University circle, you will reach the Baner Gate of IISER Pune on your left, after about 3 km (between ITI Road junction and Someshwar Wadi junction). On the Pashan side, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) is a known landmark very close to IISER. Going from Pune University towards Pashan, the Pashan Gate of IISER Pune is located about 200 metres from NCL gate, on the same side of the road.

Pune Municipal Transport buses halt at Baner Road opposite to Baner Gate and at the Panchavati bus stop located just opposite to the Pashan gate. We would advise that if you are coming by autorickshaw or taxi, please get the vehicle inside the campus as it can be a fairly long walk from the gate with luggage.

Note: Autorickshaws charge a higher rate at night.

To reach Lecture Hall Complex (which also houses Sir C. V. Raman Auditorium) IISER Pune, we recommend that you enter the campus via Baner Gate.

From the airport

By taxi / autorickshaw, IISER Pune is about 18 km from the airport. An autorickshaw will cost around Rs. 200 to 250 while a taxi will be around Rs. 350.

From the railway station

IISER Pune is about 10 km from Pune main railway station and an autorickshaw will cost between Rs. 100 to 150.
From Shivajinagar, the distance to IISER Pune is about 6 km and an autorickshaw will cost about Rs. 75.

If you are coming by PMPML bus, please alight at the Panchavati bus stop (for Pashan gate) or at Someshwar Wadi stop (for Baner gate).

Pune from Mumbai

From the Mumbai airport, take a taxi to Pune (Coolcabs for example). One can also go to the Mumbai CST station and take a train to Pune. Tickets may be booked in advance - please visit the Indian Railways site.

One can also travel from Dadar or Borivali by a Volvo bus to Pune. This can cost between Rs. 350 to 550.

About the Area

IISER Pune is well within the city. You can visit following places:

At walking distances (about half an hour of walking)

  • Panchawati hill trail starts within a kilometer from the Pashan gate. Its a nice place for watch sunrise and sunset. The wilderness is home to larger variety of birds.
  • Westend Mall (Aundh) is a nice place for shopping, food and books (Crossword).
  • Baner and Sarja road is know for cafes and ice-cream parlour

Within 10 kilometers

  • Fergusson College road (FC road) a good place for pocket friendly shopping (clothing and accessories). It is also a hangout place for youth with large number of restaurants and street food serving large variety of cuisines.
  • Shaniwar Wada is a popular monument. It was once home to Pashwas lies in the heart of Pune city. It is close to Lal Mahal where Shivaji I ‘the founder of the Maratha empire’ spent his childhood
  • Aga Khan Palace is the site where Mahatma Gandhi was put on house arrest following the launch of the Quit India movement. It has now been converted into a tourist attraction.
  • Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum house a fine collection of various sculptures, gold, silver and ivory ornaments, musical instruments, war weapons and vessels.

Over 10 kilometers

  • Sinhagad Fort
  • Lonavala
  • Mahabaleshwar
  • GMRT
  • Devkund and Tamhini Ghat
EMBO Reports