Reflections on the EMBO Workshop: Neuroscience of Sleep 2025.

Abstract

The inaugural EMBO workshop on the neuroscience of sleep took place from 11th-13th March 2025 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, India, and marked a milestone for the global sleep research community. It overlapped with the 25th anniversary of the discovery of sleep in Drosophila, and the meeting celebrated the scientific advances in recognising sleep as a deeply conserved and biologically vital process. With around 85 participants from across the globe, the workshop brought together scientists to explore the biological, molecular, and computational dimensions of sleep across scales. The conference program included keynote lectures from the pioneers in sleep research, exciting new studies on sleep's role in regulating neural computation, metabolism, and plasticity, and reflected the increasing interest in the field for sleep studies in non-model organisms in natural settings. In addition to the science, the conference involved thoughtful talks and conversations around women in science, gender equity, and varied career paths, with many participants sharing their own experiences. The meeting being hosted in India allowed space for meaningful exchange, collaboration, and mentorship among researchers of the Global South. This Meeting Review captures an overview of the scientific discussions that made this event a success.