History of CANFLY

Over twenty years ago the then relatively small number of laboratories in Canada that used Drosophila as a model system got together at the Kananaskis Field Station for what was to be the first Canadian Drosophila Research Conference (“CANFLY”). The consensus that emerged was that getting together face-to-face every couple of years was a great idea. That meeting also set the tone for many subsequent CANFLY conferences, including CANFLY 2023, which allows mentors and trainees alike to discuss their research either in platform or poster presentations in an open forum. There are no keynote addresses or distinguished speakers; rather, faculty members volunteer to talk and trainees are selected for a set of slots reserved for them in the program. Of course, participants from outside of Canada are also welcome, whether or not they are Canadian citizens!

Over the past two decades, the number of labs in Canada that use Drosophila as their primary research focus has grown to more than 70, working on a variety of research areas from developmental and cell biology through neurobiology and behavior to evolution. Many labs now utilize not just genetics but genomics to address research questions, and many also use Drosophila to model a variety of human diseases. Despite being spread out from coast to coast, we come together every two years to share data and ideas in an informal, often beautiful, setting. This year we will meet in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Previous CANFLY Conferences: