Chronobiology in Latin America: XIII Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology

I am glad to announce this special issue of Sleep Science that is dedicated to presented papers at XIII Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology (XIII Simpósio Latino Americano de Cronobiologia). The Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology (LASC) is a biennial international scientific meeting in which projects are presented and discussed, involving students and researchers from Latin America and other parts of the world. We discuss the development of new technologies adapted to the study of biological rhythmicity in our region as well as the use of local animal models with rhythmic characteristics of adaptation to our environment. The meetings are designed to attract Latin American chronobiologists as well as specialists from North America and Europe, ensuring interaction with our students at all levels of academic life. Intensive courses on chronobiology for undergraduates are usually offered before the symposia. In the beginning a small group, having just finished our PhDs, started discussing chronobiology and developing research projects at the Universidade de São Paulo in the late 1970's – we came from a varied background, neuroscience, biochemistry and zoology, and the novelty of the area attracted our attention. Studying the logics of change in biological systems seemed a promising field, a turning point from the almost exclusive spatial or structural way of thinking in our fields. We have organized summer courses at graduate level first in São Paulo and then in other capitals throughout the country – the success of such activities encouraged us to organize the first edition of the Brazilian Symposium on Chronobiology in 1991. The Brazilian Symposia have since been held every two (even) years, alternating with the LASC. These national symposia have the role of a preparation for the international LASC which happens in the following year. The beginnings of the 90's in Latin America were a rich moment in history when regional integration became both a possibility and a necessity. During the preceding decades we had all experienced severe restrictions of liberty causing much harm to universities throughout Latin America. Thus, in 1991 we organized the first edition of the LASCs, with a few but enthusiastic participants from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Thus, the thirteen editions of our meetings were: I LASC 1991 Itatiaia, Brazil; II LASC 1993 Mexico; III LASC 1995 São Sebastião, Brazil; IV LASC 1997 Tlaxcala, Mexico; V LASC 1999 B. Aires, Argentina; VI LASC 2001 Natal, Brazil; VII LASC 2003 Tlaxcala, Mexico; VIII LASC 2005 Los Cocos, Argentina,; IX LASC 2007 La Habana, Cuba; X LASC 2009 Natal, Brazil; XI LASC 2011 Puebla, Mexico; XII LASC 2013 Mendoza, Argentina; XIII LASC 2015 Bragança Paulista, Brazil. In this edition we had 120 attendees from several countries as BR, AR, MX, UY, CO, US, CA, ES, and CZ. In spite of the strict limitations of a low budget, we had a lively and productive meeting. Collaborations were designed and suggestions for the improvement of projects were discussed. In 2015, due to the economic crisis, Brazilian agencies were not able to offer sufficient funds to ensure student participation as we generally do. Fortunately for this edition we had support from the National Science Foundation which made possible the participation of several researchers from US and Canada. We are going to learn both about basic mechanisms and applications of chronobiology, sometimes without borders between them – would that be an example of the science we need? Interaction is highly recommended, language barriers should be regarded as a challenge to us all. The choice of English perhaps synthetizes our wish to share knowledge – “Portuñol” does not seem to be a good solution, or is it? The final activity of the LASCs is a forum during which we evaluate the meeting and discuss the location of the next edition, when we decided to hold the XIV LASC in 2017 in Chile, probably in Valparaiso, dates and other details to be defined by the local organizers. Contact for the XIV LASC: Prof. John Ewer (john.ewer@ uv.cl). While we are all looking forward for the next symposium, the Sleep Science readers are invited to check some presented papers at the XIII LASC in this issue. Enjoy your reading!.