Project Encephalon

If we can make computers play chess and even Jeopardy and Go, then why can't we make them see like us? How does our brain solve the problem of seeing? I will describe some of our recent insights into understanding object recognition in the brain using behavioral, neuronal and computational methods.

Environmental insults alter brain function and behaviour inboth rodents and people. One putative underlying mechanism that has receivedsubstantial attention recently is the gut microbiota, the ecosystem ofsymbiotic microorganisms that populate the intestinal tract, which is known toplay a role in brain health and function via the gut-brain axis. Two keyenvironmental insults known to affect both brain function and behaviour, andthe gut microbiome, are poor diet and psychological stress. While there isstrong evidence for interactions between the microbiome and host physiology inthe context of chronic stress, little is known about the role of the microbiomein the host response to acute stress. Determining the underlying mechanisms bywhich stress may provoke functional changes in the gut and brain is criticalfor developing therapeutics to alleviate adverse consequences of traumaticstress.

Dr. Gupta is carrying out his post doctoral studies in the Buter Laboratory in UCLA. He is applying his his knowledge of embryology to stem cells for developing regenerative therapies to treat spinal cord injuries. In this talk, he will discuss how understanding the logic for spinal cord development led us to derive diverse sensory neuronal classes from embryonic stem cells. The spinal sensory neurons enableus to perceive our environment through modalities that are lost in spinal injury patients. These ESC derived senory neurons can help regain sensation in spina cord injury patients through regenerative therapies.

Dr. Aixa V. Morales has been working for more than 20 years in the field of Developmental Biology and from 2005, she is the PI of the laboratory on “Molecular Control of Neurogenesis” at Cajal Institute. Along these years, she has contributed to understanding the control of neurogenesis during development, the dorsoventral specification of neural progenitors, and the temporal control of the migration of neural crest cells. More recently, her lab interest moved towards understanding modulation of adult neurogenesis. Her lab current interest is the control of quiescence, as a mechanism of long-term neural stem cell maintenance in adult niches.

Claude Desplan is a Silver Professor of Biology and Neuroscience at NYU. He was born in Algeria and was trained at Ecole Normale Supérieure St. Cloud, France. He received his DSc at INSERM in Paris in 1983 and joined Pat O’Farrell at UCSF as a postdoc. There he demonstrated that the homeodomain, a conserved signature of many developmental genes, is a DNA binding motif. Currently, Dr. Desplan works at NYU where he investigates the generation of neural diversity using the Drosophila visual system.

Dr. Stowers obtained her PhD at Harvard University and remained there to undertake the study of olfactory-mediated behavior with Catherine Dulac. During this time she completed experiments identifying vomeronasal organ neurons as sensors for mouse pheromones. In 2002 she began independent work at The Scripps Research Institute where she remains today. Her lab is leveraging the olfactory system to identify and study the information code that underlies emotion-linked innate behavior. She has been a Pew Scholar and a Senior Scholar in Neuroscience from the Ellison Medical Foundation.

Dr. Sean O'Donnell is a Professor of Biodiversity Earth & Environmental Science at Drexel University, USA. His neuroscience research focuses on how brain structure plasticity & evolution are affected by social behavior, mainly using insects as models. He is also interested in tropical ecology & thermal physiology. He conducts field research & teaches field courses in Central & South America, as well as in the Negev Desert in Israel.

Nicole Rust is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research investigates how the brain gives rise to the mind and to behavior, with an emphasis on memory. Much of her work lies at the nexus of real and artificial intelligence, as well as experiment and theory.

This panel discussion aims to generate meaningful dialogue between emerging leaders in basic and clinical neuroscience. It promises to talk about the ground realities and what acts as a hindrance in people to people connection in the field. It aims to advocate for policy change that will revolutionize the field of neuroscience, allowing neuroscientists to collaborate with clinicians wherein the new research can be made available for public use

Dr. Carmen Sandi leads the laboratory of Behavioral Genetis in EPFL, Lausanne. Her lab investigates the impact and mechanism whereby stress and anxiety affect brain and behavior in an integrative program involvong studies in rodents and humans. She is the founder and co-president of Swiss Stress Network, co-director of Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research Synapsy. She is Chair of the ALBA Network, and pas-President of Cajal Advanced Neuroscience Training Program and the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies.

Through Ask SAC sessions we aim to bridge the gap between our Scientific Advisory Committe and our budding neuroscientists! After completing her Masters in Neuroscience from the University of Manchester, UK and a professional stint at Pfizer, Ritwika joined Reservoir to make a difference in neurology. She develops creative strategies to assist the neurodiverse community and facilitate better healt support functions. Join us, to ask her anything and everything related to a career in neuroscience!

What are the things that draw us to a particular field of science and what is it that keeps us there? For Dr. Bahia, there was a particular attraction to sensory nerves; the monitors of the worlds inside and outside of our bodies. In this talk, Dr. Bahia will outline her career path as a neuroscientist resulting in the title of Research Associate. She will also talk about the longest project she has participated in, 'exploring the role of ion channels in sensory nerves' (rupress.org/jgp/article/147/6/451/43495/The-exceptionally-high-reactivity-of-Cys-621-is)