Each year the Neuroscience Institute hosts a research day consisting of lectures and poster presentations from labs all over the state. The event includes a nationally recognized keynote speaker as well as six presentations from MUSC's own scientists and/or physicians. The lectures provide the latest information on cutting-edge basic brain and behavioral science relating to the chosen theme. This allows our physicians to apply the latest research available to the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. This allows physicians to apply the most up-to-date research available for the diagnosis and treatment of their paitients. The 13th Frontiers in Neuroscience Research Day was held on March 30, 2012 at the Seabrook Island Club. Dr. Gary Aston-Jones, Director of the Neuroscience Institute, welcomed 150 researchers, clinicians, educators, and students. In his opening remarks, Dr. Aston-Jones gave a financial update, the past progress and the future direction of the Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Richard Palmiter, from the University of Washington, gave the keynote address titled "Genetic Approaches for Studying the Roles of Dopamine and Glutamate Signaling in the Basas Ganglia". Dr. Palmiter is Professor of Biochemistry and AAdjunct Professor of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and among his many honors, he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Palmiter is a leading expert in transgenic and knockout strategies to understand neurotransmitter signaling and behavioral functions. Local speakers included DeAnna Adkins, PhD, Craig Crosson, PhD, Kumar Sambamurti, PhD, Vanessa Hinson, MD, PhD, Stefanie Kuchinsky, PhD, and Joseph Helpern, PhD, asll from MUSC. Each gave a presentation in their area of expertise, and focused on their current medical research. Questions were address at the end of each session. A highlight of the conference was the afternoon posteer session, when everyone got a chance to examin and discuss the 40 research posters developed by professors, residents, postdoctoral fellows, and students. The posters elicited some great conversations, and were highly competitive for poster prizes awarded each year. First prize went to Joseph Taylor, MD/PhD Student and Graduate Assistant at MUSC. Second prizes were co-awarded to Jennifer Kaufling, Postdoctoral Scholar and Joshua Swearingen, Graduate Student, also from MUSC. |
- Describe how dopamine-deficient mice are generated and the advantages of studying this model, identify the learning capabilities of dopamine-deficient mice, describe the viral rescue strategy and how it can be used to dissect where in the brain dopamine signaling is important for specific behaviors, describe how glutamate signaling onto dopamine neurons affects behavior and where glutamate signaling is important for learning a Pavlovian task.
- Identify and discuss how rehabilitative training after stroke and TBI can drive recovery of function after stroke and TBI, how rehabilitative training can enhance brain plasticity after stroke and TBI and assess how rehabilitative training’s effectiveness can be enhanced and how it can differ from what is seen following stroke versus following TBI.
- Describe how protein acetylation is modulated in cells, discuss whether retinal protein acetylation is altered in retinal degeneration models and list the molecular and cellular responses that underlie the neuroprotective actions to HDAC inhibition
- Identify the basics of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), discuss how diffusion MRI can be applied to the study of brain tissue microstructure and describe how an understanding of brain tissue microstructure can help better understand neurological diseases.
- Discuss the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, the dopamine refractory motor symptoms of Parkinson’s and angles for new therapeutics in Parkinson’s beyond the dopamine replacement strategy.
- Discuss the peripheral and central auditory system changes that occur with aging and hearing loss and list the behavioral and neurobiological changes that can occur with speech training intervention for hearing loss.
- Discuss the roles of amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease, evaluate reasons for failure of semagacestat and discuss novel treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s disease. |
