Recent PNB graduate, Brenda Milla, was featured in UConn Magazine for her post-doctoral research on breathing in sleep as well as the trajectory that got her to where she is today.
UConn Today: “Unusual Expertise Brings Coveted Autism Award to UConn”
Cleyton Sobrinho was featured in UConn Today for his recent Bridge to Independence Award from The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI).
UConn Today: “Winged Wonders: Why the tiny fruit fly is mighty in scientific value”
Stella Cho and the Jianjun Sun lab were featured in UConn Today for their work and insight into the value of the fruit fly as a model organism for reproduction and genetics.
UConn Today: “Six Students Receive Research Awards this Summer in the Sartor Lab”
Kaya Patel, a participant in the UConn PNB Research Experience for Undergraduates program was featured in UConn Today for her summer work in the Sartor Lab.
UConn Today: “Neurobiologists Reveal a Secret of Ondine’s Curse”
Jaseph Soto Perez’ recent publication was featured in UConn Today for contributing to understanding how Phox2b neurons are involved in respiratory control in the brainstem.
Dr. Alexander Jackson was awarded the Fall 2024 Scholarship Facilitation Fund Award from the Office of the Vice President for Research for the 2024 Neuroscience at Storrs Symposium.
UConn Today: “Ten Students Earn Awards From Gilman Foundation”
Manogna Reddy is a Physiology and Neurobiology student and Gilman Scholar who will participate in neuroscience research this summer in Salamanca Spain.
Two PNB faculty members were awarded UConn AAUP 2024 Excellence Awards. John Redden was awarded the Teaching Innovation award. Randall Walikonis was awarded the Service Excellence award.
UConn Magazine: “The Anatomy of a Fruit Fly (Class)“
Dr’s Geoffrey Tanner and Jeffrey Divino and PNB graduate student, Kate Gavilanes were featured in UConn Magazine for their Molecular Physiology in Drosophila Models course.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Translational Neuroimmunology Research Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurological Diseases, Department of Neurology
Ovulation is critical for sexual reproduction and consists of the process of liberating fertilizable oocytes from their somatic follicle capsules, also known as follicle rupture. The mechanical force for oocyte expulsion is largely unknown in many species. Our previous work demonstrated that Drosophila ovulation, as in mammals, requires the proteolytic degradation of the posterior follicle […]
Stella E Cho, Wei Li, Andrew M Beard, Jonathan A Jackson, Risa Kiernan, Kazunori Hoshino, Adam C Martin, Jianjun Sun
Myelinating oligodendrocytes arise from the stepwise differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Approximately 5% of all adult brain cells are OPCs. Why would a mature brain need such a large number of OPCs? New myelination is possibly required for higher-order functions such as cognition and learning. Additionally, this pool of OPCs represents a source of […]
Zeynep M Altunay, Joyshree Biswas, Hiu W Cheung, Robert S Pijewski, Lucille E Papile, Yetunde O Akinlaja, Andrew Tang, Lyndsay C Kresic, Alexander D Schouw, Maksym V Ugrak, Keaven Caro, Perla A Peña Palomino, Susanne Ressl, Akiko Nishiyama, Stephen J Crocker, David C Martinelli
Synaptic communication is an important process in the central nervous system that allows for the rapid and spatially specified transfer of signals. Neurons receive various synaptic inputs and generate action potentials required for information transfer, and these inputs can be excitatory or inhibitory, which collectively determines the output. Non-neuronal cells (glial cells) have been identified […]
The molecular organization of cells and tissue is challenging to study due to the inefficiency of multiplexed molecular labeling methods and the limited options for combining microscopy modalities in a single specimen, especially when high spatial resolution is needed. Here we describe ultraplex microscopy, which combines serial multiplexing, ultrathin sectioning, and reversible embedding to circumvent […]
Pain is the primary clinical indication of osteoarthritis (OA), and behavioral assessments in rodent pain models are widely used to understand pain patterns. These preclinical pain assessments can also help us to understand the effectiveness of emerging therapeutics for prolonged OA pain management. Along with evoked methods like mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, non-evoked methods […]
Devika Kishnan, Erick Orozco Morato, Aydin Calsetta, Kyle M Baumbauer, Lakshmi S Nair
Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common causes of Parkinson's disease (PD) to date. Dysfunction in LRRK2 enzymatic activities and elevated protein levels are associated with the disease. How is LRRK2 activated, and what downstream molecular and cellular processes does LRRK2 regulate? Addressing these questions is crucial to decipher the disease […]
Congenital post-infectious hydrocephalus (PIH) is a condition characterized by enlargement of the ventricular system, consequently imposing a burden on the associated stem cell niche, the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ). To investigate how the V-SVZ adapts in PIH, we developed a mouse model of influenza virus-induced PIH based on direct intracerebroventricular injection of mouse-adapted influenza virus at […]
Julianna Herman, Nicole Rittenhouse, Francesca Mandino, Mushirah Majid, Yuxiang Wang, Amelia Mezger, Aidan Kump, Sumeet Kadian, Evelyn M R Lake, Paulo H Verardi, Joanne C Conover
CONCLUSION: The rate of hearing loss in Jordan is higher than worldwide prevalence, which was assumed to be due to genetic factors impacting the auditory system. These findings will assist in creating effective hearing conservation programs to reasonably prevent or minimize the spread of hearing loss in Jordan.
Safa Alqudah, Margaret Zuriekat, Saja Hassan, Heba Mahafdeh, Zainab Alqudah, Aya Shatarah, Ghufran Smadi
Background noise disrupts the neural processing of sound, resulting in delayed and diminished far-field auditory-evoked responses. In young adults, we previously provided evidence that cognitively based short-term auditory training can ameliorate the impact of background noise on the frequency-following response (FFR), leading to greater neural synchrony to the speech fundamental frequency(F0) in noisy listening conditions. […]
Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) is essential for both elaboration and maintenance of CNS myelin, and its reduced accumulation results in hypomyelination. How different Mbp mRNA levels affect myelin dimensions across the lifespan and how resident glial cells may respond to such changes are unknown. Here, to investigate these questions, we used enhancer-edited mouse lines that […]
Hooman Bagheri, Hana Friedman, Amanda Hadwen, Celia Jarweh, Ellis Cooper, Lawrence Oprea, Claire Guerrier, Anmar Khadra, Armand Collin, Julien Cohen-Adad, Amanda Young, Gerardo Mendez Victoriano, Matthew Swire, Andrew Jarjour, Marie E Bechler, Rachel S Pryce, Pierre Chaurand, Lise Cougnaud, Dajana Vuckovic, Elliott Wilion, Owen Greene, Akiko Nishiyama, Anouk Benmamar-Badel, Trevor Owens, Vladimir Grouza, Marius Tuznik, Hanwen Liu, David A Rudko, Jinyi Zhang, Katherine A Siminovitch, Alan C Peterson
In various applications, such as computer vision, medical imaging and robotics, three-dimensional (3D) image registration is a significant step. It enables the alignment of various datasets into a single coordinate system, consequently providing a consistent perspective that allows further analysis. By precisely aligning images we can compare, analyze, and combine data collected in different situations. […]
It remains unexplored in the field of fear memory whether functional neuronal connectivity between two brain areas is necessary for one sex but not the other. Here, we show that chemogenetic silencing of centromedial (CeM)-Tac2 fibers in the lateral posterior BNST (BNSTpl) decreased fear memory consolidation in male mice but not females. Optogenetic excitation of […]
Antonio Florido, Eric R Velasco, Leire R Romero, Neha Acharya, Ignacio J Marin Blasco, Jaime F Nabás, Laura Perez-Caballero, Guadalupe Rivero, Estíbaliz Olabarrieta, Amaia Nuñez-delMoral, Jose A González-Parra, Daniel Porta-Casteràs, Marta Cano, Trevor Steward, Monica S Antony, Narcís Cardoner, Rafael Torrubia, Alexander C Jackson, Miquel A Fullana, Raül Andero
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, proteomic profiling of skin lesions carried out as a discovery phase study revealed a multitude of probable immunological and pathological mechanisms operating in patients with CL in Sri Lanka, which needs to be further elaborated using more in-depth and targeted investigations. Further research exploring the intricate interplay between ER stress and CL […]
Nuwani H Manamperi, Nimesha Madhushani Edirisinghe, Harshima Wijesinghe, Lakmali Pathiraja, Nishantha Pathirana, Vishmi Samudika Wanasinghe, Chamalka Gimhani De Silva, W Abeyewickreme, Nadira D Karunaweera
Classification of introns, which is crucial to understanding their evolution and splicing, has historically been binary and has resulted in the naming of major and minor introns that are spliced by their namesake spliceosome. However, a broad range of intron consensus sequences exist, leading us to here reclassify introns as minor, minor-like, hybrid, major-like, major […]
Anouk M Olthof, Charles F Schwoerer, Kaitlin N Girardini, Audrey L Weber, Karen Doggett, Stephen Mieruszynski, Joan K Heath, Timothy E Moore, Jakob Biran, Rahul N Kanadia
Recent Grants
Natale Sciolino received a NARSAD Young Investigator grant from the Brain and Behavioral Research Foundation for her project, Norepinephrine circuits underlying obesity-induced negative affect.
Cleyton Sobrinho received an award from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Bridge to Independence for his project, Disordered breating in autism: screen for central and peripheral nervous system involvement and therapeutic potential.
Alexander Jackson received a joint award with David Martinelli, UCH, from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) for their project, A novel trans-synaptic adhesion complex as a regulator of hypocretin/orexin control of arousal. Link Here
Cleyton Sobrinho received an award from the CCHS Network for his project, Putative roles of NTS neurons in maintenance of breathing and survival in a mouse model of CCHS.
Georgia Zarkada received an award from the Retina Research Foundation for her project, Modulation of retinal vascularization by endothelial cell genetic reprogramming.
Daniel Mulkey received an award from the DHHS/NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for his project, Molecular Signature of Parafacial Expiratory Neurons.
Xinnian Chen received an award from the National Science Foundation for her project, A Developmental Model to Understand the Process of Instructor Implementation of Evidence-Based Teaching Practices. Link Here
Andrew Moiseff received an NSF-DUE award as a Co-PI along with Tadarrayl Stark and PI, Daniel Burkey for their project Community, Identity, and Competence: Supporting Low-Income Students in Computing and the Data Sciences at the University of Connecticut. Link Here
Jeffrey Divino and John Redden received the Alan R. Bennett College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Public Health Policy Research Funding award for their project, Integrating Health Policy Into Undergraduate Life Science Curriculum. Link Here
Natale Sciolino received an award from the Brain Research Foundation for her project, Impact of Locus Coeruleus Dynamics on Gustatory Cortex Function. Link Here
Georgia Zarkada received an award from the National Institutes of Health for her project, Targeting TGFB Signaling to Treat Ocular Neovascular Disease. Link Here
Natale Sciolino, Alexander Jackson, and Anastasios Tzingounis received an internal grant from the Uconn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for shared equipment for their project, Miniature microscopes in behaving rodents for animal vivarium and behavioral spaces. Link Here
Linnaea Ostroff received an award from the National Institutes of Health for her project, New Strategies for molecular cell-type labeling in volume electron microscopy. Link Here
Linnaea Ostroff received an award from the National Institutes of Health for her project, A Versatile Approach for Highly Multiplexed, High Resolution Imaging of Endogenous Molecules. Link Here
Jianjun Sun was a Co-PI on an award for Kazunori Hoshino of Biomedical Engineering for their project, A light-sheet microscopy (LSM)-based, spatially-resolved 3D dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) instrument for developmental biology and physiology. Link Here
Dr. Joseph Crivello and co-investigator Dr. Karen Menuz were awarded an NSF/BIO/Directorate Biological Sciences award entitled REU Site: Research Experiences in Physiology and Neurobiology at UCONN.Link Here
Recent Awards
Michael Jolly, a student in Dr. Daniel Mulkey’s lab was the recipient of an NIH F31 NRSA Fellowship.
Alana Grant from the Jackson Lab, Akshara Iyer from the Yu Lab, and Carrie Epstein from the Kienzler Lab were chosen among all presenters at the PNB Symposium, 4/22/24, to present at the All Biology Symoposium, 4/26/24.
William Armstrong IV placed 1st, Julianna Herman placed 2nd, and Sydney Ballou placed 3rd in the 2023 Neuroscience at Storrs Symposium poster competition.
Andrew Beard and Danielle Caefer were selected to receive the PNB TA awards for excellence in teaching, 2022-2023.
Yetunde Akinlaja in Dr. Akiko Nishiyama’s lab earned the Kenneth & Paula Munson Family Fund for Student Support in Health Sciences Fellowship (ISG).
Monica Strain, a student in Dr. Daniel Mulkey’s lab was the recipient of an NIH F31 NRSA Fellowship.
Eugene Kim, an undergraduate student in Anastasios Tzingounis’ lab and William Armstrong IV, a graduate student in Alexander Jackson’s lab won the Nu Rho Psi Poster Award for Scientific Merit at the NEURON conference in April, 2023.
Recent Conferences
Alexander Jackson is serving as a Co Chair and co-organizer of the 2024 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on the Hypothalamus at Bates College in Maine. Link Here
Geoffrey Tanner co-organized the 2024 Neuron Conference April 21 at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Link Here
Alexander Jackson was the Co-Vice Chair for the 2022 Inaugural Gordon Research Conference on Hypothalamus in Ventura, CA. Link Here
The Department Retreat took place on August 21, 2024 at The Branford House at the UConn Avery Point campus.
The All Biology Symposium took place on April 26, 2024. Winners from the departmental symposiums competed for a chance to win biology wide awards, including the Ertman Award.
The PNB Symposium took place on April 22, 2024 in the PBB lobby. Graduating PNB seniors gave an oral presentation, and the top three winners will move on to the All Biology Symposium.
PNB hosted its first ever UConn PNB Lounge & Learn: Student Faculty Mixer on April 16, 2024 in TLS 154. Undergraduate students had the opportunity to learn about what research is available within PNB for undergraduate students and what it is like to work in a research lab.
Students from the prestigious Pomfret High School visited the GANT building March 1, 2024. Students had the opportunity to view the Anatomage Table and other physiology and anatomy equipment.