Physiology & Neurobiology News

UConn Magazine: “Checking in with Brenda Milla”

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.

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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).

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Baylor Magazine: “A Gateway to Research”

Felise Bressler was featured in Baylor Magazine for her work during her internship at UConn in the Sciolino Lab.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Fall 2024 Scholarship Facilitation Fund Award

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.

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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.

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2024 CLAS Staff Excellence Award

Penny Dobbins was awarded the UConn CLAS 2024 Staff Excellence Award.

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2024 UConn AAUP Excellence Awards

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.

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UConn Today: “Revolutionizing the Cell Mapping Process

Linnaea Ostroff was featured in UConn Today for her novel cell mapping process, ultraplex microscopy.

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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.

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Vice President for Academic Operations Appointment

Dr. Dan Schwartz has been appointed Vice President for Academic Operations as of January 12, 2024.

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Inaugural Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellow Recipient

John Redden has been selected to represent the American Physiological Society as a FASEB Garrison Science Advocacy Fellow.

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Recent Graduates

 

Image Name Lab Semester Program Current Position
Gianna Raimondi Ostroff Lab Summer 2024 PhD
Kate Gavilanes Tanner Lab Summer 2024 MS
Julianna Herman Conover Lab Summer 2024 PhD
Brenda Milla Mulkey Lab Summer 2024 PhD
Jaseph Soto Perez Mulkey Lab Spring 2024 PhD
Nikki Rittenhouse Conover Lab Spring 2024 MS
Jordana Weinberger Yu Lab Spring 2024 MS Educational Program Assistant 1 Psychology Deparment University of Connecticut.
Luke Notaro-Roberts LoTurco Lab Spring 2024 MS
Rebecca Oramas Sun Lab Spring 2024 PhD Postdoctoral Research Associate, Kuan Lab, Brown University.
Andrew Beard Sun Lab Fall 2023 PhD
Morgan Macey Conover Lab Summer 2023 PhD
Danielle Caefer Schwartz Lab Summer 2023 PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Translational Neuroimmunology Research Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurological Diseases, Department of Neurology
Nissi Varghese Tzingounis Lab Summer 2023 PhD Associate Scientist, Post Doctoral Fellow, Merck
Mushirah Majid Conover Lab Spring 2023 MS
Alexandra Porczak Kanadia Lab Spring 2023 MS PhD student Wesleyan University
Elliott Wilion Nishiyama Lab Fall 2022 MS Senior Research Associate I, Ultragenyx
Alisa White Kanadia Lab Fall 2022 PhD Postdoctoral Fellow, Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research, MIT Biology
Kyle Drake Kanadia Lab Fall 2022 PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School

 

RSS Recent Publications

  • Actomyosin contraction in the follicular epithelium provides the major mechanical force for follicle rupture during <em>Drosophila</em> ovulation September 18, 2024
    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
  • C1ql1 expression in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation September 11, 2024
    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
  • Glial modulation of synapse development and plasticity: oligodendrocyte precursor cells as a new player in the synaptic quintet September 11, 2024
    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 […]
    Yetunde O Akinlaja, Akiko Nishiyama
  • Ultraplex microscopy: versatile highly-multiplexed molecular labeling and imaging across scale and resolution September 4, 2024
    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 […]
    Janeth Pérez-Garza, Jairo Orea, Zachary Deane, Gianna Raimondi, Rebecca Tripp, Imani Charles, Linnaea Ostroff
  • Evaluation of Pain-Associated Behavioral Changes in Monoiodoacetate-Induced Osteoarthritic Rats Using Dynamic Weight Bearing Analysis August 29, 2024
    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
  • LRRK2 in Parkinson's disease: upstream regulation and therapeutic targeting August 17, 2024
    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 […]
    Yulan Xiong, Jianzhong Yu
  • Ventricular-subventricular zone stem cell niche adaptations in a mouse model of post-infectious hydrocephalus August 15, 2024
    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
  • The prevalence and patterns of hearing loss in Jordan: A cross-sectional study August 15, 2024
    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
  • Neural Delays in Processing Speech in Background Noise Minimized after Short-Term Auditory Training July 26, 2024
    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. […]
    Erika Skoe, Nina Kraus
  • Myelin basic protein mRNA levels affect myelin sheath dimensions, architecture, plasticity, and density of resident glial cells July 18, 2024
    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
  • 3D Biological/Biomedical Image Registration with enhanced Feature Extraction and Outlier Detection July 15, 2024
    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. […]
    Sahand Hamzehei, Jun Bai, Gianna Raimondi, Rebecca Tripp, Linnaea Ostroff, Sheida Nabavi
  • KATNAL2 mutations link ciliary dysfunction to hydrocephalus and autism July 15, 2024
    No abstract
    Videep Soni, Joseph J LoTurco
  • Sex differences in neural projections of fear memory processing in mice and humans July 10, 2024
    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
  • Proteome profiling of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions due to dermotropic Leishmania donovani in Sri Lanka July 5, 2024
    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
  • Taxonomy of introns and the evolution of minor introns June 29, 2024
    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 ConnecticutLink 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 CurriculumLink Here

Natale Sciolino received an award from the Brain Research Foundation for her project, Impact of Locus Coeruleus Dynamics on Gustatory Cortex FunctionLink 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

Events

  • The virtual Graduate Student Recruitment Open House will take place on November 15, 2024. A Zoom link will be emailed to all RSVPs.
  • The in-person Graduate Student Recruitment Open House will take place on November 8, 2024 in GW001.
  • The 27th Annual Neuroscience at Storrs Conference will take place October 22, 2024 in the Dodd and Bousfield buildings.
  • 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.