Weekly Seminars

The Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology conducts a weekly seminar series during the spring and fall semesters, wherein we enjoy presentations from national and international experts in their respective fields. The seminar series covers wide-ranging topics including central nervous system (CNS) circuit function, CNS injury and repair, glial cell biology and molecular mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders.

All seminars are open to interested faculty, postdocs, staff and students, and we welcome your attendance. 

Seminars will be held in MMRB, Room 1009-1011. (Unless otherwise specified)

February 7, 2025

In vivo glia reprogramming for neural repair

Speaker: Chun-Li Zhang, PhD, Professor

Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Host: Wenhui Hu, PhD

February 13, 2025

Oligodendrocyte-neuron interactions in health and disease

Speaker: Gregory Duncan, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

Department of Neurology

Oregon Health and Science University

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

February 24, 2025

Brain networks driving stress vulnerability

Speaker: Zachary Pennington, PhD, postdoctoral Fellow

Department Neuroscience

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

February 28, 2025

Neural circuit organization and function, and applications of single-cell genomics and epigenomics

Speaker: Xiangmin Xu, PhD, Chancellor's Professor

Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology

University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine

Host: Wenhui Hu, PhD

March 6, 2025

Molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms of auditory cortex plasticity after noise-induced hearing loss

Speaker: Manoj Kumar, PhD, Assistant Professor

Department of Otolaryngology

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

March 13, 2025

Neuronal hyperactivity facilitates tau spread and dysregulates memory in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model

Speaker: Aaron Barbour, PhD, Instructor

Department of Neurology,
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

March 17, 2025

Stress and Social Behavior: Neural Mechanisms and Implications for Mental Health

Speaker: Guangwei Zhang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor

Department of Physiology and Neuroscience,
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

March 20, 2025

ADGRG1/GPR56 regulates protective microglial response in Alzheimer's disease

Speaker: Beika Zhu, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar

Weill Institute for Neurosciences

University of California, San Francisco

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

March 28, 2025

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes/small extracellular vesicles as a novel cell-free nanotherapeutic therapy for traumatic brain injury

Speaker: Ye Xiong, MD, PhD

Henry Ford Neuroscience Institute
Henry Ford Health

Host: Dong Sun, MD, PhD

April 1, 2025

Shedding light on spinal pain pathways following nerve injury

Speaker: Andrew Crowther, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

Department of Anatomy
University of California, San Francisco

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

April 4, 2025

Glial-mediated cognitive dysfunction through synaptic elimination following traumatic brain injury

Speaker: Dan Liebl, PhD, Professor

Department of Neurological Surgery
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Host: Kirsty Dixon, PhD

April 10, 2025

How do glia regulate synapse development and maintenance?

Speaker: Taylor Jay, Postdoctoral Fellow

The Vollum Institute
Oregon Health & Science University

Host: Rory McQuiston, PhD

April 18, 2025

Neurobiological Divergence in Cocaine-Seeking Behavior: unraveling the Glutamatergic and Inflammatory Mechanisms of Vulnerability and Resilience

Speaker: Jeffrey Parrilla-Carrero, PhD, Assistant Professor

Department of Pharmacology
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Host: Priyo Goswamee, PhD