Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience 

Summary- PIIN Life Sciences-Engineering Workshops Series I

November 11, 2019

On November 4th, the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience (PIIN) kicked off its Life Sciences-Engineering Trainee Workshop Series. The two-part program aims to bring together interdisciplinary research teams of graduate students and postdocs focused on tackling significant problems in neuroscience. Selected teams will receive funding from PIIN to conduct their proposed research as part of the institute’s key initiatives.

The first event drew more than 20 graduate students and postdocs. The program began with introductory remarks by Dr.Chris Rochet, the John and Donna Krenicki Director of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience.  The program was followed by presentations from Justin Patel, who presented a collaboration project between Drs. Rochet, Kinzer-Ursem, and Webb Labs entitled"Fluorescence lifetime microscopy for the imaging of alpha-Synuclein aggregation in the brain". Min Ku Kim also presented a collaboration project between Drs. Malandraki and Lee’s Lab entitled “Sticker like sensor patch for remote management of oropharyngeal swallowing disorders”.

Participants then divided into groups for breakout sessions to begin identifying potential topics for collaboration; you can read a summary of the outcomes below.  

Please join us for our second workshop on November 18th from 1-3 pm in DLR 131. Please RSVP here by November 15th.

Summary – Neuroimmunology and Artificial Intelligence Group 

Challenge Identified:

  • Can unique lipids/metabolite profiles be identified in AD-microglia using machine learning?

Approach:

  • Cell culture models, animal models, human and mouse datasets, computational models. 
  • The group will use the metabolomics core facility to generate datasets from microglia

Team Members:

  • Priya Prakash and Sheik Dawood (Chopra’s Lab)

Summary – Autism Group

Challenge Identified: 

  • Is decreased vision in autism caused by SCN2A (sodium channel 1.2)?

Approach:

  • Test the scn2a knockdown mice from the Yang lab using vision-tracking devices from the Chubykin lab.

Specific Collaborative Needs:

  • Mouse surgery (Neuropixel or EEG) 
  • Sensory devices (whisker)

Team members:

  • Muriel Eaton (Yang’s lab, MCMP), Shirong Lai (Yang’s Lab, MCMP), Anthony Park (Yang’s Lab, MCMP), Alex Pak (Chubykin’s Lab, BIOL).

Summary –Developmental Neurophysiology of Speech and Swallowing Group

Challenge Identified: 

  • What are the shared and separate central neurophysiological correlates of speech and swallowing in development? 

Approach:  

  • A variety of approaches will be used such as: fMRI, MRI and DWI.

Team lead:

  • Rachael Arkenberg (Malandraki’s Lab, SLHS)

Specific Collaborative Needs:

  • Advanced image processing of fMRI, MRI and DWI.

Summary –Neurodegeneration Group

Challenge Identified:

  • Ways to identify and model the variability in the path of neuro-degeneration in Parkinson's disease as it relates to the variability in speech and swallowing symptoms.

Approach:

  • Resting state fMRI, MRI, DWI and neuro-modeling techniques possibly using the software NEURON. 

Team Leads:

  • Ann Alvar (Huber’s/Malandraki’s Lab, SLHS)

Specific Collaborative Needs:

  • Imaging and neuro-modeling

Contact Details

neuro@purdue.edu

 

Contact Details