Fall 2016

Clinical & Translational Neuroscience University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Steady Progress: Collaboration Making Strides to Improve Fall Risk Assessments in the Clinic, pages 6 – 7 NeuroMatters, a publication of IHSI at Illinois, covers clinical and translational neuroscience topics relevant to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign investigators and the university’s clinical partners.

Contents On the Cover Innovative Investigator Spotlight: Two Sanjiv Jain, MD, Carle physician in physical Researchers Taking Unique Approaches to medicine and rehabilitation, and Jacob Sosnoff, 2 Better Brain Function PhD, associate professor in kinesiology and community health, with their device that will assess fall risk in older adults. Study Links Nutrition to Brain Health and Cognitive Aging 4 NeuroMatters is produced and published by the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Initiative (IHSI) Review Finds Little Evidence Brain-Training at Illinois: 5 Games Yield Real-World Benefits Neal Cohen, IHSI Director Sue Johnson, IHSI Communications Director Carle Illinois Seed Funding Creates Clinical Ashley Lawrence, NeuroMatters Managing Editor 6 Research Connection Gillian Cooke, IHSI Research Development Specialist in neuroscience Neuroscience Students are SURFs at Mayo Clinic Florida 8 901 W. University Avenue, Suite 101 Urbana, IL 61801 9 Brain Bee Competition Launching Locally www.healthinitiative.illinois.edu

Recap: 2016 Clinical and Translational DESIGN: Jason Michael Bentley 10 Neuroscience Workshop WRITERS: Gillian Cooke, Ashley Lawrence, Ryan Rodgers, Susan Szuch, Diana Yates 12 Recent Neuroscience Grants and Awards PHOTOGRAPHY: Gillian Cooke, Sue Johnson, L. Brian Stauffer, Ashley Lawrence, Thompson- Resources to Catalyze Neuroscience Research 13 McClellan Photography, U of I College of ACES Director’s Message

I am pleased to welcome you to the inaugural To improve and facilitate this critical academic/ issue of NeuroMatters, an Interdisciplinary Health clinical connection, IHSI is building a strong Sciences Initiative (IHSI) publication designed team of research development specialists. to cover clinical and translational neuroscience In clinical and translational neuroscience our topics relevant to University of Illinois at Urbana- research development specialist is Gillian Cooke Champaign faculty and our clinical partners. ([email protected]). If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet her, I encourage you to I have been a part of the Illinois neuroscience reach out as soon as possible. She is an invaluable community ever since I arrived in Urbana- resource for helping make connections; initiating, Champaign. During my time here, I have seen guiding, and advising clinical studies; identifying the lines of neuroscience research evolve and grant funding applications and supporting change, but one constant has certainly been submissions; and much more. the research community’s vibrancy and diversity. From physical activity and the brain to the injured I hope you enjoy perusing this issue and learning brain to the developing brain, there has never more about “NeuroMatters” happening at Illinois. been a shortage of creativity and inspiration in the research you can find on our campus. Best Regards,

And now, in my role as director of the IHSI, I am pleased to work with our campus’s already thriving neuroscience community in efforts to strengthen and build our clinical and translational neuroscience connections. It is an Neal Cohen exciting endeavor with the long-term benefit Director of providing better translation of work from Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Initiative research to practice.

IHSI Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Sub-Committee

John Erdman Martha Gillette Brent Roberts Professor Emeritus, Food Director, Neuroscience Program Professor, Psychology Science and Human Nutrition

Susan Schantz Tracey Wszalek Neal Cohen Professor, Comparative Biosciences Director of Research, Carle Director, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Institute, Health Sciences Initiative Director, Biomedical Imaging Center 1 Innovative Investigator Spotlight Two researchers taking unique approaches to better brain function and overall health By Ashley Lawrence

The vibrant, diverse neuroscience community at Illinois is working to find solutions to some of today’s most pressing societal health challenges in fields including aging; learning, memory and plasticity; nutrition and cognition; neuroengineering; neuro- and socio-genomics; bioinformatics; and more. More than 300 faculty and staff on the Urbana-Champaign campus identify as researchers in the neuroscience space—regardless of their home department affiliation. These researchers are using leading-edge imaging tools, pioneering studies that progress from the lab to clinical applications, ultimately improving the lives of people locally and globally. In this issue of NeuroMatters, we highlight two investigators engaged in unique areas of clinical and translational neuroscience research at Illinois.

Dr. Holscher’s lab contributes to several clinical delineate the physiological functions of diet on the studies at Illinois with neuroscience impact. These human gut-microbiota-brain axis. In her words, the projects include PATH (Persea Americana for Total neuroscience faculty and the intellectual resources Health), EPOCH (Effects of Probiotics on Cognition of Illinois as an institution have not only supported and Health), and the Gut-Brain study. To differing her research, but have been integral to its success. degrees, these studies examine the relationship Her neuroscience colleagues’ expertise and ability among lifestyle behaviors, gut function, microbiome to develop tasks that tap into specific cognitive response to probiotics and prebiotics, metabolism, processes has allowed for collaboration to delineate stress, and cognitive function. the bi-directional signaling that occurs along the gut-microbiota-brain axis. What specific aspects of doing research at Illinois particularly support and enhance your own How do you see neuroscience-related research at neuroscience-related research? Illinois advancing in the next five to ten years? Research in her laboratory, the Nutrition and Human “I see Illinois being recognized as the premier Microbiome Laboratory, focuses on the clinical institution for understanding the interplay of nutrition, application of nutritional sciences in healthy and microbiota, and the brain, and their impacts on adult diseased populations across the lifespan with health and disease. Currently, we are recognized for an overarching goal of improving human health our expertise in both neuroscience and microbiota through dietary modulation of the gastrointestinal research. Over the next five to ten years, I envision microbiome. Over the last year, Holscher has continued interdisciplinary collaborations that will been collaborating with neuroscience faculty to help propel this field forward,” says Holscher.

Dr. Holscher and student Heather Guetterman prep food for research in the Metabolic Kitchen, a shared research facility.

2 “It’s not enough to have that two week vacation off in the distance someplace. We need to create opportunities for people to have cognitively restorative time on an everyday basis.” –William Sullivan

Xiangrong Jiang, left, PhD student in Sullivan’s Sustainability and Human Health Lab, examines a brain scan for her dissertation that investigates the impact of urban design on neural activity.

Dr. Sullivan’s work seeks to understand how way, Sullivan says. He has had several interactions designed landscapes impact human health and with Aron Barbey, associate professor of psychology, wellbeing. Sullivan and his students study the impact and sought Barbey’s advice on research study of urban design on a person’s ability to recover design issues. Having accessible experts who know from stress, and how “green views” out a classroom the current literature and underlying theories of window can influence students’ attentiveness and psychology and neuroscience is a hugely beneficial test performance. Sullivan’s protocols involve using resource, according to Sullivan. technology and clinical measures of hormone levels, heart rates, brain waves, and more. How do you see neuroscience-related research at Illinois advancing in the next five to ten years? What specific aspects of doing research at Illinois “My sense is that psychology is increasingly looking particularly support and enhance your own towards contextual factors as having implications neuroscience-related research? for psychological health and wellbeing and general Sullivan’s training is in landscape architecture, human function. Now we have the technology that biology, and environment and behavior, but allows us to very carefully and systematically measure nothing specifically-related to the brain. However, exposure to varying types of landscape and contexts his students are taking classes in psychology and and the implications for neuro-function. Studies are are increasing his own interests in neurological moving away from single stimuli and the looking at implications, while teaching him things along the larger context for answers,” says Sullivan.

Know an Illinois investigator doing neuro-related research? Nominate them for the Innovative Investigator Spotlight section in our next issue of NeuroMatters. Email Gillian Cooke at [email protected] with your suggestion and details, and IHSI will be happy to follow up.

3 Study Links Nutrition to Brain Health and Cognitive Aging

By Diana Yates, Illinois News Bureau

“Our findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that particular nutrients may slow or prevent age-related declines in cognition by influencing specific structures within the brain.” –Aron Barbey

Psychology professor Aron Barbey, left, graduate student Marta Zamroziewicz and postdoctoral researcher Chris Zwilling conducted a new study linking blood levels of a key nutrient to brain structure and cognition in older adults.

A new study of older adults finds an have determined how phosphatidylcholine may The analyses also linked gray-matter thickness association between higher blood levels of prevent such decline, however,” she said. of the left inferior prefrontal cortex to better phosphatidylcholine, a source of the dietary cognitive flexibility, and revealed that the nutrient choline, and greater cognitive flexibility, The new analysis, reported in the journal Frontiers beefiness of gray matter in this brain region the ability to regulate attention to manage in Aging Neuroscience, measured blood levels played a role in the relationship between competing tasks. The study also identified a of phosphatidylcholine and assessed brain phosphatidylcholine levels and performance on brain structure within the prefrontal cortex, a structure in 72 healthy adults between the ages tests of cognitive flexibility. region at the front of the brain, that appears to of 65 and 75. The researchers used magnetic play a role in this association. resonance imaging to gauge the thickness of “Our findings add to a growing body of gray matter in the prefrontal cortex. research suggesting that particular nutrients Phosphatidylcholine in the blood can originate may slow or prevent age-related declines in from the diet, said University of Illinois graduate The researchers conducted statistical analyses cognition by influencing specific structures student Marta Zamroziewicz, who led the study to tease out the relationships between within the brain,” Barbey said. “We don’t yet with Aron Barbey, a professor of psychology and phosphatidylcholine levels, brain structure and know all the mechanisms involved. It may an affiliate of the Beckman Institute for performance on specific cognitive tests. They be that phosphatidylcholine protects the Advanced Science and Technology at Illinois. controlled for age, sex, education, income, brain from the effects of aging by supporting Egg yolks, red meat and soybeans are rich depression status and body-mass index, and the structure of brain membranes, reducing sources of phosphatidylcholine, which also focused on specific regions within the prefrontal inflammation or contributing to the production can be synthesized by the body, she said. cortex. of neurotransmitters that support cognition.” Phosphatidylcholine is a key component of cell membranes. “We hypothesized that higher blood plasma levels Barbey is an affiliate of the Carl R. Woese of phosphatidylcholine would be associated Institute for Genomic Biology at the U. of I. “Accumulating evidence suggests that declining with better performance on tests of cognitive Abbott Nutrition supported this work through phosphatidylcholine levels are a robust marker flexibility,” Zamroziewicz said. “And we found the Center for Nutrition, Learning, and Memory at of age-related neurodegeneration and cognitive that higher blood levels of phosphatidylcholine the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. deterioration,” Zamroziewicz said. “No studies are linked to better cognitive flexibility.” 4 Review Finds Little Evidence Brain-Training Games Yield Real-World Benefits

By Diana Yates, Illinois News Bureau

A systematic review of the scientific studies cited by brain-training companies as evidence that their products improve cognition in daily life finds no convincing evidence to support those claims. While people tend to improve on the specific tasks they practice, the researchers report, the conclusion that computerized brain- training programs yield broader cognitive benefits or improve real-world outcomes for their users is premature at best.

The analysis and an independent commentary on the findings appear in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest. “The idea behind ‘brain training’ is that if you practice a task that taps a core component of cognitive ability, like memory, the training will improve your ability to perform other tasks that also rely on memory, not just in the lab, but also in the world. That premise is known as ‘transfer-of-training,’” said University of Illinois psychology professor Daniel Simons, who led the analysis with U. of I. educational psychology professor Elizabeth Stine-Morrow and colleagues at Florida State University, State University, Union “That gives the misleading impression that group, whose members took the same pre- and College, and the Medical Research Council in there is more evidence than actually exists, and post-test as the intervention group, but were not Cambridge, U.K. it makes it hard to evaluate whether the study engaged in any other way. Some studies had provided any evidence at all.” participants in a control group come into the lab “If you practice remembering playing cards, and play crossword puzzles, watch educational you’ll get really good at remembering playing Some studies conducted with special groups DVDs or just socialize with the experimenters. cards,” Simons said. “But does that help you (such as people diagnosed with schizophrenia, Such control groups differ in many ways from the remember which medications to take, and children with language delays, or older adults intervention group, so greater improvement in when? Does it help you remember your friends’ with dementia) were used as support for broad the treatment group might be due to those other names? Historically, there is not much evidence claims about the benefits of brain training for differences, including differences in expected that practicing one task improves different tasks the general population. One of the most glaring improvement, rather than to the brain-training in other contexts, even if they seem to rely on the problems in the cited research was the use of intervention itself, the researchers said. same ability.” The researchers closely examined inadequate control groups as a baseline for 132 journal articles cited by a large group of measuring improvements. Ideally, participants “Based on our comprehensive review of the brain-training proponents in support of their in a control group do not engage in the evidence cited by brain-training proponents claims. The team supplemented that list with all intervention but are otherwise matched closely and companies, we found little evidence for of the published articles cited on the websites with those who do, the researchers said. Not broad transfer from brain-training tasks to other of leading brain-training companies that were only should the control group’s demographics tasks,” Simons said. “We hope future studies identified by SharpBrains, an independent (age, sex, race, income and education) match will adopt more rigorous methods and better market-research firm that follows the industry. those of the intervention group as closely as control groups to assess possible benefits of The review found numerous problems with the possible, control-group participants also should brain training, but there is little evidence to date way many of the cited studies were designed and be equally engaged, Simons said. of real-world benefits from brain training.” how the evidence was reported and interpreted. The problems included small sample sizes and “A control group should experience everything The research team included Walter Boot and studies in which researchers reported only a the treatment group does, except for the critical Neil Charness, of Florida State University; Susan handful of significant results from the many ingredient of the treatment,” he said. “They Gathercole, of the Medical Research Council, measures collected. should be equally engaged and should have Cambridge, U.K.; Christopher Chabris, of Union similar expectations for improvement, so that College and Geisinger Health System; and “Sometimes the effects of a single brain-training if the treatment group improves more than the David Hambrick, of Michigan State University. intervention are described in many separate control group, the difference must be due to Simons and Stine-Morrow are affiliates of papers without any acknowledgment that the the treatment itself.” Some of the studies had the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and results are from the same study,” Simons said. no control group. Some had a passive control Technology at Illinois.

5 Carle Illinois Seed Funding Creates Clinical and Translational Research Connection Cross-institutional team developing automated fall risk assessment for high-risk adults By Ashley Lawrence

For older adults, a fall can feel like being kicked when already down. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Fall Facts, falls are the leading cause of accidental death and injury in older adults. Very often, falls are linked to a pre-existing condition or episode— an osteoporosis diagnosis; stroke; Parkinson’s disease; head, neck, or spine trauma—and may lead to a person being labeled a “high fall risk.” But is this one-size-fits-all labeling method really enough to help predict and prevent dangerous falls?

Jacob Sosnoff, PhD, associate professor of $50K as part of the Carle Illinois Collaborative automated assessments that generate targeted kinesiology and community health at Illinois and Research Seed Program, which seeks to foster interventions. Current screening methods either founding director of the Illini Fall Prevention collaboration between Carle clinicians and rely on clinician judgment, which is subjective, Clinic, and Sanjiv Jain, MD, physician in physical Illinois researchers. The seed funding program or patient self-reporting. According to Sosnoff, medicine and rehabilitation and director of aims to support innovative approaches to the lack of easily-administered, cost-effective, the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Center at the challenges facing clinical care, as well as objective tests of fall risk impedes optimal Carle Foundation Hospital, along with Dan promote opportunities to improve positive health care of individuals at risk for falls. For instance, Morrow, PhD, professor and chair of educational outcomes. Their project, titled “Automated Fall currently only a small portion of patients at the psychology, and Rama Ratnam, PhD, senior Risk Assessment in High Risk Older Adults,” is now Bone Health and Osteoporosis Center at Carle research scientist at Illinois’ Advanced Digital being implemented at Carle by a collaborative Foundation Hospital (who are, by definition, at Sciences Center (ADSC), part of the College of team of graduate students and clinicians. high risk for fall-related fractures) are referred to Engineering, believe their interdisciplinary team’s physical therapy for balance and mobility issues. work can transform fall assessment protocol and “I’ve been at the University of Illinois for nearly This is due in part to the inability to objectively intervention standards in the clinic. 12 years, and have been trying the whole time quantify balance and mobility impairment in to work with physicians at Carle to help answer these patients. Consequently, without getting In April 2016, Sosnoff, Jain, Morrow, and Ratnam some of my research questions. It wasn’t until a customized treatment plan that could be submitted a project proposal that was awarded IHSI and Carle came together that we actually implemented, these patients remain at elevated got a collaborative project started. This seed risk for fall-related fractures. program opportunity opened doors and got me talking to the right people,” said Sosnoff. His Technology to automate and produce Carle co-PI agrees. quantifiable, actionable data is where Rama Ratnam comes in. Ratnam’s group of engineers “The seed funding has been the energy behind have developed a new software system that being able to do this project. Trying to get projects makes it easier for a doctor or therapist to going, meeting, finding time to even discuss the monitor a patient’s movement and progress. project can be difficult, let alone doing the work. The technology employs Kinect cameras, By having gotten funding, we can actually do the which capture 3D motion data, and then adds work,” said Jain. a mathematical layer that eliminates noise and produces a smooth motion, giving health care The investigators believe that fall risk can be providers an accurate picture of how a patient is better assessed, and even prevented, with performing an exercise.

6 Ratnam’s group of engineers have developed a new software system that makes it easier for a doctor or therapist to keep tabs on a patient’s movement and progress.

Jacob Sosnoff, middle, demonstrates the fall risk assessment technology prototype with Sanjiv Jain, left, and Carle clinical research coordinator Mary Wakefield, right.

According to Ratnam, the mathematical layer is • Eventually, patients will use SALUS remotely “We’re going to have such a volume of potential what makes the system unique. Kinect cameras to generate video for clinicians to monitor participants that we’ll have no trouble meeting excel at capturing motion in 3D, but do not have and assess progress, as part of an interactive study parameters,” said Jain. a holistic concept of the human body. They only at-home rehab program see a series of points in space. The algorithms Their research comes at a time when health developed by Ratnam’s team imposes The goal of this innovative clinical and care costs are causing therapy patients to constraints on the data that rules out movements translational project is to determine if automated reduce time spent doing in-patient rehab care, that humans are physically incapable of doing. fall risk assessment is feasible in clinical settings. driving many to return home before regaining Specifically, the team must determine if the full function. In addition, as people continue to A major advantage of the system is that data is system is capable of operating in a typical exam live longer, there may not be enough providers stored in the form of a stick-figure, representing room, while accurately identifying individuals to care for patients in traditional settings in the major joints and body segments, and not as a at risk for falls. The clinical study is being future. detailed video that reveals the identity of the implementing with these parameters: patient participant. This reduces data bandwidth, “The ultimate goal is to have an assessment while ensuring privacy. The system, called • Sixty or more adult patient participants from and intervention system that essentially is run SALUS (after the Roman goddess of wellness), the Carle Bone Health and Osteoporosis by itself. An avatar will walk a patient right was initially developed by ADSC engineer and Center who are ambulatory (with or without through the exercises,” Sosnoff said. The team’s colleague of Ratnam’s, Alex Khromenkov. Other prosthetic aid) and living in the Champaign- immediate next steps will focus on refinement advantages SALUS provides include: Urbana community of the software technology and bridging the gap between risk assessment and intervention. • Camera-based, wireless operation that doesn’t • Participants will all complete the same require participants to wear body sensors assessment at Carle, taking approximately 30 minutes • Quantifies fall risk, objectively • Participants will then be provided a “falls • Clinicians can download video from the cloud, diary” to take home, in which to record falls to assess whenever and wherever convenient during a four-month period. 7 Summer Program Gives Illinois Undergrads Clinical Research Insight Mayo Clinic and Illinois Alliance funds its first neuroscience-specific research fellowships By Ashley Lawrence

The Mayo Clinic’s Summer Undergraduate synuclein (a protein that misfolds and aggregates been a dream of hers to work at the Mayo Clinic. Research Fellowship (SURF) program is a 10-week in brain regions critically involved in dementia Shreya spent her summer in Dr. Owen Ross’s summer research internship that exposes students and Parkinson’s). Existing techniques are largely lab at the Mayo Clinic Florida campus, studying to biomedical research in a clinical setting, with limited to the detection of later lesions such as the genetics of Parkinson’s disease through mentoring from top-notch physicians and Mayo Lewy bodies and Lewy neurties. While these sequencing. Her mentor was researcher Ronald Clinic graduate students. Thanks to an existing species are widely characteristic of the disease, Walton, and Shreya specifically looked into novel research alliance between the Mayo Clinic and emerging evidence is pointing to the early genetic factors implicated in late onset familial the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, oligomeric forms as the neurotoxic species. The Parkinson’s disease. two spots were reserved in this highly-competitive PLA will help scientists further develop a larger 2016 program for Illinois students interested understanding of the disease biology and target Being a SURF in Jacksonville allowed Shreya to specifically in neuro-focused research. The first these forms as early as possible. witness clinical research not readily available in summer of sending Illinois SURF students to the other hospitals. The Department of Neuroscience Mayo Clinic Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, One of Maria’s favorite parts of the SURF Research at Mayo Clinic in Florida runs a brain proved to be an excellent experience. Here, program was the weekly lecture series, delivered bank, housing over 5,000 brain tissue specimens we highlight the two undergraduate students by scientists from all over the nation. After each for researching neurodegenerative disorders. selected for the program. presentation, SURF students were invited to a luncheon with the speaker to further discuss the “One of my favorite things from the summer was Maria Mihailescu research topic. seeing the brain cutting by (neuropathologist) Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dr. Dickson on Fridays,” says Shreya. The brain Class of 2017 Now back in Urbana-Champaign, Maria works bank has allowed investigators to improve the in the lab of Dr. Joanna Shisler, studying viral scientific community’s understanding of the Maria became curious about neurodegenerative immune evasion pathways involved in sarcomas neuropathology, genetics, biochemistry, cell diseases when volunteering at the Champaign and poxviral infections. Her advice for future biology and modeling of neurodegenerative County Nursing Home. She developed bonds participants in the SURF program? “I now disorders. with several residents, and wanted to extend understand that science is all about learning her knowledge about these progressive from your errors and staying persistent in the Continuing her focus on neuroscience-based brain diseases by becoming involved as an face of obstacles. I would advise all future research, Shreya is now an undergraduate investigator. Maria hoped the SURF experience participants to stay persistent and to continue research assistant for the Opto Neuro Technology would eventually help her make an impact for learning. Keep pushing forward; success will be Laboratory at the Beckman Institute. She advises the families that suffer with these heartbreaking that much sweeter,” says Maria. other students applying to the SURF program to hardships. “take advantage of all the opportunities at Mayo Shreya Santhanam Clinic, and go to as many talks as possible.” Maria worked in the lab of Dr. Pamela McLean, Bioengineering, Class of 2018 who studies Parkinson’s disease. She spent the summer optimizing an assay, the Proximity An engineering student at Illinois, Shreya is Ligation Assay (PLA), for Dr. McLean’s lab to used to being involved in research activities and study and visualize oligomeric species of alpha- keeping a busy schedule. But she says it’s always 2017 SURF Program The Summer Undergraduate Research The 2016 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Shreya Santhanam is pictured in the top row, third from left. Maria Mihailescu is Fellowship program at the Mayo Clinic pictured in the bottom row, fourth from left. is open to Illinois undergraduates with a sophomore or junior class standing during the 2016-2017 academic year. The application deadline is February 1, 2017, and the summer program runs May 30 to August 4, 2017. Visit mayoillinois.org/education for more instructions on applying, or email Mayo Clinic and Illinois Alliance co-coordinator Margret Berg Miller at [email protected] with any questions.

8 Brain Bee Competition for High School Students Launching Locally By Ashley Lawrence

competition for high school students. Currently, Students ages 14 to 18 (during academic year the closest Brain Bee chapters to Champaign- 2016-2017), from secondary schools within a 25- Urbana are located at the University- mile radius of Champaign-Urbana, are eligible to Purdue University, Indianapolis campus and participate. St. Louis Area (Washington University). The Brain Bee has grown to include more than Neuroscientists from the university will serve 160 chapters in over 40 countries. The first as judges for the event, with graduate student international competition was held in 1999 in volunteers assisting. The winner of our local Toronto, , and for 2017 will be held in competition may compete in the U.S. National Washington, D.C. Brain Bee, to be held in March 2017 in , MD, and, if successful, may also go on to How does the Brain Bee work? compete in the International Brain Bee later in the year in Washington, D.C. For U.S. students, there are three levels of Brain Bee events: Local, Regional (National), and It is free of cost for students to register for International. C onsidering it is widely thought to be the local Brain Bee, but spots are limited. the most complex object in the known universe, Registration opens in early December 2016. First, students must connect with a local Brain there are still, obviously, innumerable questions For a link to registration, and more Brain Bee Bee chapter to register. All participants are to be answered about the human brain. information, visit www.healthinitiative.illinois.edu provided with a digital or printed copy of Brain and look under Program Areas and Clinical & Facts or Neuroscience, the Science of the Brain And who better to find solutions than fresh, Translational Neuroscience. (both published by the Society for Neuroscience) young minds? This was the thinking of as standard study guides. At the Brain Bee, IHSI clinical and translational neuroscience We look forward to sharing photos and results students are quizzed about the brain as it relates colleagues Gillian Cooke and Tracey Wszalek as from the 2017 Brain Bee in the next issue of to intelligence, memory, emotion, sensation, they became familiar with the International Brain NeuroMatters. In the meantime, please email movement, stress, aging, sleep, technology and Bee, a competition for secondary students. Gillian Cooke at [email protected] with any imaging, and clinical neurological conditions and questions. disorders. Participants work their way through “There are incredible neuroscience resources in several rounds of competition until there is an the Champaign-Urbana community, but even so, eventual local chapter winner. we saw a gap in opportunities for high school students to deepen any interest in neuroscience,” Local winners in the can choose says Cooke. “One of the aims of IHSI at Illinois to compete at the National Brain Bee, typically is to engage communities in health sciences, University of held each year at the University of so organizing a fun, rewarding, educational in Baltimore. The winners of each national (or event for youth focused on neuroscience really Illinois Brain Bee regional) Brain Bee (from around the world) then makes sense. We’re very excited to see it come have the opportunity to travel to the International together.” Brain Bee event. This location varies each year. Date: Saturday, February 4, 2017 What is the Brain Bee? Are there more details about the The Brain Bee is a live question and answer University of Illinois Brain Bee and competition that tests high school students’ chapter? Time: knowledge of neuroscience. Its purpose is to Over the past few months, Cooke has reached motivate young people to learn about the human 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. out to local high school science teachers brain, and to inspire them to enter careers in the and representatives who handle high school basic and clinical brain sciences. Humankind academic competitions, informing them about needs future clinicians and researchers able to Location: the new chapter and asking for help in promoting treat and find cures for the more than 1,000 Champaign Public Library, the Brain Bee event. diagnosed neurological and psychological 200 W. Green St, disorders on the planet. The Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Initiative (IHSI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, IL 61820 The Brain Bee was founded in 1998 by Champaign is excited to launch the local Brain neuroscientist Dr. Norbert Myslinski at the Bee chapter and eagerly anticipates hosting the University of Maryland, according to the east central Illinois area’s first-ever competition university’s website, and is now a world-wide on Saturday, February 4, 2017.

9 Inaugural Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Workshop Event brings together researchers and clinicians to network and share findings By Susan Szuch

If you give a mouse a seizure, he’ll want was split into three themes: neuroengineering, campus doing our research in a lab and we don’t some serotonin to go with it. aging and dementia, and brain injury. Faculty understand how to make our research more from the university and staff at Carle, as well as applicable,” Sosnoff said. “The whole reason At least according to Gordon Buchanan, who researchers from around the country, were in we’re doing research, especially in a land grant presented some of his research on sudden attendance at the event. university, is for the good of the people in the unexplained death in people with epilepsy state or the people in the country. That’s why (SUDEP) at the 2016 Clinical and Translational Cooke has high hopes for the future of the being able to interact with clinicians is going to Neuroscience workshop in April. Similar to workshop. “Eventually, what we’d like to do is help people say, ‘that’s a wonderful idea,’ or ‘this sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), SUDEP build it into a larger event, where we’re maybe would never work clinically.’” occurs when someone experiences a seizure bringing in not just attendees from our local and then dies in their sleep without diagnosable community, but also from the wider neuroscience cause. community. We’ll probably also try to build out the research areas we focused on today,” Cooke His research in mice has uncovered the idea said. “But what we’re hoping is that we’ll get a Save the Date that serotonin may be protective against SUDEP sense of the other topics people are interested 2017 Clinical and Translational in some capacity. The assistant professor of in hearing about and try to target some of our Neuroscience Workshop neurology at the University of Iowa shared future workshops to those interests.” his work at the workshop, held in the Pollard Mark your calendar and make plans to join your Auditorium at the Forum at Carle Foundation Associate professor of kinesiology and neuroscience colleagues for the 2017 Clinical Hospital. community health Jacob Sosnoff spoke at the and Translational Neuroscience Workshop on workshop about the underlying neuroscience Friday, February 17, 2017. Hosted by the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences of falling, especially in the aging population. In Initiative (ISHI) at Illinois and Carle Foundation addition to discussing his findings on how aging The 2017 Workshop will focus on these topics: Hospital, this is the first year the workshop has affects the risk of a fall and how falls cause both been held. IHSI research development specialist physical and psychological damage, he also • Sleep in clinical and translational neuroscience Gillian stressed the importance of preventive measures • Rehabilitative and Restorative Neuroscience Cooke headed the event in an effort to bring the to take action before a fall. community together. • Neurological Disease To Sosnoff, events like this help the research “We’ve had smaller things throughout the year, community gain perspective from clinicians. Look for more information in the December we have a monthly newsletter, but this is our Neuroscience News email from IHSI, including first meet and greet and face time for parties “I think it’s really important for researchers details on how to register for the workshop, or in this community,” Cooke said. The workshop to talk to clinicians, because often, we’re on contact Gillian Cooke today.

Jacob Sosnoff, left, and Gordon Buchanan, right, presented their research at the 2016 Workshop. Andrew Naidech, associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, prepares to speak about intracerebral hemorrhage, or bleeding into the brain.

10 Synapse Conference: Local Clinicians, Scientists, and Coaches Collaborate By Gillian Cooke

n August 19, 2016, the Carle Responses from panelists sparked much Rounding out the day’s events was a poster NeuroscienceO Institute (CNI) and Beckman discussion throughout the day. In particular, the session where University of Illinois graduate Institute for Advanced Science and Technology need to educate youth sports coaches (those students and postdocs had the opportunity to hosted “Synapse: A Collaborative Neuroscience training children within our local communities) present their research and promote their labs, Conference,” at the Beckman Institute—the first about head injury, concussion, and returning giving them a rare occasion to engage with event for CNI held on the University of Illinois to play protocols. Dana Howard also brought a clinicians and research staff alike. at Urbana-Champaign campus. The conference touching and human perspective to the effects of provided an educational forum through which head injury on athletes, discussing the cognitive neuroscientists—physicians, faculty, students, difficulties he experiences on a regular basis, Neuroscience program graduate student postdocs, researchers, and ancillary providers— although only in his 40s. Lydia Nguyen presents her research poster at Synapse. were recognized for collaboration and utilized a platform where research and patient care Synapse covered not only traumatic brain injury, synthesize. but also sleep medicine, back care, and epilepsy, as the events involved a merger of the Carle A highlight of the day was the panel of experts Neuroscience Institute Update and the Carle discussing the impact of head injury in sports. Back Care Forum. This gave attendees a chance Aron Barbey, associate professor in psychology, to listen to a range of talks from professionals served as the moderator of questions for within spine and non-spine related fields. The panelists including former Illinois football players conference also gave university and industry Kevin Jackson, Timothy Simpson, and Dana exhibitors an opportunity to talk to attendees Howard. The panel also featured Randy Ballard, about their products and services. A team from associate athletics director at Illinois, and Illini IHSI at Illinois was on hand to discuss the role women’s soccer head coach Janet Rayfield. that IHSI plays in bringing together faculty and Dr. Tara Riddle, Carle clinical neuropsychologist, clinicians interested in clinical and translational rounded out the panel. neuroscience.

Various panelists from the Champaign-Urbana community discuss the impact of head injury in sports.

11 Final Year of INSIGHT Study Focuses on Data Analysis By Ryan Rodgers, Beckman Institute

The INSIGHT (“An integrative system “We are pleased to contribute to the program For this third and final year of INSIGHT, Barbey’s for enhancing fluid intelligence (Gf) through for another year,” said Barbey. “We will direct team will focus on analyzing the data gathered human cognitive activity, fitness, high-definition our efforts toward analyzing and publishing data from the previous years and integrate it with transcranial direct-current brain stimulation, from the INSIGHT project, which now represents data gathered by the other IARPA SHARP teams, and nutritional intervention”) project, led by the largest and most comprehensive study which consist of collaborators at other industry Aron Barbey, associate professor of psychology investigating the combined beneficial effects of and academic organizations. and full-time faculty member of the Beckman cognitive training, physical fitness training, and Institute, will receive nearly a million dollars in mindfulness meditation on the cognitive and funding as part of the Office of the Director of neural mechanisms of human intelligence.” This is the third and final year National Intelligence, Intelligence Advanced of the INSIGHT project, which Research Projects Activity (IARPA) SHARP In the first year, INSIGHT focused on how program. fitness, cognitive training, and non-invasive aims to develop evidence- neural stimulation-based interventions affected based tools and methods that This is the third and final year of the INSIGHT cognitive function. In the second year, INSIGHT project, which aims to develop evidence-based researchers continued to examine fitness and can improve the quality of tools and methods that can improve the quality cognitive training, but substituted mindfulness human judgment and reasoning of human judgment and reasoning in complex, meditation for neural stimulation in the real-world environments. intervention protocol. in complex, real-world environments.

NIH Awards $2.9M to Illinois, UCSF to Study Environmental Influences on Child Brain Development

By Diana Yates, Illinois News Bureau

The National Institutes of Health U. of I. comparative biosciences professor and (NIH) announced $2.9 million in new funding IHSI clinical and translational neuroscience The support will allow the to the University of Illinois and the University sub-committee member Susan Schantz is the researchers, who already are of , San Francisco (UCSF) for studies lead on the grant to Illinois and UCSF. Since engaged in separate studies, to determine how maternal exposure to stress 2010, Schantz and her colleagues have studied and to hormone-disrupting chemicals during how women’s exposure to hormone-disrupting to combine their efforts and pregnancy affect birth outcomes and child brain chemicals during pregnancy affects infant and expand the pool of subjects development. child brain development, a project called Illinois Kids Development Study, or IKIDS. they follow. Their work will The funding is for the first two years of what is be part of a national, seven- expected to be a seven-year effort, with more “We are really excited that our IKIDS study will be funding as the work progresses. The support will part of a nationwide effort to study environmental year initiative involving allow the researchers, who already are engaged influences on child health outcomes,” Schantz approximately 50,000 children in separate studies, to combine their efforts said. The UCSF team has been studying how and expand the pool of subjects they follow. maternal stress affects child health. from existing studies. The Their work will be part of a national, seven- NIH has committed $157 year initiative involving approximately 50,000 In the new research, both teams will study the children from existing studies. The NIH has effects of chemical exposures and maternal million this fiscal year to the committed $157 million this fiscal year to the stress on child brain development and health, larger initiative, which is larger initiative, which is called Environmental expanding their pool of research subjects to called Environmental Influences Influences on Child Health Outcomes. about 1,400 children and their families. on Child Health Outcomes.

12 IHSI Provides Biostatistical Services

I n response to the needs of investigators, IHSI is now offering high-quality biostatistical consulting and analysis services in support of biomedical, clinical, and health research. Our biostatisticians focus on applications in clinical trials, clinical studies, and translational research studies. They work with researchers on a wide range of projects, including: • Study design • Power/sample size calculation • Development of data specifications • Execution of data specifications requiring data manipulation and preparation of analysis datasets • Development of a statistical analysis plan for a grant application • Analysis of existing data • Interpretation of statistical results • Assistance with manuscript development and/or critical review

The team is comprised of experienced, PhD-level biostatisticians who provide clinicians and investigators with services that are specifically tailored to their needs.

The fee for services is: $100 per hour for Illinois faculty and $180 per hour for external partners. However, biostatistician time for grant preparation is an IHSI provided service for Illinois faculty, with the understanding that the biostatistician will be written into the grant. If the grant is awarded, the biostatistician’s time will be paid by the specified percentage in the grant, and not charged as a fee for service.

To start a project, email [email protected] or complete the form at healthinitiative.illinois.edu under Resources & Training and Biostatistical Services.

University Library LibGuide in Neurosciences Research and Scholarship

T he University Library offers many resources—often unknown or • Statistics, data sets, and data repositories for neuroscience untapped—for neuroscience research. • Grants and funding opportunities

Margaret (Peg) Burnette is biomedical sciences librarian and assistant • Neuroscience organizations and societies professor at the University Library. Burnette has created a LibGuide (library guide) online, providing an access point for library resources and You can find the LibGuide online at: services for research and scholarship in the area of neurosciences. It is http://guides.library.illinois.edu/ intended for use by students and faculty, and is a compilation of information neurosciences. and links to the most useful resources for research in the neurosciences. Burnette also makes herself available The LibGuide in Neurosciences Research and Scholarship is truly a one- over email and in person for Illinois stop portal for links to information on: students, faculty, and staff researchers who have specific neuroscience or • Doing research, including: literature review, managing research data, links interdisciplinary research or information to library services and data management services, and more requests. Check out the LibGuide to • Article databases take the next step in your research, or contact Burnette at or • Books, journals, and other publications (217) 300-5942 [email protected].

Margaret (Peg) Burnette 13 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 901 W. University Ave. Suite 101, MC-261 Urbana, IL 61801

IHSI Fosters Clinical & Translational Neuroscience

The Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Initiative (IHSI) at Illinois exists to catalyze, connect, support, and engage health sciences research About IHSI across the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. To As the uniting initiative for health sciences and technology on the that end, we unite researchers around health program areas, one Illinois campus, IHSI is rooted in research and grounded in tech. of which is Clinical and Translational Neuroscience. IHSI supports faculty-driven research at Illinois by organizing our campus around health challenges, team-building, coordinating IHSI research development specialist Gillian Cooke works to projects, and managing grant efforts. IHSI makes a point to fuse grow the clinical and translational neuroscience program area and technological advances with health science research. its collaborations and partnerships. She works directly with sub- committee members and manages the day-to- day activities of the program area. Common research interests merge; resources and teams coalesce.

If you would like more information about research, education, or engagement opportunities the clinical and translational neuroscience program area offers, contact Gillian today.

Gillian Cooke [email protected] (217) 300-6709 Communities give feedback and Collaborations happen; studies information; new potential projects are coordinated. emerge.

and medical communities are informed.