DOCSLIB.ORG

University of California Riverside

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
University of California Riverside UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE Regulation of Gene Expression in the Drosophila Olfactory System Varies Widely With Stimulus, Duration, Age, and Development A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology by Christi Ann Scott March 2019 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Anandasankar Ray, Chairperson Dr. Anupama Dahanukar Dr. Karine Le Roch Dr. Patricia Springer Copyright by Christi Ann Scott 2019 The Dissertation of Christi Ann Scott is approved: _______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Committee Chairperson University of California, Riverside Acknowledgements Scientific contributions: The text of this dissertation is in part reproduced with permission of the Liscensor through PLSclear as is appears in: Scott, Christi A., and Anupama Dahanukar. 2014. “Sensory Coding of Olfaction and Taste.” Behavioral Genetics of the Fly (Drosophila Melanogaster) 2: 49. Dr. Anupama Dahanukar planned and co-wrote the chapter. This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. I am grateful to the following collaborators who contributed to work in this dissertation: Dr. Anandasankar Ray supervised and directed the research that forms the basis for this dissertation. Dr. Crystal Pontrello contributed equally to the design and library preparations for the brain activity regulated gene (ARG) experiments and performed the memory experiments. Dr. Anupama Dahanukar contributed to the planning and funding of the brain ARG project. For the diacetyl experiments, Dr. Sachiko Haga-Yamanaka performed the biochemical assays, cell culture assays, neurodegeneration assays. Dr. Sarah Perry prepared some of the transcriptome libraries. Dr. Crystal Pontrello performed some of the mouse experiments. Dr. Meera Goh Nair helped to plan and assisted with the mouse exposure experiments. For the axon guidance work, Dr. Christine Pham prepared the RNA for the pdm3 mutant experiments. I would like to thank Dr. Thomas Girke for guidance in bioinformatics analysis used in all RNA-seq experiments. iv Personal acknowledgements: I would first like to thank my advisor, Dr. Anandasankar Ray for his unwavering support during my graduate school tenure. Anand, your enthusiasm for science is both unparalleled and infectious. Every time I struggled with any aspect of my research, one meeting in your office left me feeling like I was on my way to a Nobel prize. I will forever be grateful to you for your wild ideas and your guidance. My dissertation committee has been very supportive throughout graduate school. Thank you to Dr. Anupama Dahanukar for your continued support of my research. I value all of our regular conversations both science and non-science alike. Thank you to Dr. Karine Le Roch and Dr. Patricia Springer. I appreciate all of the time you have committed and the clear feedback you always provided. Thank you Dr. Crystal Pontrello, my bench mate for so many years. When we first started our project, I don’t think either of us quite knew how it would turn out. After all of these years and all of our reanalysis, I am so glad that I had a teammate that never gave up. Though I could go on, I’ll end it here because I don’t want this to be an agarose situation. I am grateful to the members of the Ray and Dahanukar labs for all of our scientific discussions and the non-stop entertainment. Tom “Good” Guda, I am thankful for all of the work you put in to keep our lab running and your daily positive attitude. And a special shout-out to my lunch buddies over the years: Adriana, Arun, Greg, Mikkal, Perry, Sean Michael Boyle, and Zev. My midday break wouldn’t have been the same without each of you. I’d also like to thank my new-age pen pals, MamaD and Bear. I hope to reunite with you in person one day, but getting to know you was a definite highlight. Thank you v also to Taylor Swift. These projects began with Speak Now and continued through the Reputation era. Much of the work presented here was done to the tune of “Enchanted” and “Style” ,among others and “Don’t Blame Me” has fueled much of the writing process. To my family, thank you for putting up with my never-ending college career. Mom, thank you for always supporting my education, starting with walking me to school everyday in kindergarten. I’m pretty sure this solidifies my spot as your favorite child. Thank you to my brothers and sisters: Jimmy, Jill, Mrrto, Brian, Melissa, Michelle, Andy, Lindsey, Ashley, and Billy and my 22 (and counting) nieces and nephews, with a special shout-out to Jessica and Aiden for coming to my defense. Thank you to the Rowden/Alexander family especially Tommy, Cyndi and Glenn for always making me feel like part of the family over the holidays. Thank you to my additional extended family, the Medina/Lomeli/Dillon/Franco group. Again, you guys never fail to make me feel as though I’m part of the family and I look forward to many more parties and trips to Mexico. Thank you to Irma Medina for always welcoming me into your home. Tu comida y tu amor ayudarme a todo, muchas gracias. I have been lucky to have two lifelong best friends, who I love more than I can say. Adriana Lomeli, I am so grateful I had someone to share this experience with. Whether you were supporting my work or with me swatching eyeshadows in Sephora, being your best friend is rewarding every day. And finally to my original ride-or-die, Leah Timme. From BC to PhD, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to see me through it. It’s been a great 20 (!) years, I can’t wait for the next 20. vi For my father Pop, I’d like to think you’d place this 2nd among your proudest moments. We both know my first tuna takes the top spot. I miss you every day. vii ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Regulation of Gene Expression in the Drosophila Olfactory System Varies Widely With Stimulus, Duration, Age, and Development by Christi Ann Scott Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology University of California, Riverside, March 2019 Dr. Anandasankar Ray, Chairperson The Drosophila olfactory system is an ideal model for the investigation of principles of gene regulation in the nervous system. Within this system, we characterize gene expression changes in response to short-term and long-term exposure to odorants. Additionally, we examine the contributions of two transcription factors to the development of this chemosensory system. Short-term exposure to odorants and light leads to neural activation and induction of activity regulated genes (ARGs). ARG induction in neurons in can lead to long-term changes at the level of the synapse. Such alterations in synaptic structure/function are thought to underlie important cellular processes such as synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation. We have conducted a genome-wide study of genes in the Drosophila central nervous system induced after brief periods of sensory stimulation and have identified 352 genes whose viii expression increases in response to neural activity. The regulation of these genes is altered with increasing age. Furthermore, we demonstrate that loss of a histone deacetylase alters neuronal response to sensory stimuli, suggesting a mechanism of epigenetic regulation. We extended our transcriptome analysis to the fly antenna and found that the genes increased in response to fruit odorants differ significantly from the genes induced by the repellent DEET. In response to long-term exposure to the odorant diacetyl, we find that dramatic changes in gene expression can, in part, be attributed to inhibition of histone deacetylases. This non-traditional action of diacetyl slows neurodegeneration in the fly model for Huntington’s Disease. We conclude with an analysis of two transcription factors acj6 and pdm3 and find they regulated proper chemosensory receptor and axon guidance gene expression in the developing Drosophila olfactory system. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………………iv DEDICATION………………………………………...………………………………………….vii LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………xii LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………………xiii CHAPTER I. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE DROSOPHILA OLFACTORY SYSTEM…………………………………………………1 Overview…………………………………………………………………………………1 Chemosensory neurons and receptors……………………………………………….2 Central representation of chemosensory activity…………………………………….8 Sophisticated processing by chemosensory neurons……………………………..15 Development of the olfactory system………………………………………………..18 Concluding remarks…………………………………………………………………...21 References……………………………………………………………………………..23 Figures………………………………………………………………………………….31 Tables…………………………………………………………………………………...35 CHAPTER II. DYSREGULATION OF THE SENSORY ACTIVITY-REGULATED TRANSCRIPTOME IN THE BRAIN WITH AGING OR HDAC6 KNOCKOUT…………...40 Overview………………………………………………………………………………..40 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..41 Results………………………………………………………………………………….42 Discussion………………………………………………………………………………49 Materials and Methods………………………………………………………………..52 References……………………………………………………………………………..56 Figures………………………………………………………………………………….60 Tables…………………………………………………………………………………...87 CHAPTER III. ACTIVITY-REGULATED GENE
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Spring 2004 (PDF)
    SPRING 2004 At www.hunter.cuny.edu In this Issue: The Sciences at Hunter: Happenings 2 at Hunter On the Leading Edge The President’s 3 Perspective unter College is one of the most outstanding science institutions in the nation, thanks Hunter Welcomes 3 to its stellar faculty. Hunter’s science professors not only initiate and conduct 49 New Faculty Hgroundbreaking research, but also teach and mentor their students with extraordinary dedication and brilliance—and reflect and foster the diversity that is one of Four Extraordinary 4 Hunter’s greatest assets. New Grads Because of the abilities and determination of both faculty and students—and also because of the programs Hunter offers to support science students, especially those from minorities Track Stars 5 underrepresented in the sciences—Hunter’s science graduates go on to prestigious doctoral Leap Over Cultural Divide programs and from there to promising careers in both academia and industry. These aspiring scientists are fully prepared for top-level careers, for their Hunter Top Scientists 6 education has taken place in a first-rate, highly productive scientific environment. Hunter’s researchers carry out significant, cutting-edge investigations; major professional journals The many labs and Future found throughout Scientists publish articles about their discoveries and experiments; and their projects receive ever- the Hunter cam- increasing grants from private sources as well as major government bodies. puses provide a vibrant research Introducing 8 In addition to training research scientists who will expand the frontiers of knowledge, environment for College Hunter is also preparing the men and women who will enter such professions as nursing, undergraduate Science to and graduate medical technology, and other science-based fields that play an essential role in maintaining science students, High Schoolers individual and national well-being.
    [Show full text]
  • Mary Elizabeth Hatten
    Mary Elizabeth Hatten BORN: Richmond, Virginia February 1, 1950 EDUCATION: Hollins College, Roanoke, VA, AB (1971) Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, PhD (1975) Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Postdoctoral (1978) APPOINTMENTS: Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine (1978–1982) Associate Professor of Pharmacology (with tenure), New York University School of Medicine (1982–1986) Associate Professor of Pathology in the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University (1986–1988) Professor of Pathology in the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University (1988–1992) Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University (1992–2000) Frederick P. Rose Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University (2000–present) HONORS AND AWARDS (SELECTED): Westinghouse National Science Talent Search Award Finalist (1967) Research Fellow of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (1983–1985) Pew Neuroscience Award (1988–1992) McKnight Neuroscience Development Award (1991–1993) Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award (1991–1998) National Science Foundation Faculty Award for Women Scientists and Engineers (1991–1996) Weill Award, American Association of Neuropathology (1996) Ph.D., Hollins College, honoris causa (1998) Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2002) Distinguished Alumna Award, Hollins University (2011) Cowan-Cajal Award for Developmental Neuroscience (2015) Elected to National Academy of Sciences, USA (2017) Ralph J. Gerard Prize in Neuroscience, Society for Neuroscience (2017) Mary E. Hatten has used the mouse cerebellar cortex as a model to study molecular mechanisms of central nervous system (CNS) cortical neurogenesis and migration. She pioneered live imaging methods that proved that CNS neurons migrate on glial fibers and revealed a specific, conserved mode of CNS neuronal migration along glial fibers in different cortical regions.
    [Show full text]
  • Convocation for Conferring Degrees Virtual Ceremony Thursday, June 11, 2020 Academic Procession New Castle Brass Quintet Welcomi
    Convocation for Conferring Degrees Virtual Ceremony Thursday, June 11, 2020 Academic Procession New Castle Brass Quintet Welcoming Remarks Richard P. Lifton, M.D., Ph.D. President and Carson Family Professor Introduction Sidney Strickland, Ph.D. Dean of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies Vice President for Educational Affairs Conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Dr. Lifton Presentation of the David Rockefeller Award for Extraordinary Service Dr. Lifton Alzatta Fogg Torsten N. Wiesel, M.D., F.R.S. Conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa Dr. Lifton Marnie S. Pillsbury Lucy Shapiro, Ph.D. Academic Recession New Castle Brass Quintet 2 2020 Graduates Sarah Ackerman B.S., State University of New York, College at Geneseo The Role of Adipocytes in the Tumor Microenvironment in Obesity-driven Breast Cancer Progression Paul Cohen Sarah Kathleen Baker B.A., University of San Diego Blood-derived Plasminogen Modulates the Neuroimmune Response in Both Alzheimer’s Disease and Systemic Infection Models Sidney Strickland Mariel Bartley B.Sc., Monash University Characterizing the RNA Editing Specificity of ADAR Isoforms and Deaminase Domains in vitro Charles M. Rice Kate Bredbenner B.S., B.A., University of Rochester Visualizing Protease Activation, retroCHMP3 Activity, and Vpr Recruitment During HIV-1 Assembly Sanford M. Simon Ian Andrew Eckardt Butler B.A., The University of Chicago Hybridization in Ants Daniel Kronauer Daniel Alberto Cabrera* B.A., Columbia University Time-restricted Feeding Extends Longevity in Drosophila melanogaster Michael W. Young * Participant in the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program 3 James Chen B.A., University of Pennsylvania Cryo-EM Studies of Bacterial RNA Polymerase Seth A.
    [Show full text]
  • A Neuronal Circuit Architecture for Angular Integration in Drosophila Jonathan Green
    Rockefeller University Digital Commons @ RU Student Theses and Dissertations 2017 A Neuronal Circuit Architecture for Angular Integration in Drosophila Jonathan Green Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.rockefeller.edu/ student_theses_and_dissertations Part of the Life Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Green, Jonathan, "A Neuronal Circuit Architecture for Angular Integration in Drosophila" (2017). Student Theses and Dissertations. 405. http://digitalcommons.rockefeller.edu/student_theses_and_dissertations/405 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ RU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ RU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A NEURONAL CIRCUIT ARCHITECTURE FOR ANGULAR INTEGRATION IN DROSOPHILA A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of The Rockefeller University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Jonathan Green June 2017 ã Copyright by Jonathan Green 2017 A NEURONAL CIRCUIT ARCHITECTURE FOR ANGULAR INTEGRATION IN DROSOPHILA Jonathan Green, Ph.D. The Rockefeller University 2017 While navigating their environment, many animals keep track of their angular heading over time. However, a neuronal-circuit architecture for computing heading remains unknown in any species. In this thesis, I describe a set of neurons in the Drosophila central complex whose wiring and physiology provide a means to shift an angular heading estimate when the fly turns. I show that these clockwise- and counterclockwise-shifting neurons each exist in two subtypes, with spatiotemporal activity profiles that suggest opposing roles for each subtype at the start and end of a turn. Shifting neurons are required for the heading system to properly track the fly's heading in the dark, and their stimulation induces a shift in the heading signal in the expected direction.
    [Show full text]
  • Multimodal Chemosensory Circuits Controlling Male Courtship in Drosophila
    Article Multimodal Chemosensory Circuits Controlling Male Courtship in Drosophila Highlights Authors d P1 neurons are functionally tuned toward appropriate E. Josephine Clowney, Shinya Iguchi, potential mates Jennifer J. Bussell, Elias Scheer, Vanessa Ruta d Gustatory and olfactory pheromone circuits converge on P1 neurons Correspondence [email protected] d Pheromone signals are carried by parallel excitatory and inhibitory branches In Brief d This neural architecture allows stringent and flexible control Gustatory and olfactory pheromone of courtship behavior afferents converge on courtship- promoting P1 neurons in the male Drosophila brain. Integration of these positive and negative chemosensory signals tunes P1 neural responses to generate selective courtship to appropriate mates. Clowney et al., 2015, Neuron 87, 1036–1049 September 2, 2015 ª2015 Elsevier Inc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.07.025 Neuron Article Multimodal Chemosensory Circuits Controlling Male Courtship in Drosophila E. Josephine Clowney,1 Shinya Iguchi,1 Jennifer J. Bussell,2 Elias Scheer,1 and Vanessa Ruta1,* 1Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA 2Department of Neuroscience, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA *Correspondence: [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.07.025 SUMMARY the male pursues the female, tracking her closely and extending a single wing to produce a species-specific song. The male will Throughout the animal kingdom, internal states eventually contact her ovipositor with his proboscis and mount generate long-lasting and self-perpetuating chains her to attempt copulation, and courtship can continue for tens of behavior. In Drosophila, males instinctively pursue of minutes until the pair copulates or the female decamps.
    [Show full text]
  • Agenda MUB17
    Structure and Function of the Insect Mushroom Body Sunday, March 5 3:00 pm Check-in 6:00 pm Reception (Lobby) 7:00 pm Dinner 8:00 pm Welcome & Opening Remarks (Organizers) 8:05 pm Plenary Talks Chair: Glenn Turner 8:05 pm Richard Axel, HHMI/Columbia University Representations of novelty and familiarity in a mushroom body compartment 8:50 pm Larry F. Abbott, Columbia University Modeling the mushroom body 9:35 pm Refreshments available at Bob’s Pub NOTE: Meals are in the Dining Room Talks are in the Seminar Room Posters are in the Lobby 3/6/17 Structure and Function of the Insect Mushroom Body Monday, March 6 7:30 am Breakfast (service ends at 8:45am) 9:00 am Plenary Talk Chair: Gerry Rubin 9:00 am Nate Sawtell, Columbia University Generation and subtraction of expectations in cerebellum-like structures 9:45 am Break 10:15 am Session 1 Chair: Thomas Preat 10:15 am Yoshinori Aso, Janelia Research Campus/HHMI Beyond EM reconstruction of the mushroom body 10:40 am Tzumin Lee, Janelia Research Campus/HHMI Development of Drosophila mushroom bodies 11:05 am Gabriella Wolff, University of Washington An ancient origin of the mushroom body 11:30 am Lunch (service ends at 1pm) 1:00 pm Session 2 Chair: Ron Davis 1:00 pm Marta Zlatic, Janelia Research Campus/HHMI Circuits principles of memory-based behavioral choice 1:25 pm Gregory S. Jefferis, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Circuit logic of the lateral horn and its relationship to the mushroom body 1:50 pm James M.
    [Show full text]
  • Internal TPCB Symposium Program 2019
    Professor Cynthia Wolberger Prof. Wolberger is Professor of Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She received her A.B. in Physics from Cornell University and her Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University, where she studied the structural basis of protein–DNA interactions with Stephen Harrison and Mark Ptashne. After a postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF TH with Bob Stroud, she did further research on the structure of homeodomain-DNA complexes in the lab of Carl Pabo at Johns Hopkins 15 ANNUAL and joined the faculty there in 1991. Prof. Wolberger was a recipient of the David and Lucile Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, a March of Dimes – Basil O’Conor Starter Scholar Award, and an American Cancer TRI-INSTITUTIONAL Society Junior Faculty Award, and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator from 1994–2014. She has done pioneering work on the structural basis for combinatorial regulation of gene expression, the CHEMICAL BIOLOGY molecular mechanisms of the sirtuin family of protein deacetylases, and on ubiquitin signaling. SYMPOSIUM Professor Benjamin Cravatt Prof. Cravatt is a Professor in the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Gilula Chair Chemical Biology at The Scripps Research Institute. The Cravatt group has obtained fundamental insights into the chemical, biochemical, and physiological workings of several Wednesday, September 4, 2019 important mammalian serine hydrolases, including enzymes involved in the neurobiology of pain and cancer 9:00 am – 6:00 pm metabolism and malignancy. Prof. Cravatt obtained his undergraduate education at Stanford University, receiving a B.S. in the Biological Sciences and a B.A.
    [Show full text]
  • Board Meeting Minutes April 29, 2013
    Board of Trustees Minutes of Proceedings, April 29, 2013 49 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK HELD APRIL 29, 2013 AT BARUCH COLLEGE VERTICAL CAMPUS 55 LEXINGTON AVENUE – BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN The Chairperson called the meeting to order at 4:33 P.M. There were present: Benno Schmidt, Chairperson Philip Alfonso Berry, Vice Chairperson Valerie Lancaster Beal Brian D. Obergfell Wellington Z. Chen Peter S. Pantaleo Rita DiMartino Kathleen M. Pesile Freida D. Foster Carol A. Robles-Roman Judah Gribetz Charles A. Shorter Joseph J. Lhota Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld Kafui K. Kouakou, ex officio Terrence F. Martell, ex officio (non-voting) Frederick P. Schaffer, General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Secretary of the Board Hourig Messerlian, Deputy to the Secretary Towanda Lewis Steven Quinn Anthony Vargas Doris Wang Chancellor Matthew Goldstein President Regina Peruggi EVC and University Provost Alexandra Logue President Jennifer Raab Executive Vice Chancellor and C.O.O. Allan H. Dobrin President Felix V. Matos Rodriguez President Diane Bova Call President Jeremy Travis President Lisa S. Coico President Mitchel Wallerstein President Scott E. Evenbeck Dean Michelle Anderson President Ricardo R. Fernandez Dean Ann Kirschner Interim President William J. Fritz Dean Stephen Shepard President Karen L. Gould Senior Vice Chancellor Marc V. Shaw President Russell K. Hotzler Vice Chancellor Frank D. Sánchez President Carole Berotte Joseph Vice Chancellor Pamela Silverblatt President Marcia V. Keizs Vice Chancellor Gillian Small President William P. Kelly Vice Chancellor Iris Weinshall President Gail O.
    [Show full text]
  • The David Rockefeller Graduate Program Non-Departmental Campus Promotes In- 2Alumni Have Teractions Between Won the Nobel Fields Prize
    2012–2013 THE DAVID ROCKEFELLER GRADUATE PROGRAM NON-DEPARTMENTAL CAMPUS PROMOTES IN- 2ALUMNI HAVE TERACTIONS BETWEEN WON THE NOBEL FIELDS PRIZE LIVE ON BEAUTIFUL, LUSH 37 CAMPUS IN THE HEART COUNTRIES OF NEW YORK CITY REPRESENTED BY STUDENTS 10 HEADS OF LAB ARE ALUMNI FULL FELLOWSHIP FUNDING FOR ALL STUDENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2 DEAN’S MESSAGE 4 1 ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 6 FACULTY AND RESEARCH 12 STUDENT LIFE 20 ADMISSIONS AND SCHEDULE OF COURSES 26 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE For me, neuroscience was love at first sight. Understanding the brain and wanting to know how to deconstruct and resolve its complexity fueled my career ini- tially and still motivates me in my lab today. People fall in love with science at different times in their lives and for dif- ferent reasons, but the common denominator is an excite- ment and curiosity to understand the world around them — that’s what The Rockefeller University’s graduate program is designed to nurture. It is also what drives Rockefeller’s world-class faculty, who push the boundaries of knowledge with their innovative approaches to scientific discovery. In an environment that aims to foster independence and freedom, both students and faculty chart their own paths. For faculty, this culture has led to pioneering discoveries with the potential to eradicate disease and reduce suffering for millions. For students, it provides flexibility to work with more than one professor on their chosen thesis topic. For both, it enables collaboration and interdisciplin- ary research, which are the university’s hallmarks. Rockefeller is truly unique, as it exists solely to support science; thus, every aspect of the administration is dedicated to the success of our scientists.
    [Show full text]
  • Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuits, Memory and Computation
    Columbia University Center for Neural Engineering and Computation | Columbia Workshop on Brain Circuits, Memory and Computation Friday and Saturday, March 18-19, 2016 501 NWC Building | Organizer and Program Chair: Aurel A. Lazar (Columbia University) The goal of the workshop is to bring together researchers interested in developing executable models of neural computa- tion/processing of the brain of model organisms. Of interest are models of computation that consist of elementary units of processing using brain circuits and memory elements. Elementary units of computation/processing include population encod- ing/decoding circuits with biophysically-grounded neuron models, non-linear dendritic processors for motion detection/direction selectivity, spike processing and pattern recognition neural circuits, movement control and decision-making circuits, etc. Memory units include models of spatio-temporal memory circuits, circuit models for memory access and storage, etc. A major aim of the workshop is to explore the integration of various sensory and control circuits in higher brain centers. Program Overview Friday 09:00 AM - 05:30 PM 09:00 AM - 09:45 AM Alexander Borst (MPI Neurobiology), Functional Characterization of the Input Elements to the Drosophila Motion Detector 09:45 AM - 10:30 AM Michael B. Reiser (HHMI Janelia), The Circuit Basis of Directional Selectivity in the Drosophila Visual System 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Co↵ee Break 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM Thomas R. Clandinin (Stanford), How Does Contrast Selectivity Emerge in Motion Processing Pathways 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM Chung-Chuan Lo (National Tsing Hua University), The Virtual Fly Brain – from Bench-Top to Cyberspace 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM Lunch Break (On your own, see a list of restaurants in the area on the back) 02:00 PM - 02:45 PM J.
    [Show full text]
  • Nitric Oxide Acts As a Cotransmitter in a Subset of Dopaminergic Neurons To
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Nitric oxide acts as a cotransmitter in a subset of dopaminergic neurons to diversify memory dynamics Yoshinori Aso1*, Robert P Ray1, Xi Long1, Daniel Bushey1, Karol Cichewicz2, Teri-TB Ngo1, Brandi Sharp1, Christina Christoforou1, Amy Hu1, Andrew L Lemire1, Paul Tillberg1, Jay Hirsh2, Ashok Litwin-Kumar3, Gerald M Rubin1* 1Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States; 2Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States; 3Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, United States Abstract Animals employ diverse learning rules and synaptic plasticity dynamics to record temporal and statistical information about the world. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this diversity are poorly understood. The anatomically defined compartments of the insect mushroom body function as parallel units of associative learning, with different learning rates, memory decay dynamics and flexibility (Aso and Rubin, 2016). Here, we show that nitric oxide (NO) acts as a neurotransmitter in a subset of dopaminergic neurons in Drosophila. NO’s effects develop more slowly than those of dopamine and depend on soluble guanylate cyclase in postsynaptic Kenyon cells. NO acts antagonistically to dopamine; it shortens memory retention and facilitates the rapid updating of memories. The interplay of NO and dopamine enables memories stored in local domains along Kenyon cell axons to be specialized for predicting the value of odors based only on recent events. Our results provide key mechanistic insights into how diverse memory dynamics are established in parallel memory systems. *For correspondence: [email protected] (YA); [email protected] (GMR) Introduction Competing interests: The An animal’s survival in a dynamically changing world depends on storing distinct sensory information authors declare that no about their environment as well as the temporal and probabilistic relationship between those cues competing interests exist.
    [Show full text]
  • Read Full 2019-2020 Directory
    THE UNIVERSITY SEMINARS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2019 2020 DIRECTORY OF SEMINARS, SPEAKERS, & TOPICS TABLE OF CONTENTS Contacts 4 2016 2017 CONFERENCES Introduction 5 History of the University Seminars 6 Annual Report 8 Leonard Hastings Schoff Memorial Lectures Series 10 Schoff Publication Fund 12 2019-2020 Seminar Supported Conferences 15 2019-2020 Seminar Meetings 33 Index of Seminars 123 ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCTION Robert E. Remez, Chair, Professor of Psychology, Barnard College George Andreopoulos, Professor, Political Science and Criminal Justice, City University of New York The University Seminars is a consortium of more than ninety independent seminars. It is an evolving academic enterprise. Individual Susan Boynton, Professor of Music, Historical Musicology, Columbia University seminars consist of professors and other experts, from Columbia and elsewhere, who gather on an ongoing basis to consider issues of Jennifer Crewe, Associate Provost and Director, Columbia University Press practical and theoretical importance that cross the boundaries of academic departments. In this way, The University Seminars links Columbia University with the intellectual resources of the surrounding communities. This outreach offers the fruits of interaction and Farah J. Griffin, William B. Ransford Professor of English and Comparative Literature and African-American Studies mutual intellectual enrichment to all participants. Kenneth T. Jackson, Jacques Barzun Professor Emeritus of History, Columbia University Each seminar elects its own officers, plans its own program, and selects its own membership: members from Columbia, associate David Johnston, Professor of Political Philosophy and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Columbia University members from elsewhere, and any speakers or other guests it invites to its sessions. Approximately half of the seminars admit selected graduate students as guests.
    [Show full text]