Notes from the NGP Director

Did you know…..Students in both the Neuroscience and NBA track of the Neuroscience Graduate Program are required to pass a two part qualifying exam. By August 1st of the start of their third year, students are expected to complete the Preliminary Exam. This exam serves as a tool for helping students prepare for the thesis proposal which is the second part of the qualifying exam. The student must convene a preliminary committee (advisor plus two program faculty) and work closely with them to develop a reading list of a minimum of 50 papers from the literature. The student then has 2 months in which to thoroughly familiarize him/herself with this literature and propose five questions based on the readings to the committee. The committee can alter these questions to ensure that the answers have the necessary focus or breadth as appropriate. The student then has seven calendar days to answer these questions in writing (2-4 single-spaced pages for each question is recommended) and return their answers to their committee. The exam evaluates the student’s ability to read, interpret, and critique the scientific literature most important to the student’s specific area of research. The second part of the qualifying exam must be completed by the end of the 5th semester of study and takes the form of a thesis proposal consisting of a written portion (in the form of an NRSA applica-tion), a formal presentation to the neuroscience community, and a closed oral examination with the committee. To find out more go to: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/education/graduate/phd/neurosciences/program/qualifying-exam.cfm

Dear colleagues

Best wishes for 2013! I am very excited to take over as the new Director for the Neuroscience Graduate Program. We

have a very strong and broad neuroscience community here at the University of Rochester. The program is a great resource that brings us all together with the goal of educating new scientists but also gives us the opportunity to build an interactive and collaborative commu-nity interested in many aspects of neurosci-ence. I am looking forward to interacting with all of you to continue to make the program and our community as strong as it can be.Our program has 41 current students that are distributed among 22 of the 58 labs repre-senting 17 departments that are part of the program. We have now integrated our two PhD programs: Neuroscience as well as Neurobiology and Anatomy. Students in these two tracks come into a single program and have common requirements aside from second year course work. Currently we have 13 students in the NBA track, 22 students in the Neuroscience track and 6 first year students who will pick their track this summer. Our students continue to excel. You can read about their many publications, presentations and awards below.

As a community we are a very talented bunch –the news section shows some examples of our talents.

We are looking forward to a great admissionsseason. We received 60 US and 24 internationalapplications this year. I am pleased to report thatour applicant pool was excellent and the admissions committee had a difficult job identifying the top 14 applicants for us to bring in for interviews. Seven interviewees arrived for our first interview weekend (January 31st – February 3rd) and six will interview on February 28th – March 3rd. One applicant will interview outside these dates. Recruiting the best applicants is critical for our success as a program. The students and faculty work very hard to make the interviewexperience memorable and to show off the great

program that we have built. Thank you all forputting time and energy into making these stu-dents welcome during their visit.

We are also looking forward to having an active Society for Neuroscience chapter in Rochester (thanks to Krystel Huxlin for spearheading this effort!). The chapter will be a great resource for enhancing our current activities, providing new opportunities and bringing the neuroscience community together. Please look out for Krystel’s e-mails and support this effort.

Lastly, I would like to encourage you all to share your views and offer advice on how to improve the program and build our community further. To facilitate this on a faculty level we will have a faculty meeting on Thursday, March 21 at 3:30 pm in the NBA Conference Room (5-7432). Please make time in your busy schedules to attend. I also encourage everyone affiliated with the program to contact me with ideas for program improve-ments– your input is important! Many of you have already shared your views with me and I am grateful for your suggestions. Please feel free to e-mail, call or talk to me in person. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Ania Majewska, Phd

Newsletter - Winter 2013Neuroscience Graduate Program

As our program continues to evolve please check out our website at www.urmc.rochester.edu/education/graduate/phd/neurosciences.aspx where you can find lots of information about the program. We are constantly updating the website and welcome any suggestions for further improvements. We also have a Facebook page which has listings of upcoming and recent events. Click on the icon on our webpage to get there. I also encourage everyone to participate in the events that we sponsor including the weekly student seminar session, which is held in K-307 at 4 pm on Mondays.

WehopeyouhavehadachancetomeetourstudentswhoenteredtheNeuroscienceGraduateProgramlastfall.Ifnot,youcantakeaglanceattheirprofilebelow.Thisyear’sclassconsistsoffivePh.D.studentsandoneM.D./Ph.D.student.

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Matthew Cavanaugh completedhisundergraduatedegreeatSUNYGeneseowherehere-ceivedabachelor’sdegreeinbiology,aswellasminorsinpsychologyandcognitivescience.HisresearchwasfocusedonstudyingthedistributionofanovelserotoninreceptorinAplysiacalifornica,whichwaspresentedattheSocietyforIntegrativeandComparativeBiologyAnnualConferencein2012.Hiscurrentresearchinterestsarevariedacrossthefieldofneuroscience.

Lauren Cummings graduatedfromRochesterInstituteofTechnologywithadegreeinElectri-calEngineering.Herpastresearchhasincludedtwoprojectsintheareaofrobotics,oneofwhichfocusedondevelopingacontrolsystemforvisualservoingwithanomni-directionalvehicleandtheotheraimedatimprovingwheelchairdesigntoallowusersincreasedinde-pendence.ShealsospenttimeconductingreliabilitytestingforLexmarkanddevelopingradiocommunicationssystemsforHarrisCorp.Herinterestinneurosciencedevelopedwhendiscoveringthedifficultyofprogrammingbiologicalprocesses.

Colin LockwoodgraduatedfromVanderbiltUniversity.HejoinstheprogramafterhisfirsttwoyearsoftheUniversityofRochesterMedicalSchool.HehasbeeninvolvedinseveralprojectsinDr.Duffy’slabthroughtheyearsworkingonhowthehigherordervisualsystemencodesselfmovementcuesandcompetingstimuli.HeiscurrentlyinterestedinincorporatingseveralneurophysiologicalmethodstoelucidatethebiologicalunderpinningsofcharacteristicEEGchangesinAlzheimer’sdisease.

Heather Natola completedherundergraduatedegreeattheUniversityofNewHampshirewheresheworkedonmicrobialgenetics.ShealsospentasummeratDartmouthwhereshestudiedsodiumchannelpropertiesinaDravetsyndromemodel.Thisexperienceweighedinonherdecisiontopursueneuroscience.

Rebecca Rausch graduatedfromtheUniversityofMichiganwhereshewasamemberoftwolabs.Herresearchinoneexaminedsexdifferencesinvolvedinthesusceptibilitytococaineaddiction.Intheother,shestudiedtheroleofcircadianclockgenesinnormalmetabolismandtypeIIdiabetesmodels.ThelatterresultedinherfirstpublicationintheJournalofBiologicalChemistry.Hercurrentinterestslieindevelopmentandneurotoxicity.

Aleta Steevens graduatedfromtheUniversityofMinnesota.HerundergraduateresearchmentorwasDr.WalterLowofneurosurgery;thereshedevelopedatransgenicmousemodelofneurodegenerationandwonacompetitiveresearchgrantentitled“InvestigationofselectivedegenerationofbasalforbraincholinergicneuronsinthebasalgangliaduringAlzheimer’sdis-ease”.Shehasspenttimeinthefieldofclinicalpsychologyandhasparticipatedinnumerousresearchprojectsinthisarea;ofnoteshedesignedthecurrentstudy“Spatial Abilities and So-cial/Emotional Development in Children”.Currently,herinterestsattheUniversityofRochesterincludecellularandmolecularsignalingcascadesinischemicbraininjury.

Neuroscience Graduate Program

Students Entering in 2012

Newsletter - Winter 2013

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Milestones - Year 2011 - 2012

Qualifying Exams

Kimberly Fernandes,”TheJNKpathwayisacriticalregulatorofretinalganglioncelldeathinglaucoma”

Dan Marker,”MLK3inhibitionprotectsthemurineCNSfromtheeffectsofHIV-1Tat”

Fiona Dubuss,”ChronicIL-1betaoverexpressiondrivesspontaneousseizuresinmice:addressingtheroleofblood-brainbarrierdisruption”

Imran Punekar,”ImpulsivityinParkinson’sDisease”

Michele Saul,”Cellproliferationandmigrationintotheamygdaladuringadolescence.Isitimpactedbystress?”

Danielle DeCampo,”Theparalaminarnucleusoftheamygdala:substrateforeffectsofearlylifestress”

Revathi Balasubramanian,“TheroleofLhx9inthedevelopmentofmouseretinalcellsubtypesandtheirlaminarspecification”

Ethan Winkler,“Vascular-mediatedneuronalinjury:theroleofblood-spinalcordbarrierdisruptioninthepathogenesisof amyotrophiclateralsclerosis”

Phillip Rappold,“RoleofmitochondrialdynamicsinParkinson’sdiseaseprocessesandtherapeutics”

Wei Sun,“AstrocyteTranscriptionFactorSOX9intheregulationofinhibitoryExtracellularMatrixComponentsfollowingStroke”

Adam Pallus,“ExaminingHead-MovementControlandCoordinationduringVisualOrientationandPursuit”

Shiona Biswas,“TherolesofLmo3inthespecificationofneuronalsubtypesintheglobuspallidus”

Fatima Rivera-Escalera,“ThecontributionofmononuclearphagocytesinIL-1betamediatedamyloidbetaclearanceina mousemodelofAlzheimer’sdisease”

Julianne Feola,“TheRoleofAstrocyticTransglutaminase2onMediatingIschemicStrokeDamage”

Grayson Sipe,”P2Y12andpurinergicsignalinginnon-pathologicalmicroglia”

Kelli Fagan,“UsingsexdifferencesinC.eleganstounderstandneuralmodulationofbehavior”

Rebecca Lowery,“MicrogliaandFractalkineSignalinginSynapticPlasticity”

PhD Thesis Defenses.Susan Lee(PhD),”AudiovisualIntegrationDuringLanguageComprehension:TheNeuralBasisofSocialCommunicationinAutismandTypicalDevelopment”

Michael Jacob(PhD),”TheActiveControlofSelf-MovementPerception:NeuronalMechanismsandCognitiveAging”

Kathleen McAvoy (PhD),“TheVonHippel-LindauProteinRegulatesDevelopmentalCellDeathinSympatheticNeurons”

Cory Hussar (PhD),“Representationofspeedanddirectioninprefrontalcortexduringmotiondiscriminationtasks”

Zhuoxun Chen (PhD),“IdentificationofMolecularDeterminantsofTestosterone-inducedAngiogenesisandNeurogenesisin AdultSongbirdBrain”

Crystal McClain (PhD),“PleiotrophinMaintenanceofPDGFRα-definedFetalHumanOligodendrocyteProgenitorCellFate”

Sally Duarte (PhD),“NeuronalandNetwork.MechanismsofIctogenesis”

Newsletter - Winter 2013Neuroscience Graduate Program

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PhD Thesis Defenses.Youngsun Cho(PhD),“DefiningLimbicSubsystems:ExaminingaFunctionalRewardNetworkandCortico-Amygdala-Striatal AnatomicCircuits”

Ethan Winkler(PhD),“Blood-SpinalCordBarrierDysfunctioninNeurodegeneration”

Katherine Selzler (PhD),“SubthalamicNucleusStimulationandBasalGangliaCircuits:DissociableNeurophysiologicaland BehavioralEffects”

Maria Diehl(PhD),“Neuronalactivityandconnectionsoffaceandvocalizationprocessingintheprimateprefrontalcortex”

Sarah McConnell(PhD),“Methamphetamine-inducedNeuroinflammationandNeurotoxicity:aRoleforInterleukin-1beta”

Phillip Rappold(PhD),“PathogenicmechanismsandnoveltherapeuticstrategiesinParkinsondisease”

Neuroscience Graduate Program

Milestones - Year 2011 - 2012

Student Publications

Sun W,McConnell E,PareJF,XuQ,ChenM,PengW,LovattD,HanX,SmithY,NedergaardM(2013Jan11).Glutamate-dependentneuroglialcalciumsignalingdiffersbetweenyoungandadultbrainScience.339,197-200.

llenJL,ConradK,OberdörsterG,JohnstonCJ,Sleezer B,Cory-SlechtaDA(2013Jan01).DevelopmentalExposuretoConcentratedAmbientParticlesandPreferenceforImmediateRewardinMice. EnvironHealthPerspect.121,32-38

GundemirS,ColakG,Feola J,BlouinR,JohnsonGV(2013Jan01).Transglutaminase2facilitatesoramelioratesHIFsignalingandischemiccelldeathdependingonitsconformationandlocalization.BiochimBiophysActa.1833,1-10.

BekarLK,Wei HS,NedergaardM(2012Dec01).Thelocuscoeruleus-norepinephrinenetworkoptimizescouplingofcerebralbloodvolumewithoxygendemand.CerebBloodFlowMetab.32,2135-45.

Marker DF,PucciniJM,MockusTE,BarbieriJ,LuSM,GelbardHA(2012Nov29).LRRK2kinaseinhibitionpreventspathologicalmicroglialphagocytosisinresponsetoHIV-1Tatprotein.JNeuroinflammation.9,261.

MartinT,Das A,HuxlinKR(2012Nov01).Visualcorticalactivityreflectsfasteraccumulationofinformationfromcorticallyblindfields.Brain.135,3440-52.

O’Donnell J,ZeppenfeldD,McConnell E,PenaS,NedergaardM(2012Nov01).Norepinephrine:aneuromodulatorthatbooststhefunctionofmultiplecelltypestooptimizeCNSperformance.NeurochemRes.37,2496-512.HarderJM,DingQ, Fernandes KA,CherryJD,GanL,LibbyRT(2012Aug01).BCL2L1(BCL-X)promotessurvivalofadultanddevelopingretinalganglioncells.MolCellNeurosci.51,53-9.

TongX,BuelowK,GuhaA,Rausch R,YinL(2012Jul20).USP2aproteindeubiquitinatesandstabilizesthecircadianproteinCRY1inre-sponsetoinflammatorysignals.JBiolChem.287,25280-91.

McConnell S,AllaJ,WheatE,RomeoR,McEwenB,ThorntonJ(2012Apr01).Theroleoftesticularhormonesandluteinizinghormoneinspatialmemoryinadultmalerats. HormonesandBehavior.61,479-486.

TongJ,LiuW,Wang X,HanX,HyrienO,SamadaniU,SmithDH,HuangJH(2012Sep11).InhibitionofNogo-66Receptor1EnhancesRecoveryofCognitiveFunctionafterTraumaticBrainInjuryinMice.JNeurotrauma.Inpress.

WangF,Smith NA,XuQ,FujitaT,BabaA,MatsudaT,TakanaT,BekarL,NedergaardM(2012Apr03).AstrocytesmodulateneuralnetworkactivitybyCa2+-dependentuptakeofextracellularK+.ScienceSignaling.1-15.

Newsletter - Winter 2013

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Student Publications

FudgeJL,deCampo DM,BecoatsKT(2012Jun14).Revisitingthehippocampal-amygdalapathwayinprimates:associationwithimmature-appearingneurons.Neuroscience.212,104-19.

Fernandes KA,HarderJM,FornarolaLB,FreemanRS,ClarkAF,PangIH,JohnSW,LibbyRT(2012May01).JNK2andJNK3aremajorregu-latorsofaxonalinjury-inducedretinalganglioncelldeath.NeurobiolDis.46,393-401.

Das A,DemagistrisM,HuxlinKR(2012Apr18).Differentpropertiesofvisualrelearningafterdamagetoearlyversushigher-levelvisualcorticalareas.JNeurosci.32,5414-25.LovattD,XuQ,LiuW,TakanoT,Smith NA,SchnermannJ,TieuK,NedergaardM(2012Apr17).Neuronaladenosinerelease,andnotastro-cyticATPrelease,mediatesfeedbackinhibitionofexcitatoryactivity.ProcNatlAcadSciUSA.109,6265-70.

Saul ML,TyleeD,BecoatsKT,GuerreroBG,SweeneyP,HelmreichDL,FudgeJL(2012Apr01).Long-termbehavioralconsequencesofstressexposureinadolescentversusyoungadultrats.BehavBrainRes.229,226-34.

VandermarkER,DelucaKA,GardnerCR,Marker DF,SchreinerCN,StricklandDA,WiltonKM,MondalS,WoodworthCD(2012Mar30).Hu-manpapillomavirustype16E6andE7proteinsalterNF-kBinculturedcervicalepithelialcellsandinhibitionofNF-kBpromotescellgrowthandimmortalization.Virology.425,53-60

MatousekSB,Ghosh S,ShaftelSS,KyrkanidesS,OlschowkaJA,O’BanionMK(2012Mar01).ChronicIL-1β-mediatedneuroinflammationmitigatesamyloidpathologyinamousemodelofAlzheimer’sdiseasewithoutinducingovertneurodegeneration.NeuroimmunePharmacol.7,156-64.

deCampo DM,FudgeJL(2012Jan01).Whereandwhatistheparalaminarnucleus?Areviewonauniqueandfrequentlyoverlookedareaoftheprimateamygdala.NeurosciBiobehavRev.36,520-35.

HarderJM,Fernandes KA,LibbyRT(2012Jan01).TheBcl-2familymemberBIMhasmultipleglaucoma-relevantfunctionsinDBA/2Jmice.SciRep.2,530.

FujitaT,WilliamsEK,JensenTK,Smith NA,TakanoT,TieuK,NedergaardM(2012Jan01).Culturedastrocytesdonotreleaseadenosineduringhypoxicconditions.JCerebBloodFlowMetab.32,e1-7.

LiuW,RenY,BossertA,Wang X,DayawansaS,TongJ,HeX,SmithDH,GelbardHA,HuangJH(2012Jan01).Allotransplantedneuronsusedtorepairperipheralnerveinjurydonotelicitovertimmunogenicity.PLoSOne.7,e31675.

Rappold PM,CuiM, Chesser AS,TibbettJ,GrimaJC,DuanL,SenN,JavitchJA,TieuK(2011Dec20).Paraquatneurotoxicityismediatedbythedopaminetransporterandorganiccationtransporter-3.ProcNatlAcadSciUSA.108,20766-71

BaisleySK,Cloninger CL,BakshiVP(2011Oct24).Fosexpressionfollowingregimensofpredatorstressversusfootshockthatdifferentiallyaffectprepulseinhibitioninrats.Physiology&Behavior.104,796-803

RomanskiLR,Diehl MM,(2011Aug21).Neuronsresponsivetoface-viewintheprimateventrolateralprefrontalcortex.Neuroscience.189,223-235

Ganeshan VR,SchorNF(2011Aug01).Pharmacologicmanagementofhigh-riskneuroblastomainchildren.PaediatrDrugs.13,245-55

Pritchard SM,DolanPJ,VitkusA,JohnsonGV(2011Aug01).ThetoxicityoftauinAlzheimerdisease:turnover,targetsandpotentialtherapeutics.JCellMolMed.15,1621-35.

LuSM,TremblayM-E,KingIL,QiJ,ReynoldsHM,Marker DF,VarroneJP,MajewskaAK,DewhurstS,GelbardHA(2011Jan01).HIV-1Tat-InducedMicrogliosisandSynapticDamageviaInteractionsbetweenPeripheralandCentralMyeloidCells. PLoSOne.6,1-15

LimS,Chesser AS,GrimaJC,RappoldPM,BlumD,PrzedborskiS,TieuK(2011Jan01).D-β-hydroxybutyrateisprotectiveinmousemodelsofHuntington’sdisease.PLoSOne.6,e24620.

Sipe GO,DearworthJR,SelvarajahBP,BlaumJF,LittlefieldTE,FinkDA,CaseyCN,McDougalDH(2011Jan01).Spectralsensitivityofthephotointrinsicirisinthered-earedsliderturtle(Trachemysscriptaelegans).VisionRes.51,120-30.

Newsletter - Winter 2013Neuroscience Graduate Program

Student Awards

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Nathan Smith, F31NIH(NRSA)IndividualPredoctoralFellowship,“AstrocytesRoleinLipidMediatedSynapticActivity”(July2011-June2013) Adrianne Chesser,NIEHSF30IndividualPredoctoralFellowship,“MitochondrialDynamicsUnderlieGene-EnvironmentInteractionsinParkinson’s”(July2011-June2015)

NeuroscienceTrainingGrant,T32NS07489,currentappointees:Matthew Cavanaugh, Lauren Cummings, Heather Natola, Ryan Dawes, Jennifer Stripay, Laura Yunes-Medina (September2012-August2013)

Adam Pallus, Rebecca Lowery, and Brianna Sleezer, VisualScience(CVS)fellowshipforresearchsupport(January-June2013)

Phillip Rappold,F30,NIHIndividualPredoctoralFellowship,“RoleofmitochondrialdynamicsinParkinson’sdiseaseprocessesandtherapeutics”(August2011-July2014)

Julianne Feola,F31NIH(NRSA)IndividualPredoctoralFellowship,“TheRoleofAstrocyticTransglutaminase2inMediatingIschemicStrokeDamage”(September2012-September2015)

Revathi Balasubramanian,predoctoralNYSTEMtraininggrant(July2012-June2013)

Wei Sun,IndividualPredoctoralFellowshipfromtheAmericanHeartAssociation(July2012-June2014)

Brandon Bader,appointedtothetraininggrantinHearing,Balance,andSpatialOrientation,5T32DC009974(July2012-June2013)

Danielle deCampo,F30,NIHIndividualPredoctoralFellowship,“Anextendedamygdalapathimplicatedinearlylifestress”(July2012-July2016)

Daniel Marker,F30,NIHIndividualPredoctoralFellowship,“MLK3inhibitionprotectsthemurineCNSfromtheeffectsofHIV-1Tat”(July2012-July2015)

Jennifer Stripay,2011recipientoftheIrvingL.SparAwardforoutstandingcredentialsandtheunusualpotentialforfuturemeritoriouscontributionsinneuroscience,URMC,Rochester,NY(October2011)

Stephen Raiker,2011recipientoftheRobertDotyAwardofExcellenceinrecognitionofoutstandingdissertationresearchinneuroscience,Rochester,NY(October2011)Michael Wu,2011recipientofJohnBarlettawardforbestposterat2011NeuroscienceRetreat,Rochester,NY(October2011)

Michele Saul,2012recipientofatravelawardtotheInternationalSocietyforDevelopmentalPsychologyAnnualMeeting,NewOrleans(October2012)

Danielle deCampo recipientoftravelawardtothe2012AnnualMeetingoftheAmericanCollegeofNeuropsycho-Pharmacology,Hollywood,FL(December2012)

Cory Hussar recipientofthe2012WallaceFennCommencementAward,Rochester,NY(May2012)

Heather Natola recipientofthe2012MerrittandMarjorieClevelandFellowshipAward,Rochester,NY(September2012)

Ethan Winkler recipientofthe2012RobertW.DotyAwardforexcellenceinneurosciencedissertationresearch,Rochester,NY(November2012)

Nathan Smith2012URMCGSSPeopleChoiceAwardandatravelawardtoattend7thAnnualNIHNationalGraduateStudentResearchConference,Bathesda,MD(September2012)andthe2013GliaGordonConference,Ventura,CA(March2013)

Anasuya Das receivedatravelawardtopresentherworkatECVP(theEuropeanConferenceonVisualPerception)inAlghero,Italy(September2012)

Newsletter - Winter 2013Neuroscience Graduate Program

News & Other Events

2010IGPNalumna,Carolyn Tyler gotmarriedthissummertoMarkBauter.CongratulationsCarolyn!Youcanseesomefamiliarfacesinthispicture.

CurrentNGPstudent, Irina Statnikova andherfamily.Milais2.5yearsoldandLilyis1.

Simantini Ghosh,NBAstudent,gotmarriedinsummer2011.

LittleGrace,daughterofNGPstudent, Wei Sun,is2yearsoldnow.

MD/PhDstudentsinNBA,DanielledeCampoandYoungsunChoattheSocietyforBiologicalPsychiatryConference,SanFrancisco,May2010.YoungsundefendedherPhDinJune2012andreturnedtomedicalschool.

Aaron Cecala,PhD,2009,NBA,AssistantProfessorofPhysiologyattheElizabethtownCollege,Elizabethtown,PA.AaronisinhisthirdyearatElizabethtownCollegewhereheteachescomparativemammalianandhumananatomyandphysiology,andbehavioralneuroscience.Heiscurrentlythedirectorofthenascentcognitivesciencemi-norwhichdrawsuponcoursesandfacultyexpertisefromthedepartmentsofbiology,mathematicsandcomputerscience,physicsandengineering,psychology,andphilosophy.

Mike Pesavento,NBA,2010alum,hasbeenworkingfortheIntellisisCorporationinSanDiego,CA.Heworksonspeechpro-cessingandspeakerrecognition,utilizingneurallyinspiredalgorithmsandmachinelearning.Inhisfreetime,Mikedoesrockclimbing,sailing,growingbonsai,andstartingsomepersonalroboticsprojects.

2011 NGP Students & Faculty

Inthepicture Veena Ganeshan,NGPstudent,teachingsummerpre-collegepro-gram-RochesterScholarsJr.,titled-‘TheHeart-BrainConnection’.Itisher3rdyearteachingfortheprogram.

Former NBA student Sarah McConnellleadingahands-onclassonstemcellswithagroupofmiddleschoolandhighschool-agedstudentsfromahomeschoolscienceclubintheLifeSciencesLearningCenterattheUniversityofRochesterMedicalCenter. Aleta Steevens brought intheNewYearonthe islandofBonaire,scuba diving.Consideredthe meccafordivers,shespent acoupledayslookingat breathtakingcorals,schools ofcolorfulreeffish,and evenspottedagreat mantaray.

2012WallaceFennCommencementawardforPhDresearchwenttoCoryHussar,anNGPstudentinDr.Pasternak’sLab.Inthepicture:CoryHussarandDr.EdithLord,SeniorAssociateDean.

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Neuroscience Graduate ProgramNewsletter - Winter 2013

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Newsletter - Winter 2013Neuroscience Graduate Program

Neuroscience Plays Softball.

Greetings from Tim Mhyre

News and Other Events

TimMhyregraduatedwithaPhDdegreefromNBAin2000.Hewasrecentlyanassistantprofes-sorfor5yearsintheDepartmentofNeuroscienceatGeorgetownUniversity,wherehecurrentlyisanadjunctassistantprofessor.Justthispastyear,hemovedtoWashingtonStateandhasmovedtotheadministrativesideofresearchworkingasananalystintheOfficeofSponsoredProgramsattheUniversityofWashington.Timhastwocats(Jack&Cassi)andapartner(Brian),andtheyliveinWoddinville,WA.TheyenjoyhostingtheirfamilyandfriendsandexploringthePacificNorthwest.TheUniversityofWashingtonisagreatplacetowork,althoughhemissesmanyofthetrappingsofwesternNewYork(Wegmans,whitehots,andeventhesnow).InthepictureTimisinthemiddle.ItwasarecentvacationtotheNewRivergorgeinWestVirginia(3rdlongestarchbridgeand5thhighestvehicularbridgeaccordingtoWikipedia).

MikeMoravanwasanMD/PhDstudentinNGP.HereceivedaPhDdegreeinNeurobiogyandAnatomyandreturnedtoUniversityofRochesterMedicalSchoolasaresidentphysicianinradiationoncology.

KyungWhaLeegraduatedfromNeuroscienceGraduateProgramin2009withaPhDinNeuroscience.AfterdoingashortpostdocwithColeenMurphyatPrincetonUniversity,KyungHwajoinedthelaboratoryofItzhakManoattheCityCollegeofNewYorkasaPostdoctoralFellow.ShemovedtoNYCinSeptember2011andishavingagreattimelivingandworkinginthecity.

Mike Moravan in his new role

KyungHwa Lee says Hello from NYC!

RecreationalsoftballcontinuestobepopularamongtheRochesterNeurosciencecommunityastheMyoclonicJerksonceagainfieldedalargeteamtocompeteintheURMC/RiverCampussoftballleague.Theteamconsistsofmorethan20players,in-cludingpost-docs,studentsandtechniciansfromneurosciencelabsaswellasfriendsfromoutsideofscience.Withateamthislarge,gamesareoftenraucousandlively;andsomethingnottobemissed.The“Jerks”haveconsistentlyrankedinplayoffsduetohardworkandteamspirit!Newplayersarealwayswelcome.

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Future Events

Newsletter -Winter 2013

Past Events

Interview Weekend:

February 28 - March 2, 2013 NGP Faculty Meeting - Thursday, March 21

3:30 PM, NBA Conference Room(5-7432)

Relaxing in a holiday spirit

2012 Neuroscience Holiday Party 2012 Neuroscience Retreat was held at Memorial Art Gallery on Friday, November 16, 2012. This year the keynote speaker was Dr. Lorna Role.On the right Dr. Role with NGP students.

Neuroscience Graduate Program601 Elmwood AvenueRochester, NY 14642Box 603Phone: 585-275-5788Fax: 585-442-8766

Neuroscience Graduate Program

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Weareaskingyourassistancewithupdatingouralumnidatabase.InformationweneedismarkedinRED. PleasecontactAniaDworzanskiatania_dworzanski@urmc.rochester.eduwithupdates.

David Gooler,PhD,1982,NSC,Professor,Dept.ofSpeechandHearingScience,UniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Campaign,901S.SixthStreet,Campaign,IL

Caroline Little, PhD, 1998, Anatomy, emailScott Ng-Evans, PhD, 1999, DepartmentofPsychiatryandBehavioralSciences.UniversityofWashington,Seattle,WA

Russel Ferland Jr.,PhD,2000,NSC,AsocciateProfessor,CenterforNeuropharmacologyandNeuroscience:AlbanyMedicalCollege,TheAlbanyMedicalCollege,47NewScotlandAvenue,MC-136,Albany,NY

Tim Mhyre,PhD,2000,NBA,AssistantProfessor,Dept.ofNeuroscience,GeorgetownUniversity,Washington,DC

Nikolaus McFarland,MD/PhD,2001,NBA,AssistantinNeurologyintheMGHDepartmentofNeurologyandInstructorinNeurologyatHarvardMedicalSchool,Boston,MA

Jay Nierenberg,PhD,2001,NBA,AssistantProfessor,Dept.ofPsychiatry,NYULongoneMedicalCenter,NewYork,NYMary Maida,PhD,2001,NSC,MedingenGroup,LLC,ClerisyCorp.,Rochester,NY Randall Hayes,PhD,2001,NSC,AssistantProfessor,UniversityStudiesatNorthCarolinaA&TUniversity,Greensboro,NC

Tina Huang,PhD,2001,NSC,DirectorofResearch,TransparentCorporation,Columbus,OH,43202;ScientistIII,NutritionalImmunologyLaboratory,JeanMayerUSDAHNRCAatTuftsUniversity,Medford,MA

Adnan Siddiqui,MD/PhD,2003,NBA,AssistantProfessorofNeurosurgery,UniversityatBuffaloNeurosurgery,AssistantProfessorofRadiology,StateUniversityofNewYork,Fredonia

Andrew Custer,PhD,2003,NSC,Associate,Foley&LardnerLLP,SanDiego,CA;J.D.,UniversityofFlorida,LevinCollegeofLaw(2009)

Michael Froehler,PhD,2004,NSC,ClinicalAssistantProfessor,Dept.ofNeurology,UniversityofIowa,IowaCity,IA

Michael Hanna,PhD,2004,NSC,AssistantProfessor,Dept.ofBiological&EnvironmentalSciences,TexasA&MUniversity-Commerce,Commerce,TX

Seth Perry,PhD,2004,NSC,ResearchAssistantProfessor,BiomedicalEngineering,URMC,Rochester,NY

Luisa Scott,PhD,2004,NSC,ResearchFellow,SectionofNeurobiology,UniversityofTexas,Austin,TX

Patricia Sheridan,PhD,2004,NSC,ResearchAssistantProfessor,Dept.ofNutrition,UniversityofNorthCarolina,ChapelHill,NC

Renee Miller,PhD,2004,NSC,Post-doctoralResearchAssociate,CenterforNeuralDevelopment&Disease,URMC,Rochester,NY

Rebecca Sappington,PhD,2005,NSC,AssistantProfessorofOphthalmology&VisualSciences,VanderbiltUniversityMedicalCenter,Nashville,TN

ChiaWen (Kitty) Wu,PhD,2005,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,UPENNSchoolofMedicine,Philadelphia,PA Zhenhua Wu,PhD,2005,NSC,SeniorResearchScientist,Merck,Boston,MA,email

Chiayu Chiu,PhD,2005,NSC

Jill Weimer,PhD,2005,NSC,AssistantProfessor,DepartmentofPediatricatUniversityofSouthDakotaSanfordSchoolofMedicine

Min Zhu,PhD,2006,Dept.ofNeurology,AlbertEinsteinCollegeofMedicalofYeshivaUniversity Kuei-Cheng Lim,MD,PhD,2006,NSC,3rdyearresident,NewYorkUniversity,Neurology,NewYork,NY

Alumni Updates

Neuroscience Graduate ProgramNewsletter - Fall 2011

Zhiyong Yang,PhD,2006,NSC

Jason Hamilton,PhD,2007,NSC

Charles Wuertzer,PhD,2007,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,MayoClinic,Jacksonville,FL,email

Roberto Fernandez-Romero,PhD,2007,NBA,Resident,URMC,Neurology,Rochester,NY

Solomon Shaftel,PhD,2007,NBA,Resident,OpthalmologyDept.,UniversityofCaliforniainSanDiego,CA

Xiaohai Wang,PhD,2007,NSC,SeniorResearchBiologist,Dept.ofNeuropharmacology,MerckResearchLaboratories,Boston,MADaniel Zaksas,PhD,2007,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,Dept.ofNeurobiology,HarvardMedicalschool,Boston,MA

Ziye Sui,PhD,2007,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,PekingUniversity,Peking,China

Karthik Venkatesh,PhD,2008,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,UniversityofMichigan,Dept.ofNeurology,AnnArbor,Michigan, Erin Johnson,PhD,2008,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,UniversityofMichiganMedicalSchool,MolecularandBehavioralNeuroscienceInstitute,AnnArbor,MI

Yasser Elshatory, PhD, 2008, NSC, Resident in Ophthalmology, University of Oklahoma

Pushkar Joshi,PhD,2008,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,StanfordUniversity,Dept.ofBiology,Stanford,CA,Ling Pan,PhD,2008,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,MIT,Dept.ofBrainandCognitiveSciences,Cambridge,MA,

Xiaoyan Lin,PhD,2008,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,UniversityofCaliforniainSanFrancisco,Dept.ofNeurology,SanFrancisco,CA

Matthew Belizzi,PhD,2008,NSC,Resident,Dept.ofNeurology,URMC,Rochester,NY

Yanan Guo,PhD,2009,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,HarvardMedicalSchool,BrighamandWomen’sHospital,Boston,MA

Onanong Chivatakarn,PhD,2009,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,TheSalkInstitute,LaJolla,CA

Laurie Robak,PhD,2009,NSC,Resident,MedicalGenetics/Pediatrics,BaylorCollegeofMedicine,OneBaylorPlaza,Houston,TX

Nancy Oberheim Bush,PhD,2009,NSC,NeurologyResident,Classof2015,UCSF,SanFrancisco,CAIrah King,PhD,2009,NSC,Post-DoctoralFellow,TrudeauInstitute,154AlgonquinAvenue,SaranacLake,NY

Grace Vangeison,PhD,2009,NSC,Millipore,Billerica,MA,email

Verginia Cuzon,PhD,2009,NSC,NIH,Bethesda,MD,email

Aaron Cecala,PhD,2009,NBA,AssistantProfessorofPhysiology,ElizabethtownCollege,PA

Bernard Gee,PhD,2009,NSC,AssistantProfessorofPsychology,HobartandWilliamSmithColleges,Geneva,NY

Sarita Kishore,PhD,2009,NBA,2010-internshipthroughUniversityofWashingtoninBoise,Idaho,2011-residencyinOpthalmologyinLouisville,KY

Qi Cui,MD/PhD,2009,NBA,OpthalmologyResident,UCSF,SanFrancisco,CA

Alumni Updates

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Newsletter - Fall 2011Neuroscience Graduate Program

Alumni Updates

Qi Cui,MD/PhD,2009,NBA,OpthalmologyResident,UCSF,SanFrancisco,CA

Carolyn Tyler,2009,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,PrincetonUniversity,Dept.ofMolecularBiology,WashingtonRd.,LTL123,Princeton,NJ

Ditte Lovatt,PhD,2009,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,UniversityofPennsylvaniaSchoolofMedicine,Dept.Pharmacology,37JohnMorganBuilding,3620HamiltonWalk,Philadelphia,PA

KyungWha Lee,PhD,2009,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,CityCollegeofNewYork,ItzhakManolab,NY,NY

Yuriy Shapovalov,PhD,2010,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,MajewskaLab,URMC,Rochester,NY

Lynette Desouza,PhD,2010,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,TataInstituteofFundamentalResearch,Mumbai,India

I-Chen Yu,PhD,2010,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,PfizerInc.,Cambridge,MA

William Mowrey,PhD,2010,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,HHMI,AnthonyLeonardo’slabatJaneliaFarmChebyChase,MD

Sarah Bliss Matousek,PhD,2010,NBA,Post-doctoralFellow,CenterforNeurologicDiseases,BrighamandWomen’sHospital,77AvenueLouisPasteur,NewResearchBuilding636,Boston,MA

Deborah Ryan,PhD,2010,IGPN,Post-doctoralFellow,PortmanLab,Box645,URMC,Rochester,NY

Michael Moravan,MD/PhD,2010,Residentphysicianinradiationoncology,URMC,Rochester,NY

Marina Dobreva,PhD,2010,NBA,Bulgaria

Michael Pesavento,PhD,2010,NBA,IntellisisCorporation,SanDiego,CA

Arnulfo Torres,PhD,2011,NSC,MedicalWriteratFreelancer-MedicalCommunicationsemail

Stephen Raiker,PhD,2011,NSC,researchfellowinThomasSchwarz’sLabaffiliatedwithChildren’sHospitalBoston/HarvardMedicalSchool,Boston,MA

Susan Lee,MD/PhD,2011,NSC,medicalschool,URMC,Rochester,NY

Michael Jacob,MD/PhD,2011,NBA,medicalschool,URMC,Rochester,NY

Kathleen McAvoy,PhD,2011,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,HarvardStemCellInstitute,AmirFahayLab,Boston,MA

Cory Hussar,PhD,2012,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,MarkChurchlandLab,ColumbiaUniversity,NY,NY Zhuoxun Chen,PhD,2012,NSC,Post-doctoralFellow,JohnsHopkinsHospital,Baltimore,MD,e-mail

Crystal McClain,PhD,2012,NSC,ResearchAssociate,UniversityofCambridge,UK,e-mailSally Duarte,PhD,2012,NBA,Post-doctoralFellow,MaxPlanck,Institute,Jupiter,FL,e-mailYoungsun Cho,MD/PhD,NBA,2012,4thyearmedicalschool,URMC,Rochester,NY

Katherine Selzler,PhD,2012,NBA,PostdoctoralAssociate,URMC,Rochester,NY

Maria Diehl (Faryna),PhD,2012,NSC,PostdoctoralFellow,UniversityofPuertoRico,QuirkLab,SanJuan,PR,e-mail

Newsletter - Fall 2011

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Neuroscience Graduate Program

Newsletter - Fall 2011Neuroscience Graduate Program

Alumni Updates

Michael Wu,MD/PhD,2012,medicalschool,URMC,Rochester,NYEthan Winkler,MD/PhD,2012,medicalschool,URMC,Rochester,NYSarah McConnell,PhD,2012,AdjunctFaculty,MonroeCommunityCollege,Rochester,NY,e-mail

Phillip Rappold,MD/PhD,2013,medicalschool,URMC,Rochester,NY

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