Leslie Tolbert, Ph.D.

Dr. Tolbert writes: “Research in my laboratory focuses on the development and functional organization of the olfactory system, studied in convenient model organisms, the moth Manduca sexta and, very recently, the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. Several different lines of investigation have led us to focus much of our attention on roles for glial cells in development and in mature function.”  Read more.

Neuroscience Day is free of charge for current chapter members, so join or renew your membership now!

My lab is currently characterizing the short- and long-term consequences of tissue injury during early life for the function of developing synaptic networks in the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord, which serves as an important relay station in the pain pathway.  Experimental approaches include in vitro electrophysiology in rodent spinal cord slices, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and behavioral measurements of pain sensitivity.  It is our hope that by identifying age-specific changes in synaptic organization within central pain networks under pathological conditions, this work will yield new insight into the underlying basis for hyperalgesia during the early postnatal period and also help explain why neonatal tissue damage appears exclusively capable of altering pain perception throughout life.

Read more about his neuroscience research..

Graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research staff, and faculty are invited to present posters on recent findings in neuroscience and its related fields. Posters presented at last fall’s SfN meeting and other conferences are welcome. The poster submission deadline is Monday May 9. Submit your poster information using our online form.

Registration for Neuroscience Day is free for 2011 OMV-SfN members. Please register in advance so we can plan accordingly for the attendance. If you are not an OMV-SfN member for 2011, please join now.

Mary Dallman, Ph.D.

“Chronic stress has a variety of effects on the organism, including changes in energy balance, behavior and responsivity to new stimuli,” she says. “These effects of chronic stress are probably mediated in large part by the central corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuronal system and glucocorticoids secreted from the adrenal gland in response to drive from hypothalamic CRF. Moreover, all of these are affected strongly by circadian rhythms.” Read more.

Neuroscience Day is free of charge for current chapter members, so join or renew your membership now!

Michael Hennessy, Ph.D.

Chapter members present at the meeting nominated and elected Joyce Fernandes, Ph.D. (Miami University) to be President-Elect and Kim Hagler (Wright State University) to be Secretary-Treasurer for 2011.  Amit Singh, Ph.D., was elected Officer-at-Large for the University of Dayton. An Officer-at-Large for the University of Cincinnati will be nominated at a later date.

President Hennessy announced that this year’s Neuroscience Day will be held Friday, May 20, at Wright State University. Mary Dallman, Ph.D., of the University of California-San Francisco has been invited as keynote speaker.  More details will follow. Save the date!

• Zoe Hesp (Department of Zoology, Miami University)
  “Reinnervation of peripheral targets following axotomy of the superior cervical ganglion”
• Mark Baccei (Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati)
  “Pacemaker neurons in newborn spinal pain circuits.”
• James Lucot (Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wright State University)
  “Development of a novel anti-emetic”

The chapter’s annual business meeting will follow the presentations, and WSU’s Michael Hennessy, Ph.D., will be installed as president for 2011.

Am agenda  will be published before the meeting, along with travel directions and parking information. Please pass this message along to colleagues and students who might be interested in OMV-SfN.

The Society for Neuroscience founded the Science Educator Award in 2003 to recognize an outstanding neuroscientist who has made significant contributions in promoting public education and awareness about the field.

According to SfN, Olson has worked diligently to promote the inclusion of neuroscience topics in state and national Science Olympiad competitions. His efforts have introduced grade-specific neuroscience education to over 5,000 middle schools and high schools across the United States. He currently helps define health science and anatomy events as a member of Science Olympiad’s Biological and Life Sciences Committee, ensuring that neuroscience topics will be included in the Science Olympiad curriculum.

Olson rarely misses an opportunity to promote the study of neuroscience. In addition to serving as a research mentor for students and resident physicians in the medical school, he has delivered lectures for general audiences through Wright State’s Mini-Medical School program. What he enjoys most, however, is introducing young learners around the country to the wonders of neuroscience through his work with Science Olympiad.

An international nonprofit organization, Science Olympiad strives to interest K-12 students in science and improve science education. Each year, an estimated 150,000 students from more than 14,000 schools participate in Science Olympiad activities. At the middle and high school level, students form teams to compete in 23 fun, yet challenging, science-based events during local, state, and national tournaments.

As a Science Olympiad coach, Olson has worked with local middle and high school students for several years teaching cell biology and genetics. In addition, he created a program called “Neuroscience (This is your brain)” that was used in regional competitions across Ohio and adopted as a national trial event.

The Society for Neuroscience is an organization of more than 40,000 researchers and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.

“The science education awards are important for recognizing the outreach efforts of neuroscientists at all stages of their careers,” said Michael E. Goldberg, M.D., president of SfN.

Hi Neuroscience Day Attendees,

Everything looks to be ready for Neuroscience Day, Monday, May 10th!

I’ve attached several things to this last email announcement.

1. A detailed map of the UC Medical Campus/Academic Health Center (PDF). Relevant buildings are highlighted in yellow.

2. A Google map of the UC Environs (PDF) with the routes from 75 and 71 to the Eden Parking garage highlighted in pink.

3. The program (PDF), for your information. You will receive the official paper program when you arrive and register. Registration will beheld in the CARE/Crawley Building.

4. Dr. Sinha recommended a recent paper (PDF) and commentary as appropriate to the talk.

For attendees from Wright State, Miami and Dayton, please use the Eden parking garage (see detailed map). We will have parking passes for you to use when you exit the garage. Carpool if you can.

For attendees from UC, please park as you normally do when visiting or working at the East Campus Academic Health Center. If you need a parking pass for the Eden garage, please let us know, we should have some extras.

Regards,

-Jim Eliassen
President, Ohio Miami Valley Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience

Neuroscience Day is free of charge for current chapter members. If you didn’t register in advance, you can register at Neuroscience Day and pay 2010 chapter dues, if necessary. See you there!