Scott R. Pluta, Ph.D., Purdue University
This project investigates how different parts of the brain work together to positively reinforce our attention while ignoring distractions or negative associations. In this proposal, we will study connections between the cerebral cortex and downstream brain structures to understand the contributi...
Gabrielle Pouchelon, Ph.D., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition in children, characterized by difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and often sleep disturbances. ADHD frequently occurs alongside other conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders, and its rising pre...
Gilbert J. Rahme, Ph.D., Stony Brook University
Gliomas are a kind of brain tumor that are hard to treat and often come back after treatment. Many gliomas start because of changes in a gene called IDH. These changes don’t directly affect the DNA sequence itself, but they change how the DNA works. These “epigenetic” changes ca...
Iris Titos Vivancos, Ph.D., Northwestern University
After exercising, sleep quality improves. We have all experienced a good night’s sleep after physical activity. This influence of exercise on behavior suggests that muscle signals can affect our brains. But how does the body tell the brain that it has been exercising so it can modify sleep ...
Anna L. Vlasits, Ph.D., University of Illinois, Chicago
The visual system is constantly collecting information about the world around us. One part of the eye, called the retina, detects light from the world to send to the brain. The retina is multiple layers of neurons at the back of the eye. The neurons detect things like movement, color, contrast, a...
Vineet Augustine, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Our hearts and brains are closely connected, constantly influencing each other and affecting our overall health. Heart attacks, also called myocardial infarctions (MI), are still the leading cause of death despite years of research. In this proposal, I suggest a completely new way to study the co...
Daniel Bayless, Ph.D., The Salk Institute
Social interactions are vital for our well-being and personal relationships. Difficulty in social communication and disrupted social interactions are a prominent feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but the underlying neural basis of these social processing differences is not well understo...
Ryann Fame, Ph.D., Stanford University
The brain and spinal cord are filled with and surrounded by a clear fluid — called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — that provides buoyancy and contains signaling molecules and ion electrolytes. During brain development, the CSF directly contacts the neural stem cells that generate the ...
Jesse H. Goldberg, M.D., Ph.D., Cornell University
Parenting is hard work. Humans and other animals have to care not only for themselves but also for needy young. Here we examine brain mechanisms of parenting in songbirds. Mammals feed their young through nursing, but songbirds must go out and find food and return to the nest and actively feed th...
Toshiro Hara, Ph.D., University of Michigan
Brain cancer is like an unwanted guest that sneaks into a healthy brain. Doctors can usually get rid of a lot of the cancer with surgery, but it gets really hard when the cancer mixes with normal brain areas. This sneaky move by the cancer is called invasion. The problem is that these tiny cancer...
