The Division of Intramural Research Seminar Series

Shane Liddelow, PhD
Associate Professor
NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Dr. Shane Liddelow's primary research focus is on understanding the complex roles of astrocytes in the brain. Astrocytes are a type of glial cell that play crucial roles in maintaining brain homeostasis, supporting neuron function, and responding to injury. His work has particularly centered on a subtype of reactive astrocytes that we discovered, which release toxic factors capable of killing specific neurons.

Steven L. Bernstein, MD, PhD
Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Steven Bernstein and his laboratory interests center on age-related and genetically associated optic nerve diseases, in particular nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which is a stroke of the optic nerve, and the most common cause of sudden optic nerve-related vision loss. During the last five years, his laboratory has developed new ways to identify stem cells that may both contribute to normal nerve function, and aid in repair of optic nerve injury.

Kirill A. Martemyanov, PhD
Professor And Chair, Department Of Neuroscience
University of Florida Health

Dr. Martemyanov and his laboratory study the fundamental principles that regulate signaling via G protein coupled receptors (GPCR). GPCRs mediate a vast variety of critical biological processes ranging from proliferation and motility to cellular reception and excitability. GPCR signaling pathways are of particular importance for the nervous system function where they control many fundamental processes including excitability, differentiation, sensory perception and synaptic transmission.

Kristen Kwan, PhD
Professor
University of Utah

Dr. Kristen Kwan and her laboratory study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying tissue morphogenesis: the process by which a group of cells achieves its proper cellular organization and shape. Using the vertebrate eye as a model, they want to understand how the cells that comprise the vertebrate optic cup – neural retina, retinal pigmented epithelium, and lens – form the stereotyped structure that is critical for visual function.

David Freedman, PhD

Professor
University of Chicago

Dr. David Freedman and his laboratory use advanced neurophysiological and behavioral techniques, in parallel with machine learning approaches for studying cognitive computations in artificial neural networks. Together, their work is providing insights into the brain mechanisms of visual learning, recognition and decision making.