Neurodegenerative diseases, neuroprosthetics and Nobel Laureates...
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Using Art to Study Visual Perception
For our final talk of the year, we welcomed Professor Robert Pepperell, an artist, writer and publisher of a range of topics ranging from the phenomenon of visual indeterminacy to the theory of the extended mind. Through his work on the nature of visual perception and experience, he discussed how we could draw ideas and approaches from art, science and philosophy to gain a better grasp of consciousness and what it is to be human.
March 2016
Life Outside Academia
We hosted a unique careers event catered to life-science students regarding opportunities outside of academia. Professionals, who have a life-science degree and work in relation to the healthcare, life-science and pharmaceutical sectors outside of traditional research, were invited to network with students and answer their questions regarding routes outside of academia.
Invitees included representatives from PWC, the Royal Society of Biology, Nature, HealthTech Women and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
February 2016
Professor John O'Keefe, Nobel Laureate, on the Future of Neuroscience
For our headline event of the year, we welcomed Professor John O’Keefe (2014 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine) who discussed the Future of Neuroscience. Professor O’Keefe is also a Fellow of the Royal Society, a recipient of the Kavli prize and the Director of the newly formed Sainsbury-Wellcome Centre, making him the perfect person to deliver this talk.
Prof. O'Keefe made seminal findings in the hippocampus, discovering the 'place cell' and co-authoring the classic book 'The Hippocampus as a Cognitive Map'.
February 2016
Journal Club VI
Our sixth journal club was hosted by Daniel Regester (UCL undergraduate neuroscience student) who presented ‘Activating positive memory engrams suppresses depression-like behaviour’ by Ramirez et al. (2015).
The paper uses groundbreaking genetic techniques to specifically target, and subsequently manipulate, small groups of neurons activated during memory formation in mice. Through this, the authors demonstrated that artificial activation of positive memories is capable of alleviating depression behaviour. Their findings point toward new potential therapeutic targets and provide insight into the neural basis of depression.
This paper can be found at: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v522/n7556/full/nature14514.html
February 2016
Neuroprosthetics: Technology in Chains
We welcome Professor Nick Donaldson (Director of the Implanted Devices Group at UCL) who discussed the past, present and future modes of prosthetics research for the nervous system.
As lead investigator on the CANDO project (Controlling Abnormal Network Dynamics using Optogenetics) – a world-class, multi-site, cross-disciplinary project to develop a cortical implant for optogenetic neural control – Professor Donaldson has a rich background in the application of electronic devices to the treatment of nerve damage and the recovery of motion, and has published over 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals on subjects as diverse as electrical and electronic design, materials, biomechanics, exercise physiology, electrodes and neural signal processing.
January 2016
Journal Club V
Our fifth journal club of the year was hosted by George Louloudis (UCL undergraduate neuroscience student) who presented the paper 'Passive immunotherapy rapidly increases structural plasticity in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease' by Spires-Jones et al. (2008).
In the summer of 2014, the humanised monoclonal anti-Abeta antibody called Solanezumab made headlines as a "breakthrough" drug. However, not all researchers agreed that Solanezumab deserved such praise and thus, it was an excellent opportunity to review a paper that has claimed that passive immunotherapy may actually increase structural plasticity in the AD brain.
The paper can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969996108002556
January 2016
Journal Club IV
Alex. Bates.
Known to a lucky few for his poetic wit, charming charisma and super smarts. Known to the masses for his infamous PHOL2005 notes, still passed down to this day.
Alex Bates excelled in his BSc undergraduate years studying Neuroscience at UCL. Having spurned invitations from the likes of Cold Spring Harbor and Janelia Farm in the US, he is currently in the midst of conquering the University of Cambridge by completing a PhD placement.
He presented the paper ‘A multilevel multimodal circuit enhances action selection in Drosophila’ by Ohyama et al. (2015) which can be found at: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v520/n7549/full/nature14297.html.
December 2015
Setting the Circadian Clock
We welcomed final-year PhD student Adam Bradlaugh, from the lab of Professor Ralf Stanewsky, to speak about how the behavioural cycles of all animals are driven by incredibly accurate molecular oscillations known as the circadian clock and his own work on the molecular inputs that control rhythmic and arrhythmic sleep and activity behaviour in Drosophila fruit flies. Such research into how biological clocks can be manipulated has huge implications for medicine, sport, travel and economic productivity.
November 2015
Journal Club III
Our third journal club of the year was hosted by Jimmy Rowland (UCL undergraduate neuroscience student) who presented the paper ‘Simultaneous all-optical manipulation and recording of neural circuit activity with cellular resolution in vivo’ by Packer et al. (2015).
This was an very exciting session that shone light on optical techniques at the forefront of neuroscience research. The paper can be found at: http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/v12/n2/full/nmeth.3217.html
November 2015
Neurodegeneration Symposium
Among its many specialities, UCL is an institution that excels in research related to neurodegenerative diseases – incurable and debilitating conditions that affect the lives of millions worldwide. The increasing prevalence of these disorders has made the search for treatments an urgent priority.
We hosted a panel of experts who presented an overview of this field and of its most recent advances in research and clinical trials.
Professor John Hardy (Chair of Molecular Biology of Neurological Disease at the Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies, UCL)
Research in neurodegeneration at UCL: the present and the future
Specialising in the genetics of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neuron disease, Professor Hardy has a strong interdisciplinary approach and collaborates with clinicians, geneticists and cell biologists alike across UCL and beyond.
Professor Nick Fox (Director of the Dementia Research Centre & Consultant Neurologist, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Dementia Research Centre: diagnosis, tracking the progression and the treatment of dementias
Originating from a physics background, Professor Fox has been working on developing imaging techniques, namely methods in MRI, and other biomarkers to diagnose and monitor dementias such as Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degenerations.
Professor Michael Duchen (Coordinator of the UCL Consortium for Mitochondrial research & member of the UK Parkinson's Disease Consortium)
The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease
An expert in mitochondrial biology, Professor Duchen explores the pathways that link mitochondrial dysfunction to disease, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Much of the lab’s work is built on live cell fluorescence microscopy and imaging to simultaneously measure multiple physiological variables in mitochondria, and explore the impact of cell signalling pathways on mitochondrial physiology and pathophysiology.
Dr Frances Edwards (Reader in Neurophysiology at UCL & principal investigator in Alzheimer's disease research, NPP)
Mouse models for Alzheimer's disease. What are they good for?
Dr Edwards leads research on synaptic transmission and gene expression in mouse models expressing proteins with mutations that, in humans, result in Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. Her group investigates the changes that occur as a result of rising amyloid beta or hyperphosphorylation of Tau with the aim of finding novel treatments or preventative interventions for Alzheimer's disease.
Dr Ed Wild (Consultant Neurologist and MRC Clinician Scientist in the Huntington’s Disease Research Group, UCL Institute of Neurology)
UCL Huntington's disease research team: challenging genetic destiny
An expert in Huntington's disease, Dr Wild directs several neurology clinics and is dedicated to communicating research in Huntington's disease to the wider public. His research focuses on the study of cerebrospinal fluid to understand HD and assist in the development and testing of new treatments.
November 2015
Journal Club II
Our second journal club session was hosted by Qasim Mian (UCL undergraduate neuroscience student) who presented the classic paper ‘Synaptic modifications in cultured hippocampal neurons: dependence on spike timing, synaptic strength, and postsynaptic cell type’ by Bi and Poo (1998) from the Journal of Neuroscience.
This paper was one of the first to characterise the importance of spike-timing in plasticity in detail and can be found at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9852584.
October 2015
Journal Club I
Our first journal club of the year was hosted by Shivank Keni (UCL undergraduate neuroscience student) who presented the paper ‘Exogenous alpha-synuclein fibrils induce Lewy body pathology leading to synaptic dysfunction and neuron death’ by Volpicelli-Daley et al. (2011), followed by a group discussion and bar social.
The paper can be found at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21982369.
October 2015