Seminars & Events
The weekly colloquium is generally held on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. in K-207 Auditorium (2-6408). Unless otherwise noted, our departmental colloquia program is supported by the Alejandro Zaffaroni Endowment Fund and the John R. Murlin Fund. For outside guests, contact Dr. Houhui Xia. For graduate student colloquia, contact Dr. Cesare Orlandi.
First-Year Ph.D. 20-minute Rotation Talk: "GPR156 Interactome and Functional Studies"
Alex Pfeffer - Laboratory of Dr. Cesare Orlandi
May 29, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
First-Year Ph.D. 20-minute Rotation Talk: "The Effects of Fast Acting Antidepressants in a Modified Sucrose Conditioned Place Preference Test"
Erik Ingebretsen - Laboratory of Dr. Manoela Fogaça
May 29, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
First-Year Ph.D. 20-minute Rotation Talk: "Characterizing Inflammatory Response in Primary and Secondary Localized Provoked Vulvodynia"
Ankita Pohnerkar - Laboratory of Dr. Megan Falsetta
May 22, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
First-Year Ph.D. 20-minute Rotation Talk: "The Impact of ROS on Fibroblast Activation and Scar Formation"
Stefania Poli - Laboratory of Dr. Eric Small
May 22, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
Ph.D. Research Talk: "The Value of Bioinformatic Models to Predict Translational Control: A Crash Course in Predictive Algorithms"
Michal Shaposhnikov - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Bradford Berk
May 20, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m.
Medical Center | K-307, (3-6408)
Guest Seminar: "Social Stress Promotes Cardiometabolic Disease: Insights from Exploring Neuroendocrine-Autonomic Interactions"
Annette de Kloet, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Petit Science Center, Atlanta, Georgia
May 15, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
2025 John R. Murlin Lecture: "GPCR Conformational Dynamics"
Ehud Isacoff, Ph.D. - Professor and Evan Rauch Chair in Neuroscience Departments of Molecular & Cell Biology, and Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley
May 13, 2025 @ 10:00 a.m.
Medical Center | Adolph Auditorium, 1-7619
Reception to follow the lecture in LeChase G-9576, 11:00-12:30 p.m.Ph.D. Thesis Proposal: "Development of ACE-tRNAa as a Platform Therapeutic for Cystic Fibrosis"
Emily Sorensen - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. John Lueck
May 08, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
"Alteration of Muscle Contractility, Mitochondrial Function, and Calcium Handling in a Novel Orai1 Tubular Aggregate Myopathy Mouse Model and the Restorative Impact of Endurance Exercise"
Nan Zhao - Laboratory of Robert T. Dirksen
May 06, 2025 @ 1:30 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207 (2-6408)
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Alteration of Muscle Contractility, Mitochondrial Function & Calcium Handling in novel Orai1 Tubular Aggregate Myopathy Mouse Model & the Restorative Impact of Endurance Exercise
Nan Zhao - Laboratory of Dr. Robert T. Dirksen
May 06, 2025 @ 1:30 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
M.S. Thesis Defense: "Platelet Regulation of Monocyte and Macrophage Activation Status"
Yunzhi Lin - Laboratory of Dr. Craig Morrell
May 02, 2025 @ 1:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud, 3-7619
M.S. Thesis Defense: "Platelet Regulation of Monocyte and Macrophage Activation Status"
Yunzhi Lin - Laboratory of Dr. Craig Morrell
May 02, 2025 @ 1:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud, 3-7619
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Small Proline Rich Protein 2B Regulates Cardiac Fibroblasts via Interaction with Cell Cycle Regulates"
Xiaoyi Liu - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Eric Small
May 01, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud, 3-7619
First-Year MS 20-minute Literature Review: "Copper Induces Cell Death by Targeting Lipoylated TCA Cycle Proteins"
Xinyi Qian - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. George Porter
Apr 24, 2025 @ 2:30 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
First-Year Ph.D. 20-minute Rotation Talk: "Non-Ionotropic Signaling Mechanisms of Kainate Receptors"
Morgan Clay - Non-Ionotropic Signaling Mechanisms of Kainate Receptors
Apr 24, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
Seminar: "A Conserved Intra-Bundle Salt Bridge in the OATP1B Subfamily Controls Uptake Kinetics and Transporter Conformation"
Aviv Paz, PhD - University at Buffalo Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute; Assistant Professor, Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo; Adjunct Associate Professor of Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Apr 23, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | K-307, 3-6408
Host: Dr. Mark Dumont
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Mapping Myelination in the Developing Striatum"
Halima Aweis - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Kuan Wong Wang & Suzzane Haber
Apr 17, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud, 3-7619
M.S. Thesis Defense: "Attraction and Efferocytosis of aPMN by Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells"
Brooke Wise - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Roman Eliseev
Apr 11, 2025 @ 1:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud, 3-7619
"KCNQ/Kv7 Channels and Brain-Specific Tyrosine Phosphatase STEP in Hippocampal Excitability and Epilepsy"
Hee Jung Chung, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Associate Director & Diversity Committee Chair, Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Apr 10, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Room 3-7619, Upper Auditorium
"Finding Friends: Protein-Protein Interactions between Ion Channels and Endogenous or De Novo Designed Proteins"
Stephan Pless, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Department of Drug Design, Pharmacology, & Biopharmaceuticals, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Apr 08, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m.
Medical Center | Adolph Aud, 1-7619
"Finding Friends: Protein-Protein Interactions between Ion Channels and Endogenous or De Novo Designed Proteins"
Stephan Pless, Ph.D. - Professor, Department of Drug Design, Pharmacology, & Biopharmaceuticals, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Apr 08, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m.
Medical Center | Adolph Aud, 1-7619
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: "Immune Regulatory Role of Platelets: Platelets Maintain Monocyte Immune Homeostasis"
Chen Li - Graduate Student in the laboratory of Dr. Craig Morrell
Apr 03, 2025 @ 1:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Adolph Aud, 1-7619
"Inclusive Learning in Classroom and Laboratory Settings"
Alice Hunt, Ph.D. - Assistant Director, Instructional Development, Teaching Center, University of Rochester
Mar 27, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud, MC 3-7619
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Investigating the Role of the a5-GABAa Receptor in Murine Pyramidal Neurons"
Ciao Tabata Fukushima - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Manoela Fogaça
Mar 20, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
Second-Year Ph.D. 25-minute Research Talks: "From Neural Plasticity to Social Behavior: Exploring Arc-Expressing Interneurons in the Accessory Olfactory Bulb (AOB)"
Samanta Jerin - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Julian Meeks
Mar 13, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
Second-Year Ph.D. 25-minute Research Talks: "Functional Coupling between TPC2 and RyR1 augments intracellular 𝐶𝑎 2+ Signals"
Siddhi Shetty - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. David Yule
Mar 13, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
Second-Year Ph.D. 25-minute Research Talks: "Development of Cystic Fibrosis Platform Therapeutics: Does Nonsense to Missense Make Sense?"
Emily Sorensen - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. John Lueck
Mar 06, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
Second-Year Ph.D. 25-minute Research Talks: "Orphan G Protein Coupled Receptor GPR156 Functional Interactome Studies"
Brianna Vonderhaar - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Cesare Orlandi
Mar 06, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud., 3-7619
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Distal Mitochondria Responding to Stress via Proton-Motive Force Changes"
Nada Ahmed Selim - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Andrew Wojtovich
Feb 27, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud (3-7619)
Ph.D. Thesis Proposal: "Local Bone Remodeling Shapes Heterogeneity in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche and the HSC Response to Inflammatory Stress"
Amy Hong - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Shu-Chi Yeh
Feb 20, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Large Aud, 2-6424
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Suppression of Cerebral Cavernous Malformation(CCM) Nonsense Mutations using Anticodon-Edited tRNAs(ACE-tRNAs)"
Rhodalyn Essien - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Drs. Angela Glading/John Lueck
Feb 13, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Large Aud., 2-6424
Ph.D. Thesis Proposal: "Impact of Oxidative Stress on Inflammation and Pain Hypersensitivity in Localized Provoked Vulvodynia"
Zahra Mahamed - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Megan Falsetta
Feb 13, 2025 @ 9:00 a.m.
Medical Center | K-307, 3-6408
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Humidity is an Independent Variable that Impacts Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptibility"
Miao He - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. Robert Dirksen
Feb 06, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.
Medical Center | Upper Aud (3-7619)
Ph.D. Research Talk: "Stoichiometry of Desensitization and Recovery of Acid-sensing Ion Channels"
Alireza Mousaei - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. David MacLean
Feb 04, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m.
Medical Center | Adolph (1-7619)
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: "Molecular Mechanisms for Calcium Dysregulation in Myotonic Dystrophy Skeletal Muscle"
Lily A. Cisco - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. John D. Lueck
Jan 27, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m.
Medical Center | K-207, 2-6408
Ph.D. Thesis Defense: "Electroporation-mediated Gene Delivery of CFTR Plasmids as a Novel Approach to Treat Cystic Fibrosis in vivo"
David Delemos - Graduate Student in the Laboratory of Dr. David Dean
Jan 09, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m.
Medical Center | Adolph Aud, 1-7619