Biology Colloquium Seminar Series
During the fall and spring semesters, the Federated Department of Biological Sciences hosts a diverse range of speakers from other institutions.
2022-2023 colloquium schedule (Fall: Mondays at 3pm. Spring: Tuesdays at 1PM — see schedule for location/Zoom information)
| Date | Speaker |
| Monday Sep 12 3pm |
Dr. Toni Guillamon, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Spain Optimal transition from damped to sustained biological oscillations through response functions Biological (and other) systems are subject to the effects of external inputs, which may simply modulate the systems' properties (e.g., modify the frequency or amplitude of an oscillatory pattern) or produce qualitative changes to their dynamics (e.g., cause transitions between non-sustained and sustained oscillations). Phase and amplitude response functions are useful tools in order to understand the effects of external stimuli on the dynamics of oscillatory systems. In this talk, we will present these concepts and apply them to a new paradigm: damped oscillations. We will also use them to illustrate an optimal control algorithm for the induction of sustained periodic oscillations out of a damped oscillation through a minimum-energy input. |
| Monday Sep 26 3pm |
Dr. Claudio Mirasso, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma de Mallorca, Spain On the role of inhibitory neurons in the information processing capacity of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus Excitation and inhibition in the brain are tightly regulated, but periods of imbalance have been associated with learning episodes both in the cortex and hippocampus. However, the mechanism breaking this tight equilibrium are poorly understood. We performed electrophysiological recordings in vivo and in vitro, and computational models to show that synaptic potentiation of excitatory granule cells (GC) of the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus not only strengthens excitatory inputs but, unexpectedly, also transiently depresses feed-forward inhibition onto GCs. This depressed inhibition is found to occur into the soma of the GCs, leaving intact their dendritic inhibitory input. Computational models validate this finding and suggest a reorganization of the dentate gyrus network as the responsible of breaking the excitation/inhibition balance. Models also predict that this change favours burst firing in GCs, improves the consistency of input/output transformations in the dentate gyrus and facilitates the transmission of distinct temporal and spatial patterns. |
| Monday Nov 7 3pm |
Dr Beatriz Baño-Otàlora, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK Brighten Up Your Circadian Clock: Impact of Daytime Light Intensity on Behaviour and Clock Function in a Diurnal Mammal |
| Monday Nov 28 3pm |
Dr. Julia Hyland Bruno, NJIT Department of Humanities A Comparative-Species Perspective on Vocal Interactivity. IN PERSON AND ONLINE |
| Monday Dec 5 3pm |
Dr. Kristina Wicke, NJIT Department of Mathematics |
| WINTER BREAK | |
| Tuesday Feb 7 1pm |
Dr. Larry Band, University of Virginia IN PERSON |
| Tuesday Feb 28 1pm |
Dr. Ashlee H. Rowe, University of Oklahoma ONLINE ONLY |
| Tuesday Mar 7 1pm |
Dr. Melissa Ingala, Fairleigh Dickinson University IN PERSON |
| Tuesday Mar 28 1pm |
Dr. Dora Biro, University of Rochester |
| Tuesday May 2 1pm |
Dr. Clinton Jenkins, Florida International University ONLINE ONLY |