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Exposition (n.): 1) a passage or part which opens a motion of a musical piece; the primary part of a classical sonata 2) a big public exhibition or competition
Welcome to my second weblog! This week, I’ll be running a blog concerning the course that took me to Stockholm: Molecular and Mobile Neuroscience — why I selected this course, what we’ve been doing to this point, and naturally, the wonderful Research Tour (and top-of-the-line weeks of my life).
I briefly touched on this in my final put up, however I’m fascinated by the potential of the connectome — a map of how the mind is wired — in aiding understanding of how totally different our brains are and in understanding how these variations have an effect on our conduct. Once I realized that researchers at Yale have been capable of determine an individual simply by the connectivity patterns of their mind, I used to be blown away.
The mind is a dwelling community. It’s an structure of neuronal cells and rapid-fire communication at junctions known as synapses, advanced electrical indicators buzzing and firing each waking second to allow each second of our operate as we all know it. Any change (regardless of how tiny) within the wiring system may be disastrous. The lack of synapses is a defining marker of Alzheimer’s; irregular electrical spikes can sign seizures; slowed neuronal communication a telltale signal of a number of sclerosis. It’s this delicate steadiness that makes comprehension of mind patterns and neuroimaging so essential.
Neuroscience, as I realized then, provided the proper crossroads the place my love for biology and pc science intersected. Mapping neural networks is a particularly data-driven process constructed on scientific observations and data. The programming language MATLAB can assist in duties from analyzing sign recordings {of electrical} exercise to visualizing anatomical blood circulation within the mind; new knowledge codecs such because the Scalable Open Community Structure TemplAte (SONATA) have made it doable to mannequin synapses with ease.
To at the present time, there was no consensus on a singular, unified atlas or connectome — there are numerous on the market presently, every with their very own views and insights on mapping the mind. It’s troublesome, although, to speak about illness or dysfunction if every atlas attracts totally different boundaries for mind areas and circuits — we’re basically left “and not using a frequent language.” At Yale, I conduct analysis in creating the Yale Mind Atlas, a challenge that seeks to map areas of the mind by construction and performance within the hopes of finally using it as a information for epilepsy remedy. However it’s only a small a part of what’s on the market — so once I noticed that DIS was providing a category on exploring gene expression and proteins within the mind, led by two specialists within the subject finding out the Human Protein Atlas — I used to be immediately intrigued.
Underneath the steering of Jan and Nick, the instructors of our course, we started our course with a research of mind anatomy and performance, supplemented by hands-on studying within the classroom. We then started our research into an assigned protein of curiosity, the place we are going to finally be taught to stain and visualize our protein within the lab at Karolinska. Our class was launched to the multitude of public sources on-line generated by the Allen Institute for Mind Science, akin to info on the place it’s expressed within the mind and protein expression patterns in cell varieties. This coming week, we are going to current a coherent entire to the knowledge we’ve discovered and talk about doable organic insights about our protein with our class, which I’m actually enthusiastic about.
However earlier than that…it was off to the airport to start our weeklong Research Tour!
Days 1, 2, & 3: Vienna
To go on Research Tour in Vienna, for my part, was probably the most excellent decisions to combine place-based studying for this course. Vienna just isn’t solely residence to among the main scientific establishments on the earth for neuroscience analysis — it’s sometimes called the “capital of classical music.” There’s a little bit of an ongoing debate on whether or not Mozart sonatas can really enhance mind operate or alleviate signs in sufferers with epilepsy, however music has lengthy been used as a therapeutic device in hospitals to help restoration. In some ways, too, the mind works like music — simply as essentially the most advanced symphonies come up from particular person notes coming collectively in concord, our features and our ideas are all of the sum of particular person neurons firing by way of synapses. As a longtime musician, I used to be excited to see the crossroads of two of my passions work together in Vienna.
On our first educational go to, we have been welcomed by Dr. Sarah Melzer, whose group conducts analysis in how neuropeptides have an effect on conduct and neuronal circuits on the Medical College of Vienna. We additionally met Dr. Lukasz Piszczek, a postdoctoral affiliate working with Dr. Wulf Haubensak who investigates neuronal circuits concerned with emotional conduct. On a tour of their labs, we have been launched to patch-clamp electrophysiology, which measures adjustments in currents of cells with a purpose to examine the biophysical properties of ion channels.
We additionally noticed a number of strategies that the researchers have been utilizing to check mouse conduct, such because the open-field take a look at and worry conditioning chamber. This was notably attention-grabbing to me as a result of I additionally work in a lab investigating the results of adolescence stress on outcomes of autism and Tourette’s syndrome in mice. Earlier than coming to Stockholm, I had spent the vast majority of the summer season conducting behavioral assessments, and it was fascinating to watch how totally different disciplines inside neuroscience use modified however comparable behavioral paradigms to research neuronal circuits of curiosity.
Our closing educational cease in Vienna was the lab of a:head bio, the place we listened to a lecture from Josh Bagley, the CSO of the corporate and a longtime neuroanatomist. The vast majority of therapeutic medicine for the central nervous system (mind and spinal wire) fail in scientific trials with people–subsequently, those who succeed are overwhelmingly costly. At a:head bio, the corporate’s distinctive method to investigating novel therapeutics for neuropsychiatric problems is to reprogram affected person blood cells again to stem cells, then induce these cells to change into miniature variations of organs known as organoids (on this case, cerebral organoids, that are pictured beneath). This manner, the researchers at a:head bio are capable of monitor and measure disrupted electrical exercise on organoid arrays to formulate new medicine, all exterior of the physique. I’d realized about iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) earlier than, however by no means exterior a textbook — and it was such a cool expertise to be taught concerning the intricate course of during which they’re cultured, in addition to among the challenges {that a}:head bio has overcome of their hopes for pioneering this modern expertise. And to see the miniature brains and suppose that they have been grown from one thing utterly totally different within the physique was really wonderful!
At Vienna, we additionally had the chance to expertise and luxuriate in its distinctive tradition when it comes to journey, style, and tone. Our strolling tour and explorations took us across the Ring Street, the place we marveled on the grandeur of the Hofburg Palace (the residence of the previous Habsburg Dynasty), the serenity of the Belvedere Gardens, and the majestic, towering spires of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In these two days, we dined on staples of Viennese meals: Griessnockerl, which have been doughy dumplings in hearty beef soup; schnitzel, a scrumptious breaded pork cutlet with a beneficiant serving to of cranberry sauce; and the normal apfelstrudel with creamy vanilla sauce. To wrap up Vienna, we attended a efficiency by the Vienna Mozart Orchestra on the State Opera Home, the place we heard beautiful arias from Figaro and The Magic Flute and classics akin to Turkish March, which the gang joined in for, making for a vigorous and unforgettable evening.
On our manner residence from the live performance, a number of of us by chance stumbled upon Filmfestival Rathausplatz, a bustling bazaar with a row of worldwide meals stalls so far as the attention may see, the scene accompanied by vibrant music from An American in Paris, all below the facade of the majestic metropolis corridor. The spectacular exposition was the proper ending to our journey in Vienna. I got here away from this leg of the journey feeling an amazing flurry of feelings: surprise at the entire novel concepts and experiences, a curiosity to see and be taught extra, and gratefulness to be making new shut connections with my fellow friends.
Improvement (n.): 1) transformation of preliminary musical themes and concepts introduced; the second part of a classical sonata 2) the collection of adjustments that happen through the life historical past of an organism
Days 4 and 5: Budapest
I’ll always remember our first full day in Budapest. It began with a morning go to to the Semmelweis College in Budapest, the place we mentioned the importance of neurulation (a important step within the correct growth within the mind) with Dr. Alán Alpár, professor of Embryology, Histology, and Anatomy. The dialogue was supplemented with an indication — a dissection of a human mind donated to the college. Despite the fact that I’ve seen jars of preserved brains and a few neurosurgeries earlier than, there was one thing very particular about seeing the sharp knife slice a mind cleanly in half, exposing a perspective of the mind normally solely seen in textbooks — a sight I’ve by no means seen in actual life in a conventional classroom. “Chances are you’ll contact it,” he invited us.
A quieting surprise settled over the sterile room as we cradled this organ in our palms–this weighted, spongy mass the dimensions of a grapefruit, but so extremely essential. It was a privilege to have the ability to work together with such a well-preserved human mind, to deal with the fragile treasure chargeable for all the pieces we all know. We additionally obtained the chance to see a dissected cadaver that had taken six months to assemble, which was a really surreal sight. It was this go to that allowed me to appreciate how far we had are available understanding the mind — but additionally the vastness of the unknown frontier of neuroscience.
We got the remainder of the day to discover Budapest on our personal, and we grabbed lunch on the Nice Market Corridor, a market lined with a plethora of retailers promoting all the pieces from lavender to chimney muffins to téliszalámi (smoked sausage). Initially, I wasn’t certain if something may high the fantastic thing about Vienna’s polished Baroque buildings. However after we climbed to the summit of the Liberty Statue overlooking the Danube River (which separates Buda and Pest) I used to be speechless — the view of town over the clear blue waters was completely breathtaking. My sense of surprise didn’t fade all day as we made our technique to the majestic Buda Citadel and walked throughout the ramparts of the traditional Fisherman’s Bastion, a Romanesque murals in its personal proper.
The evening concluded with a strolling meals tour of town, the place we visited historic memorials of Budapest and sampled conventional Hungarian delicacies, the primary time I’ve ever tried it. We tasted freshly-baked strudels that ranged in flavors from poppyseed to cabbage; langos, fried bread topped with bitter cream and cheese; goulash, a hearty, thick soup spiced with paprika and crammed with beef and potatoes, and lastly, a sampling of túrógombóc, a cottage cheese dessert. Every part was so scrumptious!
Final however not least, we ended our journey to Budapest on an educational go to to the KOKI Institute of Experimental Medication with Dr. Ádám Dénes, the place we realized concerning the significance of microglia (a sort of supporting cell within the mind), which aids in pruning synapses to create space for regular mind growth. Dr. Dénes emphasised that if we’re capable of detect impairment or adjustments in regular features of microglia earlier than onset of signs, it may very well be a serious step in lively prevention of neurodegenerative problems — an ambition I hope to carefully comply with the progress of sooner or later.
Recapitulation (n.): bringing the themes and major concepts all collectively once more on the finish; the third part of a classical sonata
I completely cherished the Research Tour — it was in contrast to something I’d ever skilled earlier than, and I returned to Stockholm with a contemporary new perspective on many features of neuroscience, tradition, and connections. Not like the vast majority of DIS lessons this summer season, our class went on Research Tour the second week of the session — which, for my part, was essentially the most becoming when it comes to educational schedule and sophistication interplay. The chance to go to so many alternative educational establishments and labs in Budapest and Vienna really opened my eyes to new methods at trying on the mind, with among the most memorable place-based studying I’ve ever encountered. The Research Tour not solely launched us to a plethora of fascinating analysis and neuroscience ideas within the subject, it actually gave us an opportunity to fulfill each other, and I’m grateful for the entire connections and recollections that I’ve made with my fellow friends.
It’s surreal to suppose that three weeks in the past, I had by no means stepped foot in Europe earlier than, met any of my present classmates, or heard of the Allen Mind Atlas. At the moment, I’ve simply returned from an intense laser tag session in Stockholm Laserdome with my class to have a good time two birthdays. At the moment, I get able to current a publication determine I’ve created with info on my protein from 5 totally different mind atlases, integrating info I realized at school and the place-based studying alternatives I’ve had. At the moment, nostalgia for the tradition and delicacies of Budapest-Vienna hits me once I inhale the aromatic scent of a lavender sachet and listen to the haunting notes of Mozart’s D minor sonata on my headphones — and I promise that I’ll return.
Tune Suggestions:
Vienna by Billy Joel, on the aircraft from Stockholm to Vienna
Queen of the Evening aria from The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, throughout late evening rain
La Campanella by Franz Liszt, on a stroll by way of Buda Palace
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