DeVoogd will survey research on birds showing 1) hormone-related plasticity in adults, 2) learning-related brain plasticity in juveniles and adults, 3) comparisons across species showing mosaic evolution of specific brain systems, and 4) how this work led into building science across the Americas.

"Signals from the Womb: How maternal viral infection mediates fetal microglia, macrophages, and cortical development," Adrienne Antonson and "Can you hear me now? Insights into the cortical mechanisms of auditory selective attention," Howard Gritton

The enormous diversity of cell types in any animal model system is defined by neuron type-specific gene batteries that endow distinct cells with distinct anatomical and functional properties. I will show that the diversity of neuronal cell types in the nematode C. elegans can be reduced to a simpler descriptor, the combinatorial expression of a specific class of transcription factors, encoded by homeobox genes. I propose that the preponderance of homeobox genes in neuronal identity control is a reflection of an evolutionary trajectory in which an ancestral neuron type was specified by an ancestral homeobox genes and that this functional linkage then duplicated and diversified to generate distinct cell types in an evolving nervous system.

Beth M. Stadtmueller, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Biomedical & Translational Sciences, Carle Illinois College of Medicine
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mining for anti-infectious Molecules from Genomes Research Theme

"Investigating and engineering the structures and functions of Secretory Antibodies"

Many funding agencies require a personal statement in addition to an applicant’s research proposal. Why?! What on earth are you supposed to talk about? If these questions have induced writer’s block, this workshop is for you. We will assess the range of personal statement prompts you may encounter and distill their shared essence. Participants will learn the qualities of a compelling statement and practice writing techniques to arrive at a complete first draft. 

Register in advance for the link to join this online workshop.

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The ability to craft an effective funding proposal is a skill that can reap a lifetime of rewards. As a graduate student, now is the time to hone your grantwriting proficiency. In this workshop, designed for students in STEM fields, you will learn how to identify funding opportunities, strategize the components of an effective proposal, and think like a grantwriter. Come with questions about this mysterious genre, leave with a template that you can adapt to become a competitive applicant for prestigious university, national, and international funding competitions. 

Register in advance for the link to this online workshop. 

See more Graduate College Workshops.