The meaning of emotional memories is informed by the context in which the information is recalled.  The hippocampus is a brain area that is essential for processing spatial, temporal, and contextual information.  This seminar will discuss the neurocircuitry by which hippocampus-dependent contextual memories regulate the retrieval of emotional memories.

Nervous systems are complex networks, and their structure and function are mutually dependent and interwoven. My talk will address current topics that link structure and function of brain networks, including connectome mapping, computational models, network communication and dynamic functional connectivity.

I will present recent progress in the extraction of transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions (TMDs) with a particular emphasis on the role of neural network (NN) parametrizations and lattice QCD inputs. First, I will discuss the first proof of-concept extraction of unpolarised TMDs at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic N3LL) accuracy using neural networks. By providing a flexible and data-driven framework, neural networks overcome several of the limitations inherent in traditional functional forms and yield an improved description of Drell-Yan data. This establishes the feasibility of NN-based TMD extractions and motivates further developments in this direction. I will then turn to the first joint study of the Collins-Soper kernel combining inputs from lattice QCD and TMD phenomenology. Using recent continuum-extrapolated lattice calculations at multiple lattice spacings, we assess their impact on a phenomenological extraction based on neural network parametrizations. Both Bayesian reweighting and, for the first time, a direct global fit including the 21 lattice points together with about 500 experimental measurements are performed. The inclusion of lattice data has an impact both on the central value and on the uncertainties of the extracted Collins-Soper kernel.

Engineering a Multi-Omic Toolbox to Decode Cell-Cell Communication Networks

Abstract: Cell-cell communication drives virtually every biological process, from neural circuit formation to cancer progression. However, our ability to map these complex interaction networks has been fundamentally limited by existing technologies that sacrifice either resolution or scale. In this talk, I will present a suite of innovative bioengineering tools we've developed to overcome these limitations and decode cellular conversations at unprecedented detail.

I'll focus on Connectome-seq, our breakthrough sequencing-based method that translates connectivity mapping into a genomics problem, enabling simultaneous profiling of thousands of neural connections with single-synapse resolution. I'll also discuss our proximity labeling platforms for molecular profiling of specific cellular compartments and our integrated multi-omics approaches for studying pathological communication networks.

These technologies could reveal new biology in diverse contexts—from understanding how glioblastomas hijack neural circuits to mapping circuit dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. Our goal is to create precision tools that transform cellular communication from an abstract concept into quantifiable, targetable networks for therapeutic intervention.

Biography: Boxuan Zhao is Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Peking University, Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago with Chuan He and completed postdoctoral training in bioengineering and neuroscience at Stanford University with Alice Ting and Liqun Luo. His research develops innovative sequencing and proximity labeling technologies to map cell-cell communication networks and RNA biology in health and disease.

Christian-Hinman Lab
Research Topics
Endocrinology, Ion Channels, Neurobiology, Synaptic Transmission
Disease Research Interests
Neurological and Behavioral Disorders, Reproductive Diseases, Infertility, and Menopause

Tsai Lab
Research Topics
Neurobiology, Synaptic Transmission, Learning and Memory
Disease Research Interests
Neurological and Behavioral Disorders

Please join us at noon on Tuesday, October 21, in 3269 Beckman's 3rd Floor Tower Room to learn about Recent advances in AAV gene delivery and therapy for CNS diseases presented by Ari Belotserkovsky.

Lunch will be provided to those who register for in-person attendance.  Please register by Friday, October 17.

Register here!

Waves of fear:  oscillatory control of emotional memory
 
Abstract: Memory retrieval requires the coordination of a distributed network of brain structures, including the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.  Coordination of neural activity across distributed brain networks is mediated by local field potentials (LFPs).  During the retrieval of emotional memories, which are relevant to clinical disorders of fear and anxiety, theta power peaks at distinct frequencies during high (3 – 6 Hz) and low (6 – 9 Hz) fear states.  We have recently discovered that the nucleus reuniens, a thalamic hub interconnecting the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, coordinates coherent oscillations in this network.  Moreover, exogenous optogenetic pacing of nucleus reuniens activity imposes coherent activity in the prefrontal-hippocampal network and modulates emotional learning and memory processes.  Closed-loop neural interfaces to regulate oscillatory states in this network may be a promising intervention for fear- and anxiety disorders. 

Biography: Stephen Maren is director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he joined the faculty in 2024. Maren’s research seeks to understand the neural basis of anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. He earned his B.S. at Illinois and his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. He's held tenured faculty positions at the University of Michigan and Texas A&M University.

Nelson Lab
Research Topics
Cell-Cell Interactions, Drug Discovery, Endocrinology, Metabolic Regulation, Regulation of Gene Expression.
Disease Research Interests
Cancer, Drug Discovery

Tsai Lab
Research Topics
Neurobiology, Synaptic Transmission, Learning and Memory
Disease Research Interests
Neurological and Behavioral Disorders

All careers involve some level of uncertainty, but 2025 has drastically increased that uncertainty for many of us. This interactive, in-person session will address ways of dealing with uncertainty in your career. This conversation will be useful if you are dealing with a dramatic change in the career landscape in your field, an altered faculty job market, changes in what locations you are able to live in, or many other issues.

No registration required. This session will take place in-person at the Graduate College (507 E. Green St., Champaign) in room 202.

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

During this workshop, we will discuss the fundamentals of proposal writing, guiding undergraduate students to formulate successful research projects and explain their research in a concise and compelling manner that is understandable to a general audience. Students will leave the workshop with (1) basic knowledge about research proposals and their structure, (2) tactics and tools to write successful research statements, and (3) a list of resources for assistance in the writing process. This workshop is a collaboration between the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Writers Workshop and will be most well-suited for undergraduates who are drafting proposals for the first time, hoping to improve their proposal writing skills, and/or applying for an OUR Research Support Grant.

This event will be held in the Illini Union Bookstore Building, Room 514. It is open to current University of Illinois affiliates (students, faculty, and staff). Please register using your Illinois email address by October 13, and Writers Workshop will send a reminder on the morning of the event. Space is limited to 20 seats; if this session is full, consider attending on October 8.

After this training, participants will be able to articulate and understand the basic tenets of discrimination and harassment laws and policies. Participants will gain more understanding of Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, including new updates in the law. A question and answer as well as discussion session will allow for meaningful exchange around discrimination, harassment, and disability.

Participants will understand the importance of the American with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), and other disability laws. They will learn the dos and don’ts around disability etiquette and engage in discussions on disability awareness in our work environments. 

GRADUATE STDENT WORSHOP
Writing Effective Fellowship Proposals

Led by Dana Johnson, PhD,  Director of External Fellowships at the Graduate College. 

Wednesday, October 22, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Lunch provided for registered attendees at 12 pm

Location: 306 Coble Hall, 801 S Wright St

Register via: https://go.illinois.edu/Fellowshipworkshop

Tips for applying for Grants and Fellowships

This session will be led by panel of Illinois Graduate Students sharing helpful insights for applying for grants and fellowships 

Wednesday, October 22, 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Location: 306 Coble Hall, 801 S Wright St

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this fall for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat! 

Join us for a fun day of hands-on science!  Talk with scientists and explore exhibits and activities including learning how organisms relate to each other on the Tree of Life, extracting strawberry DNA to make necklaces, and understanding how genomics pervades every aspect of our daily lives. Although designed for K-12 children, all members of the community are welcome.

Join Mindfulness & Movement to experience an expertly led program, intentionally created to guide participants through mindfulness meditations and easy stretching exercises in a relaxing, virtual atmosphere! This six-week series takes place every Wednesday from 12:15pm-12:45pm, starting on October 22, 2025.  Registration closes on Wednesday, October 15 or when the class is full.