The Neuroscience Student Organization (NSO) invites you to a Qualifying Exam Panel Discussion This session is designed to demystify the qualifying exam process and help you feel more confident as you prepare. Come hear from students who have successfully completed their quals and learn about: Demystifying the Quals: What to expect from the format, timeline, and evaluation. Study & Prep Strategies: How to organize reading lists, notes, and practice effectively. Common Pitfalls & Solutions: Real experiences and lessons learned. Q&A with Successful Examinees: Bring your questions for honest, practical advice. 📍 Location: Beckman 3269 🕤 Time: 9:30–11:00 a.m., Monday, October 20, 2025 We encourage all students, especially those approaching their quals, to attend and take advantage of this opportunity to learn directly from peers. We will also be taking any questions about the first-year project if asked. BREAKFAST WILL BE PROVIDED!!!!!

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.

Zoom option:  https://illinois.zoom.us/j/83560584743?pwd=OgOb5QvtgCWzEg0k8ambew68G8oBq9.1

Complex brains evolved to find patterns in complex chemical landscapes. Reframing the hippocampus as an olfactory navigation system solves unanswered questions about its structure and physiology.

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

The October Big Ten Neuroscience Seminar will be held on Monday, October 27 , 2025 at 11 AM-12 PM CST, 12-1 PM ET. Iowa Neuroscience Institute will host, with presenters: Matthew Weber, Associate Research Scientist - Mesocortical circuits and cognitive variability Yaneri A. Ayala, Postdoctoral Research – Cognition and action in the human brain; from single neuron to population activity The seminar will be hosted on Zoom through this link: https://unmc.zoom.us/BIG10seminar

Dr. Roger Cone, University of  Michigan, Life Sciences Institute
Mary Sue Coleman Director & Research, Professor, Univ. Michigan Life Sciences Institute
Tadataka Yamada Distinguished University Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, U-M Medical School
Professor, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, LSA

Our Research
Our group works on understanding the central control of energy homeostasis. The laboratory concentrates on the central melanocortin system, a complex set of neural circuits they have demonstrated to regulate a variety of physiological processes important to energy storage.

The melanocortin system plays a critical role in the long-term regulation of body weight, and has profound implications for human health and disease — including in obesity and the wasting that occurs in cancer patients.
Read More: https://www.lsi.umich.edu/science/our-labs/cone-lab 

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 STUDENT WORSHOP
Writing Effective Fellowship Proposals

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

Lunch provided for registered attendees at 12 pm

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

Location: The Women’s Resources Center, 616 E. Green, Suite 213 (next door to McDonalds)

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: The Women’s Resources Center, 616 E. Green, Suite 213 (next door to McDonalds)

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 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.