Maternal environmental exposures, from infection to suboptimal diets, increase risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. I will present recent our work identifying cellular-to-circuit level mechanisms underlying maladaptive behavior in offspring and demonstrating the translational potential of multi-omics-informed, precision targeting of the maternal and offspring gut microbiome.

Caᵥβ subunits bind to the pore-forming Caᵥ2.2α₁ subunit of the neuronal voltage-gated calcium channel Caᵥ2.2 with high affinity, stabilizing the subunit and enabling its trafficking to the plasma membrane. We are developing small molecules that disrupt Caᵥβ binding to Caᵥ2.2α₁ as a strategy to suppress neuropathic pain. I will also briefly describe our work developing small-molecule inhibitors of p190RhoGEF to promote axonal growth and to explore its role in TDP-43 aggregation and ALS.

Join us for the next Resources for Researchers Office Hours, where we’ll spotlight the Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Core at the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI). This session will be led by Amandeep Kaur of BERD, and will be held online via Zoom. The Illinois BERD Core offers expert biostatistical consulting and analysis services in support of health-related research, working with Illinois and non-Illinois researchers on basic science, social and behavioral research, translational research studies, and clinical trials. Support is available across the project lifespan: design of observational and experimental studies, data collection instruments, power and sample size calculations, data management, statistical analysis plans and analysis, meta-analysis, and assistance with grant applications, abstracts, manuscripts, and posters. BERD’s cost structure is subsidized for Illinois investigators. Whether you’re planning a study, analyzing data, or preparing a submission, come learn how BERD can support your work.

The Resources for Researchers Monthly Office Hours series is intended to foster a collaborative and supportive space for Illinois researchers. Connect with the tools, expertise, and guidance needed to elevate your work, from research computing and compliance to data and beyond. Each month we highlight a different resource on campus that can be used to support and enhance your work as a researcher.

Towards Human-Prosthesis Symbiosis

Abstract: As the number of individuals living with limb loss in the United States reaches millions, there is an urgent need for advanced prosthetic technologies that can provide this large population with the best restoration of normal function possible. While commercially available robotic prostheses, such as dexterous prosthetic hands and motorized prosthetic legs, have become commercially available, their adoption and functional capabilities remain limited. 

This presentation highlights our research aimed at building a symbiotic relationship between humans and robotic prostheses, i.e., the prosthesis controller and the wearer’s motor control system coordinate and adapt to function as a seamless, unified entity. We investigate human-prosthesis interactions and develop learning-based control and neural-machine interfaces to enable prosthesis adaptation to its amputee users (physically and cognitively) and task contexts. Our innovative approaches may further advance the function of modern, intelligent prostheses and significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with limb amputations.

Biography: Dr. He (Helen) Huang is the Jackson Family Distinguished Professor in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University (NC State) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), the Director of the Closed-Loop Engineering for Advanced Rehabilitation (CLEAR) core, and the launch director for NC State Robotics Initiative. Her research interests lie in neural-machine interfaces, rehabilitation and assistive technology (robotic prosthetics and exoskeletons), learning-based wearable robot control, wearer-robot interaction and co-adaptation, and human motor control/biomechanics. She was a recipient of the Delsys Prize for Innovation in Electromyography, NIDILRR Switzer Fellowship, NSF CAREER Award, ASA Statistics in Physical Engineering Sciences Award, and NC State ALCOA Foundation Distinguished Engineering Research Award. She is a Fellow of AIMBE, Fellow of IEEE, and NC State faculty scholar. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief for the IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering and an Editorial Board Member for the IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

Join us for a workshop in pursuing training grants. Please register by Monday, Sept. 28.

Agenda

12:30-1 p.m.: Registration and snacks
Coffee and snacks will be provided throughout the workshop, but please eat lunch before you arrive. Ted's Café at the Beckman Institute is a convenient option.

1-1:45 p.m.: Training grants overview
This session will cover a training grants overview from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and a discussion on NIH training grants led by Professor Daniel Llano (molecular and integrative physiology).   

1:45-3:30 p.m.: Panel discussion
This panel will include Illinois training grant recipient Professor Jodi Flaws (comparative biosciences) and external training grants awardees from Northwestern University and Washington University, Professor Ken Paller (cognitive neuroscience) and Professor Matt Silva (orthopedic research), respectively. They will talk about their experiences applying and running training grants. We'll have plenty of time for Q&A.

3:30-4 p.m.: Coffee break

 4-5 p.m.: Breakout sessions in 1005
We'll assign attendees to to tables based on the questions they share during the registration phase. Panelist experts will lead these sessions.

Many international graduate students and postdocs will secure full-time employment in the United States. Find out what you need to know about U.S. immigration policies to make a smooth transition. This presentation will discuss the H-1B petition process for full-time hires and options for permanent residence in the U.S. The speaker will be Thomas Arkell, an attorney practicing immigration and employment law.

No registration required. This presentation will be held in Graduate College Room 202 (507 E. Green St) and simulcast online at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace. [NOTE: Questions will only be taken from in-person attendees.]

This workshop is open to anyone who wants to learn more about immigration pathways for international scholars. 

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

No registration required. This session will be broadcast online at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

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 Armory in room 136 (Armory floor plan). It is open to current University of Illinois affiliates (students, faculty, and staff). Please register using your Illinois email address by October 6, and Writers Workshop will send a reminder on the morning of the event.

The “AI Conversation Toolkit” helps graduate students and faculty navigate if, when, and how to use AI in research, and was developed by the Graduate College, the University Library, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation. In this workshop, we’ll walk students and faculty through the toolkit, which includes:

• Understanding responsible tool use (including legal, academic, and ethical considerations)

• Evaluating tools for all stages of the research process

• Assessing different forms of risk

• Communicating expectations clearly through agreements and disclosure statements

The materials emphasizes integrity, intentionality, and transparency through human-centered engagement with technology. The toolkit offers links to relevant campus resources, guided reflective activities, and customizable templates for committees to tailor to the specific needs of each dissertation and lab group. 

The event will be held both in-person and online. Registration is required.

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.

New Beckman community members and those across campus are invited to join this monthly tour of the Beckman Institute. You'll see our common spaces and our five core research facilities, which include:

• Biomedical Imaging Center
• Illinois Polymer Maker Lab
• Microscopy Suite
• Molecular Imaging Lab
• Visualization Lab

The tour begins in Beckman's east atrium. After the tour, stay for Gather in the Garden, our weekly 10 a.m. Tuesday social hour. We serve free coffee. Register using this form if you plan to attend.

Note that this tour will be offered at 9 a.m. the first Tuesday of each month, except December, January and April. Beckman will not host a tour during those months.

Join us for the interactive, hands-on science experience that is World of Genomics, featuring multiple stations focused on specific aspects of science!

Visitors will learn about DNA, genetics, agriculture, robotics, microbes—all through family-friendly activities led by researchers from the IGB. Participate in activities, games, and demonstrations developed and facilitated by IGB members to learn about the role of genomics in our everyday lives.