NBIO Presents: Rebecca Shansky, PhD (Northeastern University)
2026-03-12 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Health Sciences G-328
Prefrontal Circuit Mechanisms Driving Sex Differences in Defensive Responding
My lab works to identify sex differences in brain organization that underlie variation in defensive responding. We find that in Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigms, females are more likely than males to engage active, escape-like conditioned responses (“darting”) that may be linked to pain processing cortical circuitry. Recently, our work has focused on connectivity between the anterior cingulate and infralimbic regions of the prefrontal cortex and longitudinal columns of the periaqueductal gray. We use a combination of tract tracing, immunohistological, chemogenetic, and RNAscope techniques to map gene expression and manipulate activity in these circuits, finding novel sex differences in structure and function as they relate to behavioral outcomes.
Health Sciences G328 and Zoom

NBIO Presents: Jayeeta Basu, PhD (New York University)
2026-03-19 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Cortico-Hippocampal Circuit Interactions in Shaping Learning and Memory Representations
Flexibility and stability of neuronal ensembles are crucial features of brain function. Little is known about how these properties of local circuits are influenced by long-range inputs. We show, in mice, that lateral entorhinal cortex glutamatergic and GABAergic projections to CA3 recruit specific microcircuits that conjunctively provide stability to neuronal ensembles, thereby supporting learning. Furthermore, circuit mapping and manipulations of hippocampal back-projections to entorhinal cortex in mice show anatomically and functionally distinct hippocampal feedback pathways to deep and superficial layers of the medial entorhinal cortex that differentially modulate excitation-inhibition dynamics, plasticity, and novelty driven behavioral output.

Health Sciences G 328 and Zoom

Lamport Lecture: Kathleen Cullen, PhD (Johns Hopkins University)
2026-04-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Foege Genome Sciences Auditorium S-060, 3720 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
Predictive Neural Computations for Self-Motion
How does the brain distinguish self-generated motion from motion imposed by the external world? In this talk, I will describe how predictive neural computations shape sensory processing during natural self-motion. Using a combination of systems neurophysiology, computational modeling, and behavior, our work focuses on vestibular, cerebellar, and thalamocortical circuits operating in closed-loop interactions with the environment. I will show how internal predictions dynamically modulate neural responses, suppressing predictable self-generated input while preserving sensitivity to unexpected motion. I will conclude by discussing implications for perception, motor control, and neuroprosthetic design.
Dr. Kathleen Cullen, PhD is a professor of Neuroscience, Otolaryngology, and Biomedical Engineering at John Hopkins University.
https://www.bme.jhu.edu/people/faculty/kathleen-cullen/

NBIO Presents: Asim Iqbal, PhD, (Tibbling Technologies)
2026-04-16 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
NeuroAI for Generalised Neurological Discovery
The mammalian brain exhibits a remarkable ability to generalize to novel tasks, sensory modalities, and environments using limited data and high energy efficiency. In contrast, current AI systems rely on large-scale datasets, operate within fixed input modalities, and fail to build robust cross-domain representations, resulting in poor generalization and performance degradation when adapting to new tasks. In this seminar, I will introduce a NeuroAI architecture grounded in principles of neural computation, designed to identify and embed these mechanisms within multimodal transformer models for neuroscientific applications. This architecture supports few-shot generalization across a range of brain disorders, enabling applications in mechanistic discovery, personalized rehabilitation, and targeted therapeutic strategies

NBIO Presents: Karina Cramer, PhD (UC Irvine)
2026-04-23 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Assembly of Auditory Brainstem Circuitry: The Roles of Microglia
Neural circuits in the auditory brainstem require precise connections with highly specialized functions. How are these pathways assembled during development? We have explored the functions of microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells. These cells enter the auditory nuclei early in development and help shape the mature synaptic connections. Removal of microglia results in impaired development and auditory function, but microglial repopulation can restore these processes. We are looking into the mechanisms that microglia use to shape auditory circuitry.

NBIO Presents: Mariko Bennett, MD, PhD (University of Pennsylvania)
2026-04-30 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Living Drugs: Targeting microglia for neurotherapies
Microglia are the brain’s parenchymal macrophages, operating at the interface of sentinel sensing and effector function. As both sculptors and defenders of neural circuits, they offer an exceptional therapeutic opportunity. This talk will explore microglial form and function, their contributions to rare neurological diseases, and how emerging biology can be leveraged to develop microglia-targeted therapeutic strategies.

NBIO Presents: Jean-Claude Béïque, PhD (University of Ottawa)
2026-05-07 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
A tale of serotonin’s value: From release dynamics to behavioral regulation
Our lab seeks to gain granular descriptions of synaptic, neuronal and network dynamics in the brain. To this end, we use a combination of in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology, two-photon imaging/uncaging, optogenetics and behavioral approaches, and use computational simulations to coalesce these levels of analysis in tractable interpretations. I will present results from ongoing work aimed at identifying unifying roles for the neuromodulator serotonin. I will show data supporting the idea that serotonin neurons located in the raphe encodes an estimate of cumulative future rewards, a quantity referred to as value in reinforcement learning. We further identified unsuspected network organization and serotonin release dynamics in the raphe that, collectively, impart highly non-linearly processing features of long-range synaptic inputs and behavioral regulation. Collectively, this work is beginning to identify elemental computations that may be involved in animal’s ability to optimally adapt their behavioral policies to changing environmental contexts.

An Evening with Neuroscience
2026-05-08 18:30 - 21:30 | Kane Hall

NBIO Presents: Nanthia Suthana, PhD (Duke University)
2026-05-14 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Neural Dynamics of Human Memory in Naturalistic Environments
Understanding how the human brain supports memory in real-world settings remains a central challenge in neuroscience. In this talk, I will present work combining intracranial recordings, wearable sensing, and immersive paradigms to study memory during naturalistic behavior. We recorded activity from the human medial temporal lobe while participants navigated real and virtual environments alongside measurements of eye movements and behavior. Neural activity exhibited structured dynamics linked to memory-guided exploration, including coordination with eye movements and representations of position along remembered routes, with consistent organization across real and imagined navigation. Extending this framework, I will present findings from naturalistic fear conditioning paradigms, demonstrating how memory-related neural dynamics are shaped by emotional learning. I will discuss how these insights can be leveraged to decode and modulate maladaptive memory processes, with implications for developing closed-loop neurostimulation approaches for disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

NBIO Presents: Jason Shepherd, PhD (University of Utah)
2026-05-21 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Seminar information coming soon!
Health Sciences G328 and Zoom

NBIO Presents: Marius Pachitariu (HHMI Janelia Research Campus)
2026-05-28 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Linking neural representations to behavior using generalization
Sensory-guided decisions are the result of sensorimotor transformations across many brain areas. Recent studies have localized the motor components of these transformations using correlations between brain-wide neural activity and behavior. It has been more difficult to localize sensory computations with the same approach, as it requires pushing animal performance close to psychophysical thresholds, which is typically not feasible. Here we developed a new approach for linking sensory computations to behavior by training mice to discriminate between two stimuli and testing their responses to new stimuli. We then calculated the similarity of neural representations between train and test stimuli, using recordings of over 50,000 simultaneously-recorded neurons from 9 primary and higher-order visual areas (HVAs) and across cortical depths. We found that neural discrimination on the test images but not the train images correlated with the behavioral discrimination of the animals, across a large number of stimulus pairs and animals. The link between neural and behavioral performance was highest in the medial HVAs, suggesting this region as a critical component of sensory transformations and generalization.

Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center presents: Prentice Bloedel Research Day
2026-06-04 12:30 - 18:00 | Haring Center Auditorium CD 150, 1701 NE Columbia Ave, Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States
Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center presents:
Prentice Bloedel Research Day
Thursday 4 June 2026
Talks: 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Poster Session: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Platform Speakers
“Two Ears Are Better Than One:
From Brain to Behavior in Developing Listeners”
Bonnie Lau, PhD, CCC-SLP | University of Washington
“Highlights from Research on Cochlear Development”
Olivia Bermingham-McDonogh, PhD | University of Washington
“Maturation of Binaural and Spatial Hearing
in Children with Typical Hearing and Bilateral Cochlear Implants”
Ruth Litovsky, PhD | University of Wisconsin
“Wiring the Lateral Superior Olive: It Takes Three to Tango”
Karl Kandler, PhD | University of Pittsburgh
UW Trainee Talks
“Regional Specializations of Supragranular Pyramidal Neurons
in the Macaque Auditory Cortex”
Jeffrey Parra Munevar | Graduate Student, Neurobiology & Biophysics
“Vestibular Hair Cell Patterning in Zebrafish: A Balancing Act”
Selina Baeza-Loya, PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow, Otolaryngology-HNS
“How Do Bilingual and Monolingual Brains Respond to an Unfamiliar Language?”
Farhin Ahmed, PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow, Otolaryngology-HNS
“Auditory Language Processing in Adults with Developmental Language Disorder”
Noelle Abbott, PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow, Speech and Hearing Sciences

Wayne E. Crill Endowed Lecture: Kristen Brennand, PhD (Yale University)
2026-06-09 16:00 - 17:15 | Foege Genome Sciences Auditorium S-060, 3720 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
Gene x Environment Interactions in Brain Disease
Kristen Brennand, PhD, Professor in Psychiatry & Genetics at Yale University School of Medicine
Abstract: Each person’s distinct genetics and environment predispose them to some phenotypes and confers resilience to others. We seek to understand the genetic regulation of phenotype, and how it is impacted by developmental, cellular, and environmental contexts. Our functional genomics approach integrates human induced pluripotent stem cell models with
CRISPR-based genome engineering to introduce and reverse genetic variation, yielding precision models that can be combined with genetic and pharmacological screens. Given the complex genetic risk architectures associated with psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, we ask how diverse risk variants share convergent downstream impacts, and whether when added together, combinatorial perturbations yield outcomes that cannot yet be predicted by individual manipulations alone. Likewise, we ask how stress, inflammation, hormones, and other exposures exacerbate or ameliorate the effect of disease-associated risk factors. We study how genotype-phenotype relationships vary across people and dynamic conditions, within and between the cell types of the brain. Thus, rather than just characterize the impact of trait-associated variants, we seek to uncover modifiers that alter it. Our goal is to decipher the frameworks that buffer genetic risk, in order to confer biological resilience and promote healthy development. Understanding the basic biology governing the complex interplay between genetic variants and the environment will springboard the development of novel, personalized approaches to improve health and prevent brain disease

NBIO Presents: Kara Marshall, PhD (Baylor College of Medicine)
2026-06-11 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Feeling the Force: PIEZO ion channels in interoception
Abstract: The Marshall lab studies how mechanosensory molecules and cells—those that sense forces like pressure and stretch—regulate physiology. Inside our bodies, various organs distend and contract as they perform their functions, and embedded neurons monitor and transmit the resulting mechanical sensations to the brain to guide the appropriate behaviors. For example, stretch sensors in the stomach initiate digestion and mediate the sensation of fullness, and bladder stretch alerts us to find a bathroom. Despite their importance, the mechanosensory systems that govern these processes are not well understood. We previously have found that the mechanosensory PIEZO ion channels are critical for a number of interoceptive functions, and we continue using these sensors as genetic handles to understand how mechanosensation contributes to physiology in health and disease

Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center presents: Craig A. Buchman, MD, FACS (University of Utah)
2026-06-11 15:00 - 16:30 | Haring Center Auditorium CD 150, 1701 NE Columbia Ave, Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States
Simultaneous Multi-Electrode Recordings Along Human Scala Tympani: Evidence for Level Dependent Coding

NBIO Presents: Hernandez Moura Silva, PhD (Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard)
2026-06-18 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Ironing Out the Ferrostatic Role of Vasculature Associated Macrophages
Iron is an essential micronutrient required by nearly all living organisms, and maintaining its homeostasis represents a fundamental biological challenge across multiple levels, from individual cells to entire tissues and the whole organism. We propose that local iron regulation within adipose tissue is centrally coordinated by vasculature-associated macrophages (VAMs), a specialized population of resident tissue macrophages closely associated with the vasculature and known to perform key homeostatic functions. While VAMs and other resident tissue macrophages have been historically linked to host defense/innate immunity, there is a major gap in our understanding of their diverse functions beyond immunity, and how their dysfunction drives the progression of chronic inflammatory diseases. Gene expression profiling reveals that VAMs express a comprehensive suite of genes involved in iron import, export, processing, and storage. Our data further demonstrate that VAMs are the most efficient cell type within adipose tissue at importing transferrin-bound iron from the circulation and also function as significant intracellular iron reservoirs. Based on these findings, we demonstrate that VAMs act as central regulators of adipose tissue iron content, continuously sensing local demand and modulating iron availability to support tissue homeostasis.

2026 Lamport Lecture: Rachel Wilson, PhD (Harvard University)
2026-10-08 00:00 - 23:59 | TBA
Seminar Title and Abstract TBA

NBIO Presents: James Bisley, PhD (UCLA)
2026-10-15 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328

NBIO Presents: Arpiar Saunders, PhD (OHSU)
2026-11-05 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328

NBIO Presents: Ulrich Mueller, PhD (Johns Hopkins University)
2026-11-12 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328

NBIO Presents: Anthony Peng, PhD (University of Colorado Anschutz)
2026-12-03 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328

NBIO Presents: Josefina del Mármol, PhD (Harvard)
2026-12-10 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328

NBIO Presents: Matt Carter, PhD (Williams College)
2027-03-18 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
Title and Abstract coming soon!

NBIO Presents: Daniel Levenstein, PhD (Yale University)
2027-03-25 09:30 - 10:30 | Health Sciences G-328
