Synaptic Connectivity and Function of an Excitatory Interneuron in Cerebellum-like Systems

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Event Details
  • Date/Time:
    • Thursday January 23, 2020 - Friday January 24, 2020
      11:00 am - 10:59 am
  • Location: Room 1005, Roger A. and Helen B. Krone Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB), 950 Atlantic Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332
  • Phone:
  • URL:
  • Email:
  • Fee(s):
    N/A
  • Extras:
Contact
No contact information submitted.
Summaries

Summary Sentence: A Biological Sciences Seminar by Timothy Balmer, Ph.D.

Full Summary: No summary paragraph submitted.

Media
  • Timothy Balmer Timothy Balmer
    (image/jpeg)
Timothy Balmer, Ph.D.
Vollum Institute
Oregon Hearing Research Center
Oregon Health & Science University
 
ABSTRACT
The cerebellum is essential for coordinated movement and balance, but despite being a major focus of study for over 100 years, the circuitry and physiology of the cerebellum is incompletely understood.  Dr. Balmer’s work focuses on the unipolar brush cell, a recently discovered excitatory interneuron with fascinating synaptic signaling properties.  His work elucidates how signals are transformed using unconventional synaptic mechanisms at the unipolar brush cell‘s enormous synapse, which may be a specialization to integrate slowly changing signals.  The inputs to these cells were investigated using transgenic, viral and optogenetic approaches, revealing a remarkably specific pattern of innervation from the vestibular system. Dr. Balmer plans to continue studying the role of unipolar brush cells in cerebellar function, as well as in the dorsal cochlear nucleus, a cerebellum-like circuit containing UBCs with important roles in hearing.
 
Host: Annalise Paaby, Ph.D.

Additional Information

In Campus Calendar
Yes
Groups

School of Biological Sciences

Invited Audience
Faculty/Staff, Postdoc, Public, Graduate students, Undergraduate students
Categories
Seminar/Lecture/Colloquium
Keywords
School of Biological Sciences Seminar, Timothy Balmer
Status
  • Created By: Jasmine Martin
  • Workflow Status: Published
  • Created On: Jan 17, 2020 - 3:36pm
  • Last Updated: Jan 17, 2020 - 3:46pm