Jan Naegele, professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, received a $100,000 from the National Institute of Mental Health for her research on “Molecular and Cellular Analysis of Brand-Enriched PTPs.” The grant will be awarded through March 2010. This is a renewal of a previous grant, which is subcontracted with Yale University.
71 search results for "naegele"
Students Present Summer Research at Poster Session
by Olivia Drake •
Wesleyan presented its annual Summer Research Poster Session July 30 in Exley Science Center. More than 100 students, mostly from Wesleyan, participated. Students are funded from Hughes, the Mellon Foundation, a Rauch Environmental Grant, the Wesleyan McNair Program, Sonnenblick and the Robert Schumann Endowment. Students from the Quantitative Analysis Center also participated.
Biology majors Nora Vogel ’11 and Caleb Corliss ’13 discussed their poster titled “Genetic Variation for Invasiveness: Are there Monster Genotypes in Polygonum cespitosum?” They’ve spent the summer trying to understand what role “monster” genotypes (genotypes with the highest relative fitness) play in the invasive spread of this species. Their advisor is Sonia Sultan, chair of the Biology Department, professor of biology, professor of environmental studies.
Grabel, Naegele Published in Regenerative Medicine Publication
by Olivia Drake •
Laura Grabel, the Lauren B. Dachs Professor of Science and Society, professor of biology, and Jan Naegele, professor of neuroscience and behavior, professor of biology, are the co-authors of “Migration of transplanted neural stem cells in experimental models of neurodegenerative diseases,” published in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine by Springer/Humana Press, 2010.
Naegele’s Articles in Epilepsy, Stem Cell Publications
by Olivia Drake •
Janice Naegele, professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, is the co-author of “Gene and stem cell therapies for treating epilepsy,” published in Epilepsy: Mechanisms, Models, and Translational Perspectives, Dekker M, Inc., 2010; “Migration of transplanted neural stem cells in models of neurodegenerative diseases,” published in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine by Springer Science (Humana Press, 2010; “Westward Ho! Pioneering mouse models for X-linked infantile spasms syndrome,” published in Epilepsy Currents 10(1): 1-4, 2010; “Trekking through the telencephalon: hepatocyte growth factor-mediated guidance for parvalbumin-expressing interneurons,” published in Epilepsy Currents 10(4), 2010; and “Transplants for brain repair in epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases,” published in Neuropharmacology 58: 855-864, 2010.
NS&B Alumni Speak to Students, Faculty About Post-Wesleyan Life
by Olivia Drake •
Dan Austin '08 speaks to students and faculty on "Research opportunities before graduate/medical school: The National Institutes of Health IRTA Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship," during the second Neuroscience and Behavior Symposium Feb. 20 in Exley Science Center. Austin was one of five NS&B alumni who returned to campus to speak at the symposium. While a student, Austin received university honors, the CBIA/CURE Bioscience Fellowship; and the Hawk Prize in Chemistry. He currently is a pre-doctorial fellow at the National Institutes of Health.
Neuroscience and Behavior Symposium Feb. 20
by Olivia Drake •
The second Neuroscience and Behavior Alumni Symposium will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 in Science Center 121. The public is invited.
Five of the department’s “best and brightest” alumni from the last decade will speak at the symposium.
“We invited these particular alumni because they are at different developmental stages on paths toward uniquely varied careers,” says John Kirn, professor and chair of the Neuroscience and Behavior Department, professor of biology and director of Graduate Studies. “This symposium will focus on their personal stories of post-Wes training in graduate school, biotechnology, medical school, and at NIH.”
Kirn encourages undergraduate attendees to participate in this unique mentoring experience during the discussion period, when student will be able to ask the speakers questions about career strategies and how experiences at Wesleyan and beyond have shaped the alumni’s career goals.
Lunch will be provided. To attend, please RSVP to Marjorie Fitzgibbons by February 12, 2010 (mfitzgibbons@wesleyan.edu).
The schedule is as follows:
9:30-9:45 a.m. Welcome (John Kirn, Chair, NS&B Program), David Bodznick, Dean of Natural Sciences & Mathematics) (Science Center 121)
9:45-10:30 a.m. “Aversive processing in
Stem Cell work of Grabel, Naegele Featured
by David Pesci •
The Hartford Courant profiled the ground-breaking stem cell research of Laura Grabel, Lauren B. Dachs Professor of Science in Society, professor of biology, and Janice Naegle, professor of biology, professor neuroscience and behavior, as well as the work of Gloster Aaron, assistant professor of biology, assistant professor of neuroscience and behavior. Wesleyan, along with Yale University and The University of Connecticut, has received grants from the State Stem Cell Initiative, a program that allows scientists to research human stem cell lines. Grabel, Naegele and Aaron are doing research aimed at replicating cells that would ultimately help cure a form a epilepsy.
NSF, NIH Support Burke’s Development, Evolution Research
by David Pesci •
Ann Burke, associate professor of biology, received grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health to study amphibian systems.
Ann Burke, associate professor of biology, recently received a three-year, $395,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the development and evolution of the shoulder girdle using transgenic mice, frog and salamander.
The mice will be generated in collaboration with a lab at the University of Michigan and will allow Burke and her associates to turn off Hox genes, which are specific patterning genes, in specific sub populations of the embryonic mesoderm that make the musculoskeletal tissues.
Pictured is a three dimensional reconstruction of a mouse and chicken scapula. Burke is studying the scapula's development.
“Comparing the dynamics of gene expression and cell interactions during the formation of the pectoral region in a variety of embryos will help us understand the evolution of these musculoskeletal structures and the dramatic variations among vertebrate lineages associated with adaptations for different locomotor strategies, like swimming, scurrying, crawling and flying,” Burke explains.
The frog and salamander experiments will use transplants of mesoderm between wild type embryos and embryos that have Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) expressed in all their cells, allowing Burke and her associates to fate map mesodermal cell populations.
Fate mapping is determining which cellular structures in the embryo give rise to which adult structures.
“We do this by transplanting the embryonic structure from a labeled embryo (GFP in this case) into the same spot in an unlabeled embryo, and tracing the ‘fate’ of the labeled cells, that is which adult structure they end up in,” Burke says.
Burke also received a two-year $100,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to use the same amphibian systems (salamander and frog) to develop a model system for understanding body wall defects in humans.
The grants will provide funds for a team of researchers at Wesleyan working with Professor Burke on these projects, including a postdoctoral fellow, graduate students and undergraduates.
“Receiving these two new federal grants, plus a grant from the Eppley foundation earlier this year, is a remarkable accomplishment in any year, but particularly this year as funding levels have dropped precipitously,” says Jan Naegele, professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior.
Naegele Honored by Congressman For Work in Bioscience
by Olivia Drake •
Jan Naegele
Jan Naegele, professor of neuroscience and behavior, professor and chair of biology, was honored for her innovative work in bioscience by the organization “We Work For Health” overseen by the Connecticut Consortium of Independent Colleges on May 18. Congressman Joe Courtney presented a plaque to Naegele’s designee, Deborah Hall ’11 at a ceremony in Cromwell, Conn.
Natural Sciences and Mathematics Hosts Poster Session
by Olivia Drake •
Janice Naegele, chair and professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, and Wesleyan President Michael S. Roth listen to Kai Xuan Keith Tan '09 explain his research during the Natural Science and Mathematics Poster Session April 17. Tan's project was titled "The Role of Ku70 in Regulating Cell Death during Cerebral Cortical Development."
Psychology graduate student Keera Bhandari explains her research on "Acquiring Knowledge from Others: Preschoolers' Use of Testimony."
Shuk Kei Cheng '09 talks to David Bodznick, dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, about her project titled "Anodic Oxidative Functionalization of Tolune Derivatives."
Hannah Sugarman '09 discusses her research on "Baby Giants: Finding Intermediate Mass Black Holes in the Local Universe," with Laurel Appel, director of the Wesleyan McNair Program, adjunct associate professor of biology, senior research associate.
Physics major Anand Swaminathan '09 explains his research on "Vortex Dissipation in Superfluid Third Sound Flows."
Molecular biology and biochemistry major Muna Nahar '09 talks about her research on gene regulation.
Psychology major Sarah Jeffrey '09 presented her findings on "Elementary Neurocognition, Learning Potential, and Function Life Skills: What is the Relationship?" (Photos by Olivia Bartlett)
Wolfe Honored at Retirement Reception
by Olivia Drake •
About 80 colleagues, friends and family gathered in the Daniel Family Commons April 26 to honor Jason Wolfe, professor of biology, emeritus, for his retirement from Wesleyan. Wolfe taught biology at Wesleyan for 39 years. Pictured are former and current members of the Wolfe Lab. Front row, from left, are Emily Lu '00 and Vey Hadinoto '99. Back row, from left, are Aditi Khatri '11, Joan Bosco '09, Hyo Yang '12, Professor Wolfe, Carlo Balane '06 and Ivy Chen '09.
Wolfe earned a bachelor of arts degree from Rutgers University, a master of arts ad eundem gradum from Wesleyan and a Ph.D from the University of California, Berkeley. He's taught cell biology, human biology, biology of aging and the elderly and structural biology. Wolfe is pictured above with Linda Strausbaugh Ph.D. '77.
Wolfe's retirement reception guests included Professor Nancy Schwartz, professor of government; Victor Gourevitch, the William Griffin Professor of Philosophy, emeritus; and Allan Berlind, professor of biology, emeritus.
From left, Vera Schwartz, the Mansfield Freeman Professor of East Asian Studies, director of the Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, professor and chair of the East Asian Studies Program, mingles with Susan Wasch P'84 and Bill Wasch '52, P'84.
From left, Lew Lukens, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry, emeritus; Ellen Lukens; Jan Naegele, chair and professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior; and Fred Cohan, professor of biology, attended the reception to congratulate Wolfe on his retirement. (Photos by Blanche Meslin)
Naegele Receives Major Conn. Stem Cell Grant
by David Pesci •
Janice Naegele, chair and professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, has received a $499,988.00 grant from the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee for her study titled: “Brain Grafts of GABAergic Neuron Precursors Derived from Human and Mouse ES Cells for Treating Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.”
The four-year grant will begin in July 2009, and will support research in laboratories in Wesleyan’s biology department and neuroscience program. The research is directed toward generating inhibitory interneurons that we will transplant into the hippocampus of mice that have temporal lobe epilepsy. The goal of the project is to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of these embryonic stem cell derived neuron grafts for repairing damage to the brain and suppressing seizures.
The award is part of Connecticut’s $100 million Human Embryonic Stem Cell Initiative. Naegele’s co-investigators on this study will include Gloster Aaron, assistant professor of biology, assistant professor of neuroscience and behavior, and Laura Grabel, the Lauren B. Dachs Professor of Science in Society, professor of biology.
