The Academic Minute for 2016.10.10-10.14

Academic Minute from 10.10 – 10.14

Monday, October 10th
Natasha Rajah – McGill University
Middle-Aged Memory Decline
Natasha Rajah received her PhD at the University of Toronto and received her postdoctoral training at the University Berkeley. She began working at the Douglas Institute in 2005 as assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry. In 2007, she received a salary New Investigator Award from the Institute of Aging and was promoted in 2011 to Director position of the new Brain Imaging Centre at the Douglas Institute.

Natasha Rajah research focuses on brain imaging studies in cognitive neuroscience of aging and memory. In particular, uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) multimodal to study how changes in activity and the volume of certain brain regions affect the functioning of neuronal networks that are important in episodic memory. To this end, it uses multivariate statistical methods to study directly the triple interaction between memory performance, volume and brain activity of certain brain areas and activation of the neural network, in subjects in youth health, to average age and older.

Tuesday, October 11th
Auriel Willette – Iowa State University
Alzheimer’s Disease and the Immune System
Dr. Willette’s laboratory examines the impact of obesity on the structure and function of the human brain. His main foci are metabolic dysfunction, such as insulin resistance, and chronic neuroinflammation. Archival and directly acquired primary data are used. Imaging techniques include volumetrics, FLAIR, DTI microstructure and tractography, MRS, task and resting state fMRI, ASL, FDG-PET, PiB-PET, AV45-PET. Non-imaging techniques include neuropsychological tests and questionnaires of cognition and affect/emotion, and body composition imaging, as well as ELISA, RIA, and mass spectrometry to associate biomarkers with neuroimaging and behavioral outcomes. Collaborations on animal models include diabetic dogs and rodents.

Wednesday, October 12th
Daniel Tennant – University of Birmingham
Blood Cancer and Bone Marrow
Dr. Daniel Tennant is a Senior Lecturer in Metabolic Biochemistry in the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR), situated on the second floor of the Institute of Biomedical Research. He uses stable isotope tracers to investigate changes in the use of nutrients in conditions where oxygen is limiting (hypoxia), or in the presence of genetic mutations that induce a hypoxia-like response. Dan applies the fundamental knowledge gained from these research projects to understand the pathogenesis of diseases where changes in oxygenation play a role; in particular, cancer.

Dan has recently set up the Metabolic Tracer Analysis Core (MTAC) within the IMSR in order to develop novel means to analyse cellular and tissue metabolism using stable isotope tracer molecules, and collaborates with groups worldwide who are interested in using these techniques to study the metabolism of their system, or the metabolism of labelled product.

Dr. Tennant publishes both primary research and reviews in high impact journals, including Nature Communications, Cell Metabolism, Nature Reviews Cancer and Cell, and is regularly asked to speak at international conferences.

Thursday, October 13th
Chris Ferguson – Stetson University
Sex on TV and Teen Behavior
Christopher Ferguson holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Central Florida. He has clinical experience particularly in working with offender and juvenile justice populations as well as conducting evaluations for child protective services. In 2013 he was awarded a Distinguished Early Career Professional Award from Division 46 (media psychology and technology) of the American Psychological Association. In 2014 he was named a fellow of the American Psychological Association through Division 1 (General Psychology, effective January, 2015). In addition to his academic work he has published a historical mystery novel entitled Suicide Kings. He lives in Winter Springs with his wife and young son.

Friday, October 14th
Chris Westbury – University of Alberta
Mathematical Theory of Humor
I am a professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. I am a clinically-trained research psychologist whose work focuses on understanding the cognitive structure and neurological underpinnings of language. I have a particular interest in semantics, or what it means for words to have meaning. I mainly use experimental methods and statistical/ computational modeling, and, occasionally, functional imaging and patient studies.