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Meet our keynote speaker: Dr. Michael Webster

Michael Webster joined UNR as faculty in the Psychology Department in 1994. His research is focused on the cognitive and neural processes that underlie how we see. Much of this has involved characterizing how our perception adapts when the environment changes (e.g. we move to a drier climate) or we change (e.g. as we age). He has explored these adaptations and implications across many domains, from how visual coding compensates for errors in the optics or photopigments of the eye, to how radiologists perceive and interpret medical images.

His research has been funded continuously by grants from the National Eye Institute of Health, and more recently the National Cancer Institute, and he has been recognized at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno by a foundation professorship and Outstanding Researcher Award. He also has led a number of campus-wide neuroscience initiatives, including founding and co-directing both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs in neuroscience and leading the University’s Center for Integrative Neuroscience, a $25 million NIH COBRE grant.

We are honored to have Dr. Webster present the keynote lecture at the 14^th Annual Research Symposium of the Sierra ÁùºÏ±¦µä Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience. Dr. Webster will speak about his work on visual adaptation and how it shapes how we experience the world around us.

Syposium agenda

• 12:30–1 p.m.: Posters in the Atrium 
• 1–1:15 p.m.: Roshni Jain, Biology, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
  • Investigating the mechanisms by which hunger modulates an animal’s olfactory behavior
• 1:15–1:30 p.m.: Seungmi Kim, Biology, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
  • Rab11 suppresses neuronal stress signaling by localizing Dual leucine zipper kinase to axon terminals for protein turnover
• 1:30–2:05 p.m.: Meet Zandawala, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, CABNR at University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
  • Wired to feed: synaptic and peptidergic pathways governing feeding and metabolism in Drosophila
• 2:05-2:40 p.m.: Mitchell Omar, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, CABNR at University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
  • Neuronal AKAP11 functions and involvement in psychiatric disorders
• 2:40–2:50 p.m.: Amy Altick, Treasurer/Secretary of the SNC-SfN, Biology, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
  • Business Meeting and State of our Chapter
• 2:40–3:20 p.m.: Posters and refreshments
• 3:20–3:55 p.m.: Thomas Gould, Physiology and Cell Biology, UNR Med
  • Enteric neuronal substrates underlying spontaneous and evoked neurogenic contractions in mouse colon
• 3:55–4:30 p.m.: Ruben Dagda, Pharmacology, UNR Med
  • Role of PINK1 in regulating synaptic plasticity and cognitive function: implications to Parkinson’s disease
• 4:30–5:30 p.m.: Keynote Speaker: Michael Webster, Psychology, College of Science at University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno
  • Adaptation and normalization in visual perception

Interested in presenting a poster at this year's Annual Symposium on October 11?

Email Dr. Christopher von Bartheld at cvonbartheld@med.unr.edu with the title and a list of all authors. Dr. von Bartheld is the Founder and current President of the SNCSfN.