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This newsletter will highlight activities of the Jupiter Life Science Initiative (JLSI), which unites scientists in research and training programs from FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt Colleges of Science and Medicine, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, FAU Brain Institute, The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). We plan to cover the local and national contributions of FAU Jupiter faculty and JLSI partners from collaborative institutions as the stories emerge.
Dr. Rod Murphey, Director
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UPCOMING JLSI EVENT: SYNAPSE 2018
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Join us for the SYNAPSE 2018 annual poster session hosted by Florida Atlantic University's Jupiter Life Science Initiative on Friday, February 16
th
from 4- 6pm in the Max Planck Institute for Neuroscience Atrium. This annual event serves as a connection for local neuroscientists and will feature posters from FAU's JLSI, the Scripps Research Institute, and the Max Planck Institute for Neuroscience.
Additional details about the event and registration information will be forthcoming.
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Robert Stackman, Appointed Associate Director of the JLSI
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E
ffective January 2, 2018,
Dr. Bob Stackman
has transitioned out of his role as Interim Chair of Psychology and into the role of Associate Director of the Jupiter Life Science Initiative. Bob took on the role of Interim Chair and, under his leadership, much was achieved to prepare the department for a new permanent chair. He is one of the founding members of our Jupiter efforts and will now re-focus his efforts on the JLSI.
He looks forward to continuing his research on cellular and circuit mechanisms of long-term memory with his students on the Jupiter campus.
He will serve as liaison to Scripps and Max Planck as well as a focal point for our joint graduate programs, Integrative Biology-Neuroscience (IBNS) and the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS). He was recently elected to the IMPRS Steering Committee and Selection Committee. He is also the co-Director of the undergraduate Neuroscience and Behavior Program and will direct the growth of NS&B on the Jupiter campus. Finally, he will facilitate the growth of the Psychology and Biology undergraduate and graduate Programs at Jupiter.
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FAU Max Planck Undergraduate Neuroscience Honors Program
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Florida Atlantic University President John Kelly, Max Planck Society President Martin Stratmann, and David Fitzpatrick, CEO of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI), announced a new partnership between FAU and MPFI to establish an undergraduate honors program in neuroscience that will be the first of its kind across the globe. The FAU Max Planck Honors Program is a joint initiative between FAU’s Jupiter Life Science Initiative,
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
,
Honors College
and MPFI. Commencing in fall 2018, the honors program will support several opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and will attract high performing and talented students such as national merit scholars like those who are dual-enrolled at
FAU High School
and FAU. Read more
here
.
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JLSI Expands New Research Facility
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The last year has seen an expansion in research on FAU’s Jupiter campus. JLSI, in collaboration with the Honors College, recruited
Dr. Erik Duboue
, an Assistant Professor, whose postdoctoral work examined neural circuits regulating stress response in zebrafish. The JLSI has constructed a state-of-the-art fish facility and installed a multi-photon microscope that allows for live whole brain imaging, equivalent to functional MRIs in humans.
Dr. Alex Keene
and Duboue published multiple papers together, including two papers describing the work of James Jaggard, an Integrative Biology doctoral student. Drs. Keene and Duboue will also co-organize the 6th Astyanax International Meeting on the biology of Mexican cavefish in Queretaro Mexico this spring (March 2018).
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FAU Nikon Center of Excellence Hosts Microscopy Workshop
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FAU's Nikon Center of Excellence located on the Jupiter campus recently hosted a two and a half day workshop on NIS Elements. NIS Elements is Nikon's microscopic imaging acquisition and analysis software.
The event was coordinated by Nikon Imaging Core Manager and JLSI staff
Dr. Jana Boerner
in conjunction with Nikon staff. Nikon supplied teaching staff and workstations for all participants.
The workshop boasted 23 participants including graduate students, post docs, and faculty members from the Departments of Biological Sciences, Psychology, Biomedical Sciences, and the FAU Honors College. In lectures and hand-on exercises, participants learned how to analyze and visualize their imaging data using Nikon software. Read more
here
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Dr. Greg Macleod
, Associate Professor in the Biological Sciences Department and Honors College, has received a four-year research grant from the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke totaling $367,471 for the first year of his project entitled “The impact of synaptic cleft pH fluctuations on short term synaptic plasticity." Read more
here
.
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Dr. Alex Keene
, Associate Professor in the Biological Sciences Department
is projected to receive four grants from the NSF and NIH, all of which are investigating the neural and genetic basis for sleep loss in cavefish. Collaborators:
Erik Duboue (FAU), Johanna Kowalko (Iowa State), Suzanne McGaugh (U. Minnesota), and Nicholas Rohner (Stowers, KCMO).
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Integrative Biology PhD Student Gets High-Profile Paper in
eLife
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James Jaggard, an Integrative Biology PhD candidate who works in the laboratory of
Dr. Alex Keene
, has recently published a high-profile paper in
eLife
identifying a role for the narcolepsy gene Orexin, in the evolution of cavefish sleep. The paper entitled "Hypocretin underlies the evolution of sleep loss in the Mexican cavefish" was recently accepted for publication in
eLife
. The author list includes Bethany Stahl, a postdoc in the Keene laboratory, Evan Lloyd, a new Integrative Biology PhD student, and collaborators Dr. David Prober (Carnegie) and
Dr. Erik Duboue
(FAU).
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Dr. Tanja Godenschwege Publishes in
PLOS
Collections
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Integrative Biology PhD Alumnus Publishes in
Nature
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Two alumni of
Dr. Rod Murphey
’s laboratory have solved a long-standing problem in neuroscience. It has been known for 50 years that target-derived, retrograde signaling controls presynaptic transmitter release and thereby synaptic strength. Brian Orr, former student of Dr. Murphey, landed a postdoc position in the laboratory of Dr. Grae Davis, another Murphey laboratory alum, at University of California San Francisco. Davis and Orr published a paper entitled "Retrograde semaphorin-plexin signalling drives homeostatic synaptic plasticity" in
Nature
(vol 550; pg 109-113) showing that semaphorin-2B is the retrograde factor that regulates synaptic strength. Read more
here
.
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JLSI Faculty Research Featured in FAU's First Digital Magazine
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Biology faculty and members of the Jupiter Life Science Initiative had their microscopic images of brains featured in the FAU Owl Research & Innovation digital magazine. The JLSI boasts a state-of the-art Nikon Center of Excellence Core Facility run by
Dr. Jana Boerner
. Read more
here
.
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Stephanie Lazo
, a junior at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College majoring in Biology with a minor in environmental science, became interested in basic science research and began an internship in the laboratory of Dr. Niedernhofer at the Scripps Research Institute of Florida. Since then, she has interned at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in the Magee Women’s Hospital, the Pediatric Hospital, and the Transplant Institute. Stephanie began working in the laboratory of
Dr. Greg Macleod
in the fall of 2016 on a research project measuring the variables of quantal size vs quantal content within the
Drosophila
neuromuscular junction. Her future goals are to incorporate the “best of both words in research and clinical medicine,” complete an MD/PhD program and specialize in endocrinology.” She received a Nambu Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) scholarship last summer, which allowed her to focus on her laboratory project and research progress. She says that her experience in the REU program has provided her with invaluable research experience and professional development that will help her attain her career aspirations.
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Fellowship Awarded to Biology Graduate Student
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Juan Lopez is a Biology Master’s thesis student who works in the laboratory of
Dr. Rod Murphey
, Director of the JLSI and Chair of the Biology Department.
Congratulations to Juan for receiving a Biology Department Graduate Student Scholarship! He received the John Nambu Scholarship for Molecular Biology.
Lopez is a first year graduate student gathering data for his Master's thesis. Lopez's research is analyzing
the role of Netrin/Frazzled in the
Drosophila melanogaster
(fruit fly) giant fiber circuit both pre- and post-synaptically. He aspires to join a neuroscience PhD program.
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Being part of the Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBNS) program, under the tutelage of
Dr. Robert Stackman
, instilled in me the importance of advocating for science and making scientific knowledge available to a broader audience. In addition, having the opportunity to teach undergrads showed me that science is an invaluable tool not just for the sake of continuing the development of scientific discoveries, but as an integral part to everyday life. My experiences and time at FAU assisted me in securing my Scientific Sale Consultant position with Noldus Information Technology. In my new position, I interact closely with researchers in all areas of science from Neuroscience, Psychology, Advertising, Military, Education and many more, and I get to live close to our Nation’s capital, Washington D.C. The true highlight of my position is to support researchers in developing protocols to conduct their experiments. The IBNS program taught me that science is ubiquitous and, although I did not go down the academic road, I can still be an ally for scientists and a strong support for the scientific community.
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Meet the Jupiter Life Science Staff
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Silvana Jaramillo
, Budget Coordinator for the Jupiter Life Science Initiative. Please contact Silvana if you have questions about contracts, grants,or need budget support on the Jupiter campus.
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Marjorie Cazeau
,
Program Assistant for the Jupiter Life Science Initiative
. Please contact Marjorie if you need secretarial or general support on the Jupiter campus.
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The Jupiter Life Science Initiative staff is here to serve students, faculty, and staff. We are always happy to assist as well as answer questions and provide general support during your visit to the FAU John D. MacArthur Campus. For general information, contact Marjorie at 561
- 799 - 8060 or mcazeau@fau.edu
.
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To feature exciting news and accomplishments in this newsletter,
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