November 2021 | IDDRC NEWS
What is Inside: In Our Blog | Featured Equipment | Meet Your Colleagues | Events and Announcements
November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Learn about two of our investigators and how their promising research is having a positive impact in the lives of children with Epilepsy. Also, learn about the many resources available to you through your IDDRC membership as well as IDDRC-related news. Happy Thanksgiving! Brought to you courtesy of IDDRC Co-Directors: Dr. Scott Pomeroy and Dr. Mustafa Sahin.
In our Blog: Prospects for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Treat Epilepsy

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method for focal noninvasive cortical stimulation where small intracranial electrical currents are induced by a strong extracranial magnetic field. While TMS falls into the broad category of protocols for “neuromodulation,” it stands out from among other brain stimulation techniques in that it is not only a therapeutic option for drug-resistant conditions, but also has appreciable capacity as a diagnostic tool. 
Hope in the Midst of Epilepsy
Learn about life saving work of Dr. Annapurna Poduri, IDDRC investigator and Director of the BCH Epilepsy Genetics Program. Excerpt from an article in BCH's "Answers" by Nancy Fleiser, Science Writer:

When child neurologist Annapurna Poduri, MD, MPH finished her clinical epilepsy fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital in 2004, she was struck to find that the genetic understanding of epilepsy had changed little in the decade since she started medical school. Many questions were unanswered —
Featured Equipment
Zeiss AxioImager Upgrade
A new color camera has been added for imaging of histological and colorimetric stains (e.g. Hematoxylin and Eosin, trichrome stains) in the Cellular Imaging Core. This microscope is equipped with a slide-scanning stage, enabling users to set up an imaging experiment for up to 8 slides. The microscope also has a monochrome camera for typical multichannel fluorescent imaging (between DAPI and Cy7; 390 to 775nm) as well, where colocalization between brightfield and fluorescence is possible.

Please contact Mark Scimone for training.
Wireless EEG - DSI Implantable small animal telemetry system
DSI's wireless small animal telemetry system allows data acquisition from conscious, freely moving laboratory animals, providing stress-free data collection while enhancing animal welfare.

The AB&P Core (Physiology group) can acquire a plurality of physiologic signals including EEG, ECG, EMG, core temperature, and actigraphy to quantitatively assess seizures, circadian abnormalities and physiologic signatures across the EEG frequency spectrum. 2-channel wireless transmitters also permit simultaneous recording of cortical EEG and neck EMG for sleep analysis.

This state-of-the-art setup enables a strong set of physiological assays to evaluate novel CNS pharmacotherapies in preclinical disease models. The Core also provides expertise and end-to-end services for rodent surgeries, dosing compounds, collecting samples for pharmacokinetic analysis, and conducting high-throughput data analysis.
For more information contact: Mustafa Hameed
Meet our Investigators
Meenakshi Rao, MD, PhD
IDDRC Member since 2020

Dr. Rao's work focuses on understanding the cells and mechanisms used by the nervous system of the gut (called the enteric nervous system; ENS) to regulate digestive and neurological health. With such strong ties between GI symptoms and neurodevelopmental disorders, Dr. Rao believes there a ripe opportunities for collaboration.

But as a teenager, she almost made it as a contestant on a famous game show.

Alexander Li Cohen, MD, PhD
IDDRC Member since 2020

Dr. Cohen's research aims to identify which brain circuits are involved in specific symptoms common in autism spectrum disorder, with the goal to discover whether influencing these brain circuits with non-invasive neuromodulation can be used as a new way to treat symptoms in a targeted way.

While not in the lab, Dr. Cohen plays a beautiful string instrument we don't see too often in our part of the world.

Events and Seminars
Seminars, Conferences, Events

Nov 25: Happy Thanksgiving
Dec 1: Invasive Brain Stimulation Therapies | Harvard Brain Science Initiative
Dec 6: Lindsey Glickfeld, PhD | Duke University | NSS Seminar Series
Dec 14: Marci Ann Kingsbury, PhD | MGH Neurology | RSZ-TNC Seminar Series

Plan ahead:
April 2-7: The 2022 AAN Annual Meeting (Seattle)

National Awareness Days

November
Epilepsy Awareness
Alzheimer's Awareness
Kudos and General Announcements
Equipment and Core Resources Allocation Committee Cycle 11 Funding Awards
Congratulations to members of our IDDRC community that were recently awarded ECRAC funding for the following
  • Dr. Zhigang He | SW 32 Ti Swinging-Bucket Rotor Package
  • Dr. Michela Fagiolini | Pinnacle Technologies Inc. Video EEG System
Boston Children’s Hospital has been selected as a Rare Disease Center of Excellence by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

Congratulations to BCH and to IDDRC member Dr. Olaf Bodamer who is taking the helm as co-director of the new Center.
Grant Submission Process
To BCH Neurology, Neurobiology and ORL faculty: to get your grants submitted on time, please review these two charts that illustrate the grant submission process in an easy and accessible manner.
Kindness and Respect
The IDDRC espouses the aim of Boston Children's Hospital to create a culture of kindness and respect in our work environment. Here are a couple of ideas from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation:
  • Find Out Something New About a Coworker
  • Write something positive on a blog, post or website that you read
Cite the IDDRC
Remember to cite the IDDRC in your relevant publications:
  • IDDRC funded by NIH P50HD105351, or
  • We thank the IDDRC's {enter name of core here} funded by NIH P50HD105351
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