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Microscopy (1): Quant Bio Instrumentation Lab

January 4, 2009 By

Want to learn the principles of microscopy? Jeff Gelles writes:

Dear Life Sciences Ph.D. students,

This semester we will again be teaching the Quantitative Biology Instrumentation Lab course, QBIO 120b.  This course, now in its third year, was developed with funding from HHMI.  The course aims to give Ph.D. students who use (or will use) optical instruments in their research practical, hands-on training in the principles and practice of light microscopy (both phase and fluorescence), absorbance spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy.  A syllabus is attached.

The course is open to all students whether or not they participate in the Quantitative Biology program.  However, space in the course is limited, so it would be a good idea for students who want to enroll to email me prior to the first meeting, which is Wed. January 14 at 2:00 in Abelson 335.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Jeff Gelles

Also, don’t forget about the Quantitative Biology Bootcamp next weekend.

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Simulating viral capsid assembly

December 26, 2008 By

Viral capsids assemble into complex structures with high fidelity, but also can adapt when given other nucleic acids cargoes to package. In a recent paper in Nano Letters, Brandeis physics grad student Oren Elrad and Professor Michael Hagan used computer simulations to investigate the mechanisms by which this occurs. These simulations were done on the Brandeis High Performance Computing cluster.

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How long does it take the brain to access short-term memory?

December 24, 2008 By

A recent paper in Neuroimage by Brandeis Neuroscience Ph. D. program alumnus Yigal Agam, Professor Robert Sekuler and coworkers attempts to answer the question. To identify the earliest neural signs of recognition memory, they used event related potentials collected from human observers engaged in a visual short term memory task.  Their results point to an initial feed-forward interaction that underlies comparisons between what is being current seen and what has been stored in memory.  The locus of these earliest recognition-related potentials is consistent with the idea that visual areas of the brain contribute to temporary storage of visual information for use in ongoing tasks. This study provides a first look into early neural activity that supports the processing of visual information during short-term memory.

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How regions of the brain get their specificity

December 19, 2008 By

The cortex is divided into functionally distinct regions, and the layers of the visual cortex are a classic example. But how much do the intrinsic electrical properties of a particular neuron type vary from region to region? In a recent paper in J. Neurosci., Brandeis Neuroscience graduate students Mark Miller and Ben Okaty together with Prof. Sacha Nelson found a new region-specific firing type in Layer 5 pyramidal neurons. They argue that features as basic as membrane properties can be region-specific, and that this regional specialization of circuitry contributes to the determination of the region’s functional specialization.

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Quantitative Biology Bootcamp

December 17, 2008 By

Dear Students/Postdocs,

All Brandeis life sciences and physical sciences graduate students, postdocs and faculty are invited to attend the 3rd annual Quantitative Biology Bootcamp, which will be held over a two-day period, Sunday January 11, and Monday, January 12, at the Hassenfeld Conference Center.  We think this will be an exciting event for anyone interested in research at the interface of physical and life sciences. Space is limited — if you’re interested in taking part please register by e-mailing Trisha Murray. Please note that registration is a commitment to attend both full days of the bootcamp; if you are unable to come for the entire program please note that in your email and we will try to accommodate you if space is available.   We must hear from you no later than Monday morning, January 5, but please register earlier if possible.  We hope you can join us.

Sincerely,
Jané Kondev and Jeff Gelles, QB program chairs

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Cell cycle checkpoint from the stringent response

December 17, 2008 By
E.coli cells exiting the stringent response

E.coli cells exiting the stringent response

The stringent response in E.coli is a response to nutrient (typically amino acid) starvation and is characterized by the accumulation of the small molecular regulator ppGpp, and a global response in transcriptional regulation.  In a new paper in PLoS Genetics, Daniel Ferullo and Susan Lovett examine chromosome segregation during the stringent respons and discuss what appears to be a novel G1-like cell cycle checkpoint in bacteria that occurs as the result.

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