KOSEN 한인과학기술자네트워크

Stars in Nutrition and Cancer

The Stars lecture is titled "Energy Hormesis and Your Health: A Different View of Energetics and Cancer." A case studies approach will be used to explore the concept of energy hormesis and health with a specific focus on breast cancer. The topics considered will include: obesity and weight loss; energy restriction feasibility; energy restriction mechanisms; energy availability and stress; the impact of inherent versus induced aerobic capacity on cancer risk; and energy stress pharmacology.

For more information go to http://prevention.cancer.gov/news-and-events/meetings-and-events/energy-hormesis-and-your

Director`s Seminar Series

HIV infection leads to CD4 lymphopenia and immunosuppression, which can be successfully improved with antiretroviral therapy (ART) but approximately 20 percent of HIV patients initiating ART may develop an aberrant immune response known as immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). IRIS encompasses the paradoxical worsening of the manifestations of underlying opportunistic diseases (paradoxical IRIS) or the abrupt or atypical presentation of previously occult opportunistic disease (unmasking IRIS) in patients who recently started ART. Importantly, IRIS or paradoxical reactions seem to expand beyond HIV representing a dysregulation of immune responses when immune suppression is abruptly reversed.Our group is studying the clinical predictors, biomarkers and pathogenesis of IRIS through a comprehensive translational program with the aim to develop better strategies for prevention and treatment.

NIH Neuroscience Seminar Series

The ability of efficiently acquiring sensory information and selecting an appropriate action is the essence of flexible behaviors. To make good decisions, it is also crucial to evaluate the consequences of previous actions (gains and costs) and adjust strategies for future decisions. Dr. Uchida？？？s laboratory is interested in neuronal processes by which sensory information and memory about previous experiences guide behavior of the animal. Their main questions are: 1) How is odor information coded and processed by an ensemble of neurons? 2) What kinds of circuit dynamics underlie decision-making processes? 3) What are the mechanisms for learning based on rewards and punishments? They have developed an odor-guided perceptual decision task in rats and mice. This behavioral paradigm was recently combined with a multi-electrode recording technique (tetrodes) which allows them to monitor activity of multiple neurons simultaneously while animals are performing a behavioral task. Particular emphasis will be made on the use of behavior. First, behavioral paradigms specify computations (e.g. extracting relevant information in the sensory stimulus) and behavioral goals (e.g. maximizing rewards in a certain period) to be achieved. This in turn guides the way neuronal activities are analyzed. Furthermore, behavioral experiments are necessary to test relevance of certain activity of neurons or hypothesis about "neural codes" obtained in neuronal recordings. They will use various molecular and genetic tools available in mice to further test specific hypotheses experimentally. By combining the above approaches, they wish to establish a causal link between activity of specific neuronal circuits and the dynamics of behavior and learning.