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MasterMinds

Leading Minds Decode the Science of Coping

2026

SEARCHING FOR THE ORIGINS OF RESILIENCE

MASTERMINDS

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WELCOME TO THE 2026 EDITION OF MASTERMINDS

esiliency is the ability to bend, not break. I’m sure Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute members have called on their resiliency many times to keep research moving. Together, we have stayed strong, and that strength can be seen in MasterMinds 2026, including the bright minds joining the Neuroscience Graduate Program, inventors making tools to watch molecules dance, faculty exploring the continuum from body to brain and dreaming and demonstrating how to treat addiction, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and brain cancer. Our community sponsors trust in this resilient group to build the new Florida Atlantic University Center for the Resilient Mind, are featured in this year’s publication. We are grateful to the Palm Health Foundation, the Merrell Family Foundation and Frances Fisher, whose collective $600,000 in seed funding will empower the center to identify the mechanisms of resiliency and inspire generations to forge a connection between the granular lessons of neuroscience and human needs. Here's a look at the center's programs: • Program for Resilient Youth – A $400,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Broward and the Sharron and Joseph Ashby Hubert Fund, launched efforts to understand how early life stress can be throttled, preventing lasting scars on one’s psyche. A connection found the immune system and maternal separation has since led to multiple grants and the support of faculty linking body to brain. • Program for Resilient Aging – Spurred by the launch of the David and Lynn Nicholson Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, the institute received $200,000 from the George T. Elmore Impact for Good Initiative, to support the neurobiological and mental problems of the aging. These funds help send young scientists to conferences to learn from leaders in the field. • Program for Resilient Communities - This program reminds us that our brain and mental health greatly benefit from the support of others. As a child of a family of tragedy, I learned how the help offered by others sustained my imagination and helped me wire together the brain circuits needed to achieve something I never could have imagined. Now, 64 years later, I live at a time where the impact of community can be studied in the brain.

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• I n this regard, FAU has made a bold investment in both animal and human imaging technologies, as well as in the faculty, who can use these scanners to monitor brain activity. To support this effort, the institute is training computational neuroscientists and neuroengineers to pursue this research and watch the brain in action. With faculty of the institutesponsored Center for the Future of Mind, AI and Society, we are challenged to understand how these mental traces underlie human consciousness. • Program for Artistic Resilience – This program seeks to understand how artistic expression changes brains and minds, and can lead to insight, healing and peace. In memory of Joyce and Dusty Sang’s son Ryan, this effort is embodied in the Insights VIII exhibit on display at the FAU Ritter Art Gallery, FAU Boca Raton campus, Feb. 19 to March 15. The exhibit presents the creative expressions of artists with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. I know my time with the Ryan Licht Sang Foundation’s creative works and artists has helped me personally deal with stigma from my own illness Lastly, the ENTERPRISE LEADERSHIP Neuroscience Graduate Program This year’s enterprise is possible with the institute’s leadership. Learn about them here: had a banner year https://www.fau.edu/brain/brain-leadership/ recruiting trainees. Anna Ewing and John Capotosto provided recruitment fellowships, and the June Jones Foundation, helped with research fellowships. Although you will see the exploits of the older beards in this issue, these young scientists will one day be standing in their shoes as a result of their resilient minds. And finally, we are grateful to the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation for continued funding of our impactful ASCEND program. Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Director, Neuroscience Ph.D. Program David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience Professor of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Florida Atlantic University

CONTENTS Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D. Executive Director, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Director, Neuroscience Ph.D. Program David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience Professor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine rblakely@health.fau.edu Gregg Fields, Ph.D. Vice President, Research Executive Director, Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science fieldsg@fau.edu

MasterMinds Managing Editor Cammi Clark, Ph.D.

Assistant Managing Editor Chelsey Matheson Contributing Writers and Editors Vito Borio, Jeff Brooks-Gillies, Cammi Clark, Katie Cottingham, Amanda Loudin, David Kohn, Chelsey Matheson, Judy Gelman Myers, Matt Sax Photography and Images Paige Arriola, Vito Borio, Katarzyna Bytnar, Cammi Clark, Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University Division of University Communications, Getty Images, iStock.com, Chelsey Matheson Design and Graphics Paige Arriola, Craig Korn

FEATURES

12 13

Building a Resilient Mind

Coping with Life’s Challenges FAU Unites Experts to Understand Human Resilience

14 From Stress to Strength The Surprising Brain-immune Connection 16 From Silence to Song

Artistic Expression May Boost Brain Health and Resilience

18 From Moving to Thriving Biology and Lifestyle Intersect to Help People Stay Healthier with Age 20 From Crisis to Community Brain Imaging Helps Uncover How People Cope

22 From Lab to Real World ‘Train the Brain’ Events Share Discoveries About Building Brain Resilience 24 From Brain to Body Exploring the Immune System’s Role in Mental Health

26 Glow, Man, Glow 28 Neurons in Stereo 30 Dopamine Discovery Creatives 32 Cortex 32

New Fluorescent Probes Could Revolutionize Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Dual Brain Waves Fine-tune the Sense of Place

Rare Mutation Study Points to New Targets for Treating Brain Disorders

Creativity as Medicine Florida Atlantic Joins Global Neuroarts Academic Network

34 Art of Science 36 Insights

Art Exhibition Illuminates Creativity of the Bipolar Brain URMA 2017 Survey

Member of the University Research Magazine Association

Notice: Reasonable requests should be sent to the Division of Research at least 20 days in advance via dorcommunications@fau.edu.

DEPARTMENTS 4 BRAIN BRIEFS 8 NEW GREAT MINDS

38 GRANTS 40 OUTREACH MASTERMINDS

BRAIN BRIEFS

Summit for a Cure World's First ‘Bench–to-Bedside’ MRI, Ultrasound Platform BY Chelsey Matheson

In a world where expertise and technology have enabled unprecedented biomedical breakthroughs, the need to accelerate the translation of basic science into clinical treatments is greater than ever. To answer the call, Florida Atlantic University unveiled the world’s first research initiative that unites advanced MRI and focused ultrasound technologies into a single, preclinical and clinical research platform, which promises to shorten the pathway from scientific discovery to patient care. The initiative is part of the Florida Atlantic NeuroInnovate Center and spans the university’s Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses, including at the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. “Never before has a single institution integrated preclinical and clinical imaging with focused ultrasound capabilities within one comprehensive, unified research environment,” said FAU President Adam Hasner. “We are excited to lead the way in bringing revolutionary research and technologies to the frontlines of medicine.” The enhanced system allows researchers to move seamlessly from lab-based studies, which use animal models, to real-time 4

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human trials with the goal of developing non-invasive treatments for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, autism and more. “This one-of-a-kind platform enables us to perform preclinical research at an entirely new level,” said Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. “By studying brain function in animal models with high-resolution functional and structural MRI, we can uncover fundamental mechanisms that underlie complex neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions. These models are essential for building the knowledge base that drives translational breakthroughs. With this integrated benchto-bedside initiative, our discoveries in the lab can more efficiently inform the development of therapies that ultimately benefit patients.” This initiative is a culmination of years of collaboration among disciplines, institutions, and scientific and health care partners and marks the beginning of a new era of medical science. Florida Atlantic is poised to deliver a future in which disease is better understood and effectively treated from “bench to bedside.”

Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine hosted the second annual FairfaxWood Amyloid Related Diseases Summit. Eminent scientists, researchers, clinicians and industry leaders from across North America and Europe congregated to discuss the latest research and advancements in the study of amyloid-related diseases. Their goal – to advance the understanding and treatment of these debilitating conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias and stroke. The program spanned molecular mechanisms, drug discovery, advanced imaging and translational approaches that bridge laboratory research with patient care. The summit is funded by a gift from the FairfaxWood Scholarship Foundation.

Michael R. Dobbs, MD Ann Wood

I F YO U G O …

MindFest 2026 April 1 and 2

Exploring Human-AI Interaction

As questions about AI grow, MindFest continues to bring together experts to reimagine what is possible. To learn more, visit https://www.fau.edu/future-mind/mindfest/.

BY Vito Borio

With a team of world-renowned experts, strong media presence and an extensive AI lab, Florida Atlantic University's Center for the Future of AI, Mind and Society serves as a hub for education and interdisciplinary research focused on understanding the societal cultural, intellectual and economic impacts of future technology-driven changes. One avenue of discovery is MindFest, the center’s flagship annual conference led by Susan Schneider, Ph.D., director of the center and professor, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. The event brings together leading thinkers, researchers and academics to explore pressing philosophical and scientific questions. In light of the progressively autonomous capabilities of emerging technologies, MindFest 2025 aimed to identify key trajectories for the future of humanAI interaction. In particular, the rise of large language model (LLM-based agents, as well as the nature of sentience and consciousness in both biological and, potentially, artificial systems. This year, MindFest organizers collaborated with the PBS television series Closer To Truth to amplify the voices of the distinguished keynote speakers, including Tam Hunt and Jonathan Schooler, both of University of California, Santa Barbara, and Zoltan Istvan, founder, Transhumanist Party. “The thought-provoking ideas raised were enriched by parallel paper sessions and student poster presentations, fostering academic exchange across disciplines and career stages,” Schneider said. “This partnership created a global platform for critical discourse, offering valuable insights into a shared future across multiple channels.”

From left: Mark Bailey, professor, National Intelligence University, Susan Schneider, Ph.D., center director and professor, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Julia Mossbridge, founder, Mossbridge Institute, and Kevin Fraizer, fellow, University of Texas School of Law Tam Hunt, Memory, Emotion, Thought, Awareness Lab, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Erik Engeberg, Ph.D., professor, FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science

Susan Schneider, Ph.D., center director and professor, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Florida Atlantic University's Center for the Future of AI, Mind and Society is sponsored by the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters.

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BRAIN BRIEFS ZZZVUK, DRAZEN DIVIC, BRIZMAKER / ISTOCK.COM

One Treatment, Broad Impact BY David Kohn

More than 12 million Americans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including a third who have served in the military. About 60% of people with PTSD also have problems with alcohol use, chronic pain or both. Drugs for these problems often don’t work, and there is no medicine that works for all three. Andrea Cippitelli, Ph.D., is changing that. The assistant professor of biomedical science at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and a member of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI), is studying an innovative drug that shows promise in simultaneously treating PTSD, alcohol use disorder (AUD) and chronic pain. In a recent study, he found that the drug, PPL-138, significantly reduced symptoms of all three ailments in rats. “This is really a new approach,” Cippitelli said “We need to do more research, but I think this has the potential to really make a difference.” 6

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Currently, people with PTSD typically take antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs for their symptoms. But these medicines don’t always work and usually have little or no effect on alcohol use or chronic pain. People with AUD may take drugs such as naltrexone, which can block the effects of alcohol. Those with chronic pain may take opioids, which can sometimes work, but also pose a significant risk of addiction. “There is no single drug for all three,” Cippitelli said. “That’s why this is so exciting.” The medicine has a complex mechanism of action: It blocks some categories of opioid receptor (there are four), while activating others. Overall, its main effect seems to be altering the activity of a receptor called the nociceptin opioid peptide (NOP), Cippitelli said. Researchers have found evidence that overactive NOP may play a key role in PTSD, drug abuse, pain and depression. Cippitelli’s research focuses on addiction – how it changes the brain and what medications can reverse or modify those

Andrea Cippitelli, Ph.D. changes. Although his journey to becoming a scientist nearly halted on his second day as a pharmacology graduate student in Italy. The first day did not go well, he said he did not enjoy handling rats and thought about quitting. But the next day, he had an epiphany. “I kind of became familiar with the animals and with the environment,” he said, laughing at the memory. “And I realized that I loved it. And so, I said to myself, ‘I want to do this for my life.’”

Paula Gajewski, Ph.D., Carina Arnold, Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., Matthew Schrier, Ph.D.

Brain Institute’s Leader Earns Prestigious Honors BY Cammi Clark, Ph.D.

International awards, global honors and top state inductions – that’s just to name a few of the recognitions this year for Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D, executive director of Florida Atlantic University’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI). Blakely was recently named a Fellow of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), an honor that recognizes leaders in the field for their research, education, mentorship and leadership.

“I am deeply grateful and profoundly honored to receive this prestigious recognition from ASPET,” Blakely said. “This acknowledgment not only reflects the efforts of my incredible mentors, collaborators and trainees, but also reinforces how advancing our fundamental understanding of brain molecules and circuits can yield clues to disease and treatments.” Blakely’s pioneering work has advanced the understanding of neurotransmitter transporters – the proteins responsible for regulating communication between neurons – and how genetic alterations and behavior (such as substance abuse) can disrupt transporter function and lead to neurobehavioral disorders. In addition to being the director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Florida

Atlantic and honored in 2022 with the Scientist Educator Award by the Society for Neuroscience, the world’s largest scientific body supporting brain research, Blakely was also one of three FAU faculty members recently inducted into the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida. With his extensive published research, which includes publications in high-impact journals such as Nature, Science, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and the New England Journal of Medicine, Blakely is one of 10 SNBI affiliated faculty recently recognized among the world’s top 2% of scientists. “Those recognized here are really just the tip of a spear with significant momentum behind it that will see many more reaching recognition as Florida Atlantic ascends,” Blakely said. MASTERMINDS

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Molecules for Movement Researcher Tunnels Deep into the Brain for the Root of Neurological Disorders BY Judy Gelman Myers

Srinivasa Subramaniam, Ph.D., likes to run. One day, he had a eureka moment when he stopped to hydrate. “What activity in his brain motivated his stopping?” he wondered. That question inspired the research Subramaniam oversees in his lab, where he and his team investigate molecular interactions in Huntington’s disease (HD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), two major neurological disorders that affect movement. “Knowing on the molecular level what’s happening within cells and between different brain regions shows us the impact of these diseases and how these factors work together to propel them,” said Subramaniam, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and a member of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. After creating and experimenting with a novel mouse model, the team realized the classic explanation — that neurotransmitters motivate movement — did not address the full picture. Instead, their findings pointed to interactions between proteins in the striatum, a brain region critical to motor function. Following that path, the team has made major breakthroughs in three different areas: TUNNELING NANOTUBES

In 2022, Subramaniam published a study in Science Advances that a protein called Rhes builds strange structures, dubbed tunneling nanotubes, between cells. It uses the nanotubes to transport HD proteins, thereby spreading the disease throughout the brain. The team is currently developing methods to block the progression of HD by preventing Rhes from forming nanotubes. 8

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Srinivasa Subramaniam, Ph.D. STALLED RIBOSOMES

During normal physiology, structures called ribosomes translate the genetic language in mRNA into proteins. In 2021, Subramaniam published a study in Nature Communications that mutant Huntington mRNA stalls the ribosomes on the RNA strand, reducing protein production. The team is currently working on pharmacological inhibitors of a protein that is produced when the ribosomes are stalled — a mechanism that eliminated the disease in mouse models. STRIATUM SIGNALING

Every aspect of movement depends on signaling between cells in the striatum. In 2020, Subramaniam published a study in Science Advances that the RasGRP1 protein regulates two critical signaling pathways in PD, causing strange movements in patients who take L Dopa. The team is currently studying the pathways and other regulatory proteins in greater detail. Subramaniam said he hopes the team’s research will eventually lead to effective therapies for Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease. “I’m excited that impacting tunneling nanotubes or ribosome dysfunction could be a way to treat these devastating conditions,” Subramaniam said.

Crossing Wires Finding Molecules That Shape Memory BY Judy Gelman Myers

Modern neurobiology has confirmed what many suspected: experience rewires the brain. Consider this: • In 1949, a Canadian psychologist Donald Hebb theorized that certain experiences caused particular neurons to fire together, forming a network that strengthened each time the experience was repeated. • In 1984, researchers Michael Greenberg and Edward Ziff demonstrated that experience also alters changes within cells, thereby regulating which genes were expressed. Their discovery is known as activity-driven gene expression opened the door to understanding how experience leaves a biological imprint on the brain. • Fast forward to today, Simon Pieraut, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology in Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, is following that thread even deeper and studying how these activity-driven molecules reshape neural circuits in a process known as structural plasticity — essentially, the brain’s ability to rewire itself. In his lab at FAU, Pieraut, who is also a member of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, focuses on inhibitory neurons in circuits associated with memory and learning. As their name implies, inhibitory neurons control the activity of nearby cells. Depending on what experience the

Simon Pieraut Simon Pieraut, Ph.D.

inhibitory neuron is exposed to, it may form a new synapse or eliminate one. It may connect to another cell’s dendrite, axon or cell body. In 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Pieraut’s lab an $800,000, five-year grant to study how memory formation in the hippocampus is controlled by inhibitory neurons that form a “basket” of synapses around the bodies of excitatory neurons. The hippocampus is responsible for memory formation and retrieval. The grant builds on research Pieraut’s lab reported in Journal of Neuroscience in 2021 and Molecular Brain in 2022. Experimenting with mice, the 2021 paper found that a stimulating environment guided basket cells to form more synapses on the bodies of excitatory cells in the dentate gyrus, thereby increasing the control of their firing rate. The dentate gyrus filters the information that goes into the hippocampus. It also enables discrimination between two objects that are nearly identical.

The 2022 paper found that the same stimulating environment, by enhancing the mice’s early social, physical, and sensory activity, modified how the incoming signals were filtered in the dentate gyrus. Taken together, the papers suggest that structural plasticity induced by experience may affect information processing. From an early age, Pieraut has been fascinated by psychology and psychiatry. His research dives directly into biological mechanisms that have been shown to be impacted in mental health disorders. Clinical and animal model studies show that symptoms in nearly all mental illnesses, including depression, schizophrenia and autism, are, at least in part a direct consequence of disrupted or maladaptive plasticity in neural circuits. “By understanding these mechanisms, we hope to find ways to alleviate some of these symptoms,” Pieraut said. “Even better, maybe we can find new targets for pharmacological treatment.” MASTERMINDS

NEW GREAT MINDS

From left: Juan Alas, Carla Delgado, Omar Rodriguez, Lindsey Knowles, Andrew Goldbaum, Katherine Willis, Michael Robinson and Anna Cook

Class of 2025 Neuroscience Graduate Program Fosters New Talent in Scientific Research BY Chelsey Matheson

Florida Atlantic’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) welcomed eight students to the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP) in the Fall 2025 semester. “This year’s incoming class is comprised of a distinguished group of neuroscience trainees marked by their excellent academic records and substantial hands-on research experience,” said Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of SNBI, David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience and professor of biomedical science in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. The NGP is an interdisciplinary program, that exposes trainees to multiple research experiences that span the breadth of neuroscience inquiry and includes opportunities to train with world class scientists at Florida Atlantic and the Max 10

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Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. Research internships span the first year with students rotating through three research laboratories before they match to a research program and mentor that determine their doctoral focus. Seven students in the class of 2025 were awarded Ewing-Capotosto Neuroscience Fellowships, supported generously by Anna Ewing and John Capotosto. Trainee Michael Robinson was also awarded a five-year McKnight Doctoral Fellowship that is administered and funded for the first three years by the Florida Education Fund, and for an additional two years by FAU. The McKnight fellowship supports African American and Hispanic United States citizens pursuing Ph.D. degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and business at participating Florida universities, with the ultimate

goal of increasing their representation in college and university faculty positions. Lindsey Knowles was awarded a two-year Graduate College Presidential Fellowship based on academic performance and high potential for success following doctoral training. “These fellowships help promising young scientists shed some of the financial burden of pursuing their graduate research and education,” Blakely said, “so they can focus on developing their knowledge and skills and take full advantage of the worldclass research opportunities available to them at FAU. With our university now attracting superior applicants from around the country who have many other options, we face intense competition to recruit them to FAU, so support through these mechanisms is vital to ensuring the growth and success of our research programs.”

Juan Alas

Alas earned a bachelor’s in psychology with a focus in behavior analysis from the University of Florida. During his undergraduate studies, he investigated sociability in children with autism spectrum disorder. The team he worked with examined how feeding interventions influenced children’s behavioral responses and interaction patterns, challenging the notion that certain behaviors are inherent symptoms rather than conditioned outcomes. He participated in Laboratory in Applied Behavior Analysis within a working laboratory environment designed for advanced undergraduate students. He was trained in designing and conducting functional analyses and developing behavioral interventions.

Anna Cook

Cook earned a bachelor’s in psychology with a focus in behavioral neuroscience and minor in biology from Coastal Carolina University Honors College. She investigated the effect of temporary anoxia/hypoxia on juvenile leopard geckos in ovo and worked to create a brain atlas for the geckos. In the future she said that she hopes to do research on intersection of neuroscience and immunology.

Carla Delgado

Delgado earned a bachelor’s in biomedical sciences and biotechnology with a minor in psychology at the University of Central Florida. She worked in an applied industrial microbiology lab studying Acetobacter contamination in beer tap lines, which strengthened her foundation in experimental design and data analysis. Delgado earned a master’s in microbiology and cell science with a focus on medical microbiology and biochemistry at the University of Florida, where she conducted a literature review focused on microbial infections as a potential risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, deepening her interest in neurodegeneration and disease pathogenesis.

Andrew Goldbaum

Goldbaum earned a bachelor’s in neuroscience at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, United Kingdom. He worked in a research lab that used immunohistochemistry and behavioral techniques to study adult neurogenesis and memory in mice, where he specifically utilized techniques to study the effects of environmental enrichment on indicators of anxiety in mice. His goal is to perform theoretical work at the intersection of computational neuroscience and philosophy to help solve problems in the alignment of artificial intelligence with human values.

Lindsey Knowles

Knowles earned a bachelor’s in health science, behavioral and mental health at Florida Atlantic University. A significant portion of her undergraduate research was focused on mathematics, including work in artificial intelligence and cryptography. Her goal is to use mathematical modeling to better understand how people think, bridging the gap between biological mechanisms and behavioral outcomes.

Michael Robinson

Robinson earned a bachelor’s in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry and LGBTQ+ studies at the University of Miami. He worked in a research lab examining how microaggressions, stigma and systemic discrimination affect mental and physical health outcomes in Black women living with HIV. He also served as a National Institutes of Healthfunded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, where he investigated the role of Gasdermin D knockout in reducing neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury.

Omar Rodriguez

Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s in neuroscience at Baylor University. He worked on a clinical project that assessed the effects of live musical performances as an alternative therapy for depression and agitation in older adults with dementia. After graduation, he became the lab manager at the University of Florida, supporting projects involving neuroimaging (EEG) and interventions for communication disorders. He collected high-density EEG data on the perception and expectation of musical rhythms and tones, aiming to explore the shared neural resources involved in processing both reading and music.

Katherine Willis

Willis earned a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in biology and a certificate in neuropsychological testing at Arkansas State University. She worked in two labs, a herpetological physiology lab, where she examined immunocompetency and hormone levels in a range of reptiles. In the second lab she worked with principal investigators who mentored a NASA Student Payload Opportunity with Citizen Science team, which sent plastic biodegrading waxworms to the International Space Station. She also worked at a small biotech company pursuing gene mechanisms for lysosomal storage disorders.

Milestone: NGP Trainees Defended Dissertation Proposals

Claudia Alvarez

Tessa Dallo

Alina Dreps

Ty Roachford

Luiza Sao Pedro Romero

Tyler Sarovich

Daniel van Zant MASTERMINDS

RESILIENT MIND FEATURE

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Coping with Life’s Challenges FAU Unites Experts to Understand Human Resilience BY Katie Cottingham

KUPICOO/ GETTY IMAGES

hen life hits hard, why do some of us bend while others break? Florida Atlantic University is launching a pioneering center to unravel that mystery — bringing brain scientists, social workers, clinicians, psychologists and artists under one roof to decode the science of human resilience. The new center, called the Center for the Resilient Mind, is supported by the StilesNicholson Brain Institute (SNBI). “We can say what we want about what’s good for you, but

we seek to offer insights grounded in a modern neuroscience that reveals the integrative function and plasticity of the brain,” said Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of SNBI and professor of biomedical science in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. With a planned launch of the center in 2026, the SNBI has raised more than $1 million toward its $2.5 million goal. Programs within the center will innovate resiliency research in four main areas: resilient youth, resilient aging, resilient communities and artistic reliance.

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RESILIENT MIND FEATURE

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From Stress to Strength The Surprising Brain-immune Connection BY Katie Cottingham

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rowing up in a traumatic or abusive environment can trigger toxic stress — a prolonged, severe stress response that can impair brain function. Without appropriate help and support, children living in these situations often have trouble learning and controlling their behavior. Ning Quan, Ph.D., professor of biomedical science in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, and Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., also a professor of biomedical science and executive director of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, are zeroing in on a surprising way that stress affects the developing brain — through the immune system.

a period of time, IL-1 receptor levels rise, and the pups show signs of anxiety. When Quan’s team stops the receptor from working, the pups cope much better. The results suggest that it’s possible to make mouse pups, and perhaps human children, more resilient by targeting this receptor. The research revealed that neurons that release serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mood and anxiety, also express the IL-1 receptor in stressful situations. As an expert in neurotransmitter release, Blakely is now working with Quan to look at the association between the IL-1 receptor and serotonergic neurons. “If you take away that inflammatory molecule from the serotonergic neurons selectively, our data indicate that it is unable to carry an echo of that trauma into the future,” Blakely said. “So, it’s a very important signaling molecule network that we think has a lot to say about early life stress.”

Throughout the body, the IL-1 receptor triggers inflammation by binding to the immune cytokine IL-1, a signaling molecule. But research has shown that the receptor is also expressed in the brain. Looking more closely, Quan found that the receptor is present at different levels in specific mouse neurons during normal development — in the absence of inflammation or infection — suggesting it has an important part to play in shaping the brain. “Our research suggests that the IL-1 receptor, which was initially thought to be involved in the immune response against bacteria or viruses, is actively involved during neurodevelopment,” Quan said. “It reshapes the circuitry for you to adapt to the outside world.” Quan’s work also shows that the receptor is important in the stress response. When mouse pups are stressed, such as when they are taken away from their mothers for

Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D.

Ning Quan, Ph.D.

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From Silence to Song Artistic Expression May Boost Brain Health and Resilience BY Katie Cottingham

rt nourishes the soul, but Patricia Izbicki, Ph.D., wants to know whether it can help brain health and resilience.

“Artistic resilience is about using creative expression to enrich your life and possibly protect your brain health as you grow older,” said Izbicki, assistant professor of medical education at Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. As a graduate student, Izbicki examined the connection between music training, cognition and the motor system, which comprises parts of the nervous system responsible for movement, in aging musicians. She’s currently building on

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Patricia Izbicki, Ph.D.

that work as an assistant professor in collaboration with Eyleen Bratten, executive director of the international nonprofit Giving Voice, which organizes choirs that are sensitive to the needs of people with dementia. Evidence suggests that group singing enhances emotional wellbeing and social engagement. Izbicki and Bratten will extend these studies to see if singing could benefit a group of adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related diseases (ADRD) and their caregivers who live in rural Minnesota and Wisconsin. They are now conducting a pilot study with the help of a small grant from the Renée Fleming Foundation that is administered at Florida Atlantic by Michael Dobbs, MD, chair of the clinical neurosciences department and associate dean of clinical affairs in the College of Medicine. The team is evaluating ADRD participants and their caregivers before and after a 12-week period of 90-minute vocal sessions led by Giving Voice-trained directors. Changes in cognitive, emotional

and social factors are assessed with clinically validated tests and semi-structured interviews. “We’re also looking at whether a short intervention like this helps patients require less health care. Do they go to the doctor less often and stay out of the emergency room?” Izbicki said. Reducing the need for health care visits would be a huge benefit to rural patients who typically live far from medical centers. If the pilot study yields positive results, Izbicki and Bratten plan to conduct longer-term studies and randomized control trials that would further build on the pilot results. They said they also hope to expand the Giving Voice approach to other locations, such as South Florida. “Within the last five years, the importance of the arts on brain health has really come into the spotlight,” Izbicki said. “There’s a momentum, and I think that the timing in terms of the public’s interest and engagement is right.” MASTERMINDS

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From Moving to Thriving Biology and Lifestyle Intersect to Help People Stay Healthier with Age BY Katie Cottingham

ome people just seem to age better than others. While one 70-year-old is outside hiking, another with Parkinson’s disease needs a walker to move across the room. “Why does someone develop a neurodegenerative disease, but others do not?” said Corinne Lasmézas, DVM, Ph.D., director of the David and Lynn Nicholson Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at Florida Atlantic University’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI).

Lasmézas is studying a metabolite called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a molecule that is essential for generating energy. Its levels decrease with age in humans. “What we show is that when you bring back NAD to the levels they were in a younger cell, you also increase resiliency,” she said. “The neurons are not susceptible anymore to attack by toxic proteins.”

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The goal of researchers in the Program for Resilient Aging is to gain a better understanding of what sets healthy older people apart from those who develop neurodegenerative diseases. That knowledge could help everyone increase their resiliency and experience improved outcomes in their later years.

Muscle Health: A New Lead on Alzheimer’s Treatment Muscle health offers a promising new approach to combating Alzheimer’s disease (AD). That’s what Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., research partners at Florida Atlantic University’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and collaborators discovered in a recent study published in the journal Aging Cell. The study uncovered a surprising connection between muscle health and AD, specifically Corinne Lasmézas, DVM, Ph.D. a protein called Cathepsin B (Ctsb). Previous research showed that this protein is released from muscle during exercise and is linked to improved cognitive function in mice and humans, and that ablation of Ctsb in mice results in memory deficits. In the current study when Ctsb was expressed in muscle of mice engineered to develop Alzheimer’sHenriette van Praag, Ph.D. like symptoms, the AD mice did not develop memory loss and their brains continued to create new neurons in the hippocampus, which is the brain area Initially, her work focused on diseases caused by infectious associated with learning and memory. protein clumps called prions. Other neurodegenerative

diseases, while not infectious, are also caused by toxic protein clumps. These aggregates shut down vital machinery in neurons, and restoring NAD levels allows cells to make energy again to perform critical functions. Currently, her teams at Florida Atlantic and at a company she founded are trying to more fully understand why NAD decreases with age and in neurodegenerative diseases and how to restore its levels safely and effectively to make people more resilient. The NAD research dovetails well with the work of Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical science at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the SNBI. She studies neurogenesis, or the development of brand-new neurons in adults, and how lifestyle factors such as nutrition, exercise and stress affect this process. Curiously, these factors influence NAD levels. Van Praag’s work shows that exercise helps new neurons form in the hippocampus, a region essential for learning and memory. “If you put mice on a running wheel, the number of adult-born neurons will double or triple, and not just in young animals,” she said. The mice perform better on learning tasks and are less anxious. Van Praag also found that when mice exercise, their muscles

This approach did not reduce the plaques and inflammation that characterize AD brains, however, patterns of brain proteins relevant to learning and neuroplasticity looked more like those of healthy mice, which suggests muscle Ctsb expression could offer new mechanisms for tackling this deadly condition. “Our study is the first to show that expressing Cathepsin B specifically in muscle can prevent memory loss and maintain brain function in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease,” said van Praag, co-author. “Our findings suggest that modulating muscle Ctsb through gene therapy could slow down or reverse memory decline by promoting brain cell growth, and restoring protein balance across the muscle, blood and brain.”

can release factors into the circulation that reach the brain and promote adult neurogenesis and neural plasticity. Thus, training the body can help enhance and maintain brain resilience. “I think we’re living in a really key moment where researchers have advanced tremendously in the field of brain health and disease, but what’s needed is to put that together,” Lasmézas said.

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RESILIENT MIND FEATURE

Brain Imaging Helps Uncover How People Cope BY Katie Cottingham

he aftermath of natural disasters, layoffs and widespread infectious diseases impact communities in different ways, with different abilities to “bounce back.” “Resilient communities are those that are able to adapt to various challenges that they face,” said Andrew Newberg, MD, director, MRI Research and Discovery Center at Florida Atlantic. “These communities, built of resilient people, are those who are able to navigate the challenges as best as possible, deal with the ups and downs, and find effective ways of solving problems and moving forward.” Communities are comprised of people, and Newberg has been studying individuals using functional magnetic

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From Crisis to Community

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Andrew Newberg, MD

Scan Comparisons resonance imaging (fMRI), to peer into the mind. With fMRI, scientists can see how the brain reacts to situations in real-time by monitoring blood flow and the strength of brain networks. More blood flows to highly active areas, which appear brighter on a scan than inactive or less active regions.

Baseline Scan

Newberg’s previous work has focused on communication, spirituality and different mental states to explore how people experience and approach the world. Now, he will apply his knowledge toward gaining a better understanding of how people can improve the way they handle difficult situations. “Our plan is to do human studies with fMRI to look at how the brain functions in people who respond to challenges differently that we can detect with sensitive imaging tools,” Newberg said. For example, he will use the scans to see whether there are differences in brain activity between resilient people and those who do not seem to adapt well to change and adversity. He will also look at the effects of various types of interventions with the goal to improve resilience. Because the limbic system is the emotional center of the brain, changes in resiliency may be apparent in this area. Other regions that could play a role are the frontal lobe, which is responsible for decision-making and language, and the temporal lobe, which processes sounds and is involved in forming and retrieving memories. Newberg said he is excited about the possible collaborations that the Center for the Resilient Mind could foster. “Working together across disciplines will hopefully lead to a much better way of understanding resilience and will help everyone, both on an individual as well as a global level to be more resilient,” he said.

Prayer Scan

Language Center

Frontal Lobes

Baseline

Meditation

Religion is an important component of many people's lives and communities. Using brain imaging technology that measures blood flow, researchers can analyze brain activity when people are engaged in spiritual activities, such as prayer and meditation, to see how it relates to people's perceived religious experience. MASTERMINDS

RESILIENT MIND FEATURE

From Lab to Real World ‘Train the Brain’ Events Share Discoveries About Building Brain Resilience BY Chelsey Matheson

hy do some people age well despite having heritable risks for Alzheimer’s disease or live successful, emotionally stable lives despite traumatic stress? Significant research is seeking answers, including researchers at Florida Atlantic, whose efforts need to be better understood by the public. To pursue this goal, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) hosted a pair of events that explored breakthrough neuroscience research seeking to understand the basis of brain resilience and lay the foundation for new treatments of brain disorders. The events were sponsored by Palm Health Foundation, center sponsor, and presented as part of the foundation’s annual Train the Brain public outreach series. Train the Brain: Neuroscience Research Symposium and Train the Brain: Neuroscience Community Conversation featured SNBI researchers and scientists from across the United States, each sharing their expertise on brain health throughout the lifespan – from fetal and early life development through adulthood and the maturing brain. 22

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Henriette van Praag, Ph.D.

“We intentionally selected speakers whose science and presentation styles would engage highly experienced researchers and their trainees, as well as the lay public who often lack direct exposure to leading scientists in their fields,” said Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., David J. S. Nicholson distinguished professor in neuroscience and executive director of SNBI. The event programs included the following challenges to resiliency in the: Adult Brain • Ning Quan, Ph.D., professor of biomedical science, FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, director of SNBI’s Program in Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology, addressed the mechanisms of body-brain immune coordination across the lifespan. • Jennifer Felger, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, described effects of brain inflammation as it relates to depression risk, with insights to diagnosis and treatment. • Brittany D. Needham, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy, cell biology and physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, described the conversation between gut and brain, where resident microbes produce metabolites that can affect brain function.

Aging Brain • Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Medicine and SNBI, described her career-long search for the Corinne Lasmézas, Ph.D. positive effects of exercise on brain and Ning Quan, Ph.D. mental health from middle age through later life, revealing molecules released by muscle that support cognitive function. • Corinne Lasmézas, Ph.D., director, SNBI’s David and Lynn Nicholson Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, and professor, College of Medicine, was the keynote speaker for both events. She shared her breakthrough research on new leads to forestall and treat debilitating neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease. Developing Brain • Judy Van de Water, Ph.D., professor of medicine, University of California, Davis, described the impact of maternal antibodies associated with autism spectrum disorder, specifically how a severe infection in the mother could pass these molecules to the fetus with the potential to disrupt brain development. • Alexandre Bonnin, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology, University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, explained neuroplacentology, the influence of the placenta in fetal brain development and how its protective barrier can be breached as a result of maternal infection.

SUPPORT

New Center Grant Florida Atlantic University received a $200,000 grant from the George Elmore Fund for Good administered by the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties. The grant will help foster faculty research, trainee education and the visits of prominent scientists through the Program for Resilient Aging, overseen by the Center for the Resilient Mind.

Nicole Baganz, Ph.D. Henriette van Praag, Ph.D.

Paula Gajewski, Ph.D.

Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D.

The Neuroscience Symposium included talks from two of SNBI’s early-career scientists, Paula Gajewski, Ph.D., assistant research professor and Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Schmidt College of Medicine. Both researchers explored the effects of inflammation on brain function. Gajewski focused on its role in serotonin disruption and depression, and Nemeth mapped key indicators of the brain’s immune response by comparing a healthy versus inflamed brain. “We were able to bring in world-class scientists to share their discoveries to the FAU research community and to members of the public thirsty for solutions regarding mental health issues," said Quan, co-organizer of the events. “The scientific presentations inspired more research in the area of resiliency from the FAU faculty and their future collaborations with international experts. The talks for the public generated a lot of interest for the community to engage in holistic initiatives for mental health.”

Seed Funding The Center for the Resilient Mind has set a $2.5 million launch goal, and funding includes a $500,000 donation from Palm Health Foundation, and two $50,000 gifts. One from The Merrell Family Foundation and a second from Frances and Jeffrey Fisher. The center rounds out other SNBI projects, such as the recently opened David and Lynn Nicholson Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research. “There are a number of investigators pursuing this line of study, and the funding will allow us to recruit the faculty we need,” said Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. “We believe brain health is essential to mental health, and now we can go deeper in our understanding of it.” MASTERMINDS

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RESILIENT MIND FEATURE

Lyonna Parise, Ph.D.

From Brain to Body Exploring the Immune System’s Role in Mental Health BY Matt Sax

yonna Parise, Ph.D., a new assistant professor of biomedical science at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, is researching the intricate conversation between the brain, the body and the immune system. “Every year I spend in this field reinforces just how interconnected the body truly is,” said Parise, who previously trained in one of the world’s foremost labs studying the biology of resilience, and her recent NIH grant uses paradigms that examine stress resilience. She also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and psychobiology, respectively, from Florida State University, completing her doctoral degree in behavioral and cellular neuroscience at Texas A&M University. Following her doctoral research, Parise pursued postdoctoral training at the Brain and Body Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York.

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Parise’s current work focuses heavily on the blood-brain barrier and the cellular environments that regulate what enters and exits the brain. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for developing more flexible and precise therapeutic strategies, especially as immune-targeting treatments rapidly evolve. Her research also emphasizes the role of individual differences, an aspect she said she believes is still widely misunderstood in discussions around mental health. “Not everyone is the same, especially when it comes to conditions like depression,” Parise said. “Individualized medicine is going to allow us to personalize therapeutics.” Parise’s background in studying complex behaviors gives her a distinct advantage in testing the effectiveness of new antidepressant and addiction-related treatments, she said, adding she is passionate about ensuring patients and the public understand the full-body nature of mental health. Rather than narrowing in on a single pathway, she encourages attention to whole-body signals. Up Next: Parise said she plans to investigate how the peripheral immune system interacts with drugs of abuse, identifying commonalities that could guide future treatment approaches. “The gut, the brain and the immune system – they communicate constantly, and understanding those conversations is key,” she said.

lorida Atlantic University faculty members were recognized among the world’s top 2% of scientists, according to the annual Stanford-Elsevier ranking. The ranking, compiled by Stanford University and the academic publisher Elsevier, identifies the most influential researchers worldwide based on standardized citation metrics that assess career-long and recent research impact. Of the more than 70 FAU faculty members on the list, 10 have research labs at the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) on the FAU Jupiter campus. Take a look: andy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director, R SNBI, the David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience, and professor of biomedical science regg B. Fields, Ph.D., FAU vice president G for research and professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry enriette van Praag, Ph.D., associate H professor, Department of Biomedical Science, and member, SNBI ing Quan, Ph.D., professor, Department of N Biomedical Science, and member, SNBI awrence Toll, Ph.D., professor, Department L of Biomedical Science, and member, SNBI heryl A. Krause-Parello, Ph.D., FAU C associate vice president for research and a research professor and research professor, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing

uth Tappen, Ed.D., professor and Christine R E. Lynn Eminent Scholar J . A. Scott Kelso, Ph.D., the Glenwood and Martha Creech Eminent Scholar Chair in Science, founder of FAU’s Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, and member, SNBI onica Rosselli, Ph.D., professor and M associate chair, Department of Psychology obert P. Vertes, Ph.D., professor, R Department of Psychology, and member, SNBI "Those recognized here are really just the tip of a spear with significant momentum behind it that will see many more reaching recognition as Florida Atlantic ascends," Blakely said.

For more info, view https://www.fau.edu/brain/faculty-attain-top-2-percent-recognition/index.php

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FEATURE

New Fluorescent Probes Could Revolutionize Neurodegenerative Disease Research BY Jeff Brooks-Gillies

holesterol has many complex and crucial functions in the brain, and the scientists who want to make it easier to study it have their work cut out for them. Like most molecules, this essential lipid is practically invisible in cells, so they must design an easily detectable molecule that acts like cholesterol, ideally well enough to trick lipid transporters into shipping it around and between cells like the real thing. In addition, it has to glow — the key element of fluorescent imaging that allows researchers to distinguish molecules inside cells.

“I don’t want to say impossible, but it’s very hard to do,” said Maciej J. Stawikowski, Ph.D., an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

fluorescing brightly enough to pinpoint their location under the right imaging techniques.

But Stawikowski and his colleagues have gotten closer, developing a new class of fluorescent probes that mimic cholesterol closely enough to be taken up by a cell’s trafficking system while still

These new probes are “anticipated to impact the study of membrane biology, lipid dynamics and cellular targeting,” according to a recent paper published by the researchers in the

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COURTESY OF MACIEJ J. STAWIKOWSKI, PH.D.

Glow, Man, Glow

Maciej J. Stawikowski, Ph.D.

journal Scientific Reports. “We expect that these compounds will enhance our understanding of cholesterol-related processes and cellular membrane dynamics and find applications in drug delivery systems and other areas of biomedical research.” Fluorescent imaging of cholesterol isn’t a new idea, but previously developed probes have had their drawbacks. Some mimic cholesterol well but aren’t very bright, which can lead to lower-quality data collection. Some are bulky enough to disrupt how the tagged molecule would naturally move inside the cell. Another probe that has become a major research tool fluoresces brightly and closely mimics cholesterol in many cases, but it doesn’t get transport between organelles of the cell quite right.

For example, one head group is sensitive to pH changes. This could be useful for studying communication between synapses, Stawikowski said. When neurons talk to each other through synapses, they use cholesterol to form vesicles to pack up and transport neurotransmitters. They emerge at the surface and release their cargo at the surface and then recycle back. “During synapse communication, you have acidification of these synaptic vesicles,” Stawikowski said. “So, we can use the pH sensitivity of these probes for trafficking studies in synaptic vesicles.”

And some probes aren’t environmentally sensitive: They glow just as brightly in water as they do in cell membranes, where natural cholesterol resides.

The probes could also be useful in studying lipid droplets, whose accumulation in the brain is increasingly linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Stawikowski’s lab is also working on developing fluorescent tags for other lipids stored in fat cells like diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols.

Not only are the new probes environmentally sensitive, but their selective glowing properties can be tuned due to the modular structure. Its swappable head groups and linkers that connect the probe to cholesterol allow customization for specific experimental purposes.

“We want to understand how these can interplay with cholesterol and especially lipid droplets,” Stawikowski said. “There’s a lot we still don’t understand about cholesterol and its involvement in neurodegeneration.” MASTERMINDS

FEATURE

Neurons in

STEREO STEREO STEREO

Dual Brain Waves Fine-tune the Sense of Place BY Jeff Brooks-Gillies

s you walk into a room, the neurons that draw your internal maps of the world are primed and ready to fire bursts of signals to nearby cells, joining in on the electrical and chemical processes that underlie our complex ability to understand where we are and how to get around. These “place cell” neurons in the hippocampus are listening in for specific, relatively slow brain waves called theta waves. When a wave comes in at the right frequency, the cells respond with a rapid burst of activity. 28

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The link between theta waves and entering a location is a recent discovery from neuroscientists including Rodrigo Pena, Ph.D. an assistant professor of biological sciences in Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and a member of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. The researchers also found that place cells are tuned for faster brain oscillations, known as gamma waves. These are associated with leaving a location and trigger single spikes of activity instead of bursts. This is an example where resonance in neurons has an important role, Pena said, where cells are tuned to a particular frequency and can fire more if they encounter it. “It turns out that place cells can do that very well for frequencies like gamma and theta,” Pena said. “There seems to be a code

““

The better we understand how neurons work — what we like to call the neural code — the better we can manipulate them.” - Rodrigo Pena, Ph.D.

seems that in the same signal, you have interleaved resonance,” Pena said. “You have two types of resonance happening at the same time. Neurons respond either to single spikes or bursts depending on the gamma or theta frequency.” The study further shows that these tunings are controlled by the neuron’s internal characteristics, including its ionic currents. These control the flow of cellular electrical signals through the movement of charged particles like potassium or sodium ions across membranes. These new insights into the brain’s informational handling could inform research of disorders of disrupted brain rhythms like epilepsy.

Rodrigo Pena, Ph.D.

where we have oscillation frequencies amplified when animals enter or leave the place field.” Pena and his collaborators have further built on these findings in a new paper published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology. They’ve shown for the first time that a single place cell neuron can be “double-coded” for multiple brain waves, responding to each frequency with a different spike mode. “Because we have this interplay between gamma and theta waves and the animal entering a field and leaving a field, it

“The better we understand how neurons work — what we like to call the neural code — the better we can manipulate them,” Pena said. “Everything that’s tied to memory or spatial navigation can be tuned by those ionic currents, which you can also change with pharmacological interactions.” The research was funded in part by the Program in Computational Brain Science and Health, which is sponsored by Palm Health Foundation. Pena, a computational neuroscientist, said the field creates new opportunities in brain research by connecting techniques and specialties that otherwise operate at completely different scales. “You can create models that can crosstalk between those different levels of organization in the brain,” Pena said. “This is why this work was successful, because we managed to do something at the level of an ion channel and connect it to behavior.” MASTERMINDS

FEATURE

Dopamine

Discovery Rare Mutation Study Points to New Targets for Treating Brain Disorders BY Jeff Brooks-Gillies

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or decades, a neuroscience team led by Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., has searched for rare genetic alterations that can change how dopamine works in the brain.

Dopamine is a powerful neurotransmitter implicated in brain functions including movement, mood and reward. Genetic mutations that affect this system are rare, but they give neuroscientists a tool to explore conditions in the brain where dopamine isn’t working like it should. “From there, you can connect the dots to more common occurrences linked to dopamine disruptions, including disorders displaying attention deficits, impulsivity or repetitive behaviors,” said Blakely, the David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience, professor of biomedical science in Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, and executive director of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. In a recent example, the team reexamined a rare genetic mutation they discovered a decade ago. The variation was carried by a few individuals with diagnoses of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder. The mutation, called DAT Val 559, affects dopamine transporters. These are proteins that bind to dopamine and effectively remove it from the synapse, limiting its effects on the brain. But this genetic hiccup leads the transporters to “run backwards,” ejecting dopamine back into the synapse. “It’s part of a hunt that we’ve been on for some time,” Blakely said. “And we’ve learned our craft. We learned how to find these mutations, and how to convert our findings into testable hypotheses about how they ultimately affect behavior.” This craft often involves genetically engineering mice to carry the same mutations the team discovers in humans or other organisms. As predicted, mice engineered to produce DAT Val 559 are impulsive and hyperactive when approached.

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Then the goal became a challenge for the team to normalize the altered behaviors of the mice by targeting a key mechanism that neurons use to regulate dopamine transporters. The team targeted a receptor that, when activated by a particular opioid, is known to make more dopamine transporters available. That’s a problem in this case, as the transporters are known to leak dopamine.

We learned how to find these mutations, and how to convert our findings into testable hypotheses about how they ultimately affect behavior.” - Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D.

In their experiment, the team gave the mice a drug that blocks this type of opioid receptor. The results, published recently in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, showed that the drug reduced the availability of the damaged transporters and corrected deficits in learning and memory. The finding — that a drug blocking an opioid receptor can normalize altered behaviors seen in DAT Val 559 mice — might at first be useful only for the small number of people with the mutation. But the results raise the possibility that this opioid receptor may be an important target for new treatments for much more common dopamine-related disorders. “We think it has much broader significance. Dopamine signaling can be modified in so many different ways that there are many more common changes that the findings relate to,” Blakely said. “It’s a target that has drawn increasing attention in the field of addiction, and here we make a case that it applies as well to other things that dopamine does.”

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CORTEX CREATIVES

as Medicine

Florida Atlantic Joins Global Neuroarts Academic Network BY Matt Sax

hat happens when creativity meets neuroscience? Florida Atlantic is finding out as one of the first Florida universities to join a global movement where art and science converge to improve health, well-being and community healing. The university is joining worldwide Neuroarts Academic Network (NAN) working group, to help lead interdisciplinary efforts that embed the arts – such as music, dance, painting and storytelling – into research, medicine and public health. Grounded in growing evidence that creative experiences have positive effects on brain function, emotion and body systems, FAU plans to contribute through interdisciplinary programs and research. FAU’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) will play a central role, working with the Dorothy F. Schmidt Colleges of Arts and Letters, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

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and community partners to launch new projects and integrate creative practices into therapeutic and preventive settings. To accelerate this effort, SNBI launched a pilot program that supports innovative projects at the nexus of art and brain health. These grants will back initiatives exploring: •H ow music or dance interventions might enhance resilience or cognitive outcomes •H ow visual or storytelling practices can reduce stigma around neurological or mental health conditions •H ow community-based art engagement might affect neural markers of stress or well-being •C reative collaborations that integrate data, biofeedback or imaging tools with art modalities

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This pilot is a key step in the Neuroarts Blueprint vision, a coordinated strategy for building neuroarts as a rigorous field of study and practice, and cementing artistic approaches into health, science, policy and communities. “This is a significant step for Florida Atlantic University and for the emerging field of neuroarts,” said Randy Blakely, Ph.D., FAU’s designated official for NAN, executive director of SNBI, David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience,

and a professor of biomedical science in the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. “Building on the momentum of the NeuroArts Blueprint, joining NAN recognizes FAU for its commitment to programs to unite the arts with brain science and medicine. This commitment not only recognizes a growing movement but also opens a door to transformative research opportunities – particularly in understanding how aesthetic experience can impact brain health.”

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CORTEX CREATIVES

ART of Science

7TH ANNUAL

ART OF SCIENCE

reat advancements in microscope technology enable leaps in neuroscience discovery – and they give us an inside view of the remarkable beauty of the brain. Images of that beauty were recently recognized in Florida Atlantic University’s Art of Science photography and videography competition. The annual contest was created to celebrate the intersection of creativity and visual beauty of scientific research, inviting faculty, students and staff to showcase their work. The competition highlights how science and art collide, strengthening connections between the research community and the public while reflecting FAU’s growing reputation for innovation, discovery and excellence. This year’s competition drew a record-breaking 200 entries across disciplines including neuroscience. On the next few pages, enjoy a close-up look at some of the winners from the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. See all the winners live on March 31 at the Ritter Art Gallery, Boca Raton campus, for opening night of a monthlong exhibition. Register here, https://www.fau.edu/research/art-of-science/

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SURVIVAL TOP POSTDOC

Hussam Alshareef, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Here, the C. elegans nematodes were left searching for more food, and instead of hiding their need, they etched their hunger into the agar, leaving behind an abstract pattern. What looks like art is actually survival - a biological request written in unexpected lines.

ORIGIN STORY RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

Tessa Dallo, doctoral student, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Mentor: Laura Fontenas, Ph.D. This image captures a developing zebrafish embryo, a powerful model for exploring how the nervous system takes shape. The embryo is curled as it has not yet hatched. It expresses zebrabow, a genetic tool that fluorescently labels many cells, enabling researchers to visualize cell development and interactions in vivid detail. Because zebrafish embryos are transparent, they provide a window into the earliest stages of life, when the foundations of movement and sensation first emerge. The image has been falsely colored for artistic effect, highlighting the intricate beauty of developing structures that guide our understanding of both healthy and disordered development.

WHERE MEMORIES BEGIN HONORABLE MENTION

Marianne Charlene Monet, graduate student, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Mentor: Ning Quan, Ph.D. This image shows part of the brain where memories begin their journey, the hippocampus, a region essential for learning and memory. The red glow highlights a special group of neurons known as granule cells, located in an area called the dentate gyrus. What makes this image unique is the long red “tail” stretching from these cells into other hippocampus regions called CA2 and CA3. This vibrant projection reflects how the

brain encodes, organizes and communicates new memories. The green signal, labeled brain cells with NeuN, marks other neurons including pyramidal cells in CA2/3, which are involved in processing and retrieving social memories. Within these neural circuits, the brain begins to transform experience into memory and forms the foundation for how we recall events, recognize others and navigate the social world around us.

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CORTEX CREATIVES

INSIGHTS DAVID FEINGOLD

Art Exhibition Illuminates Creativity of the Bipolar Brain BY Chelsey Matheson

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uch of the pain of bipolar disorder is invisible to the outside world, hidden behind an outward appearance of physical health. But it is a serious, complex and debilitating mental illness without a cure – and those living with the condition often suffer in silence. Through its annual juried art exhibition, Insights VIII, the Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation seeks to break down ongoing stigma around the disease and bring talent and hope to the forefront through remarkable artwork created by people with bipolar disorder.

KELLY MATHEWS

Dusty Sang and Joyce Licht Sang established the foundation after they lost their only child, Ryan, to earlyonset bipolar disorder. Its mission is to foster awareness, understanding and research for the disorder. The Insights exhibit is a powerful public outreach event. This year, the foundation will partner with FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) to host the exhibit in collaboration with the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at the Ritter Art Gallery on the FAU Boca Raton campus.

BARBARA MURAK

The theme of Insights VIII is Triumph of Light Over Darkness, homing in on each artist’s resilience in the face of adversity. The theme fits with SNBI’s initiative to launch the Center for the Resilient Mind, which will emphasize the human dimension of neuroscience. “The Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and Dr. Randy Blakely are at the epicenter of leading-edge neuroscience research. The nexus between the complexity of their scientific work and the public’s understanding of illnesses of the brain can be better understood by experiencing works of art by artists with bipolar disorder where a shared vision of science and the human condition speak volumes about the path ahead,” Dusty Sang said.

SHEILA CAREY

SUSAN MARTIN

I F YO U G O …

Insights VIII: Triumph of Light Over Darkness Open Feb. 19 - March 15 Ritter Art Gallery, Boca Raton campus

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GRANTS

Small but Significant Can Tiny Worms Help Unlock the Mystery of Amphetamine Abuse? BY David Kohn

A microscopic worm is helping to unlock the mysteries behind the human brain and amphetamine addiction. Over the past 15 years, Lucia Carvelli, Ph.D., an associate professor of neuroscience at Florida Atlantic University’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, has given the drug to thousands of the worms, which are called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). She said that the creatures, which are the length of the edge of a dime, can reveal a great deal about how amphetamines affect people. For Carvelli, the worm’s appeal lies in its simplicity. C. elegans has only 302 neurons; mammals’ brains, by comparison, are almost infinitely more labyrinthine — even mice have billions of neurons and trillions of neural connections. The worm’s elemental structure 38

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makes it much easier to study than a mouse or a human. Despite this, Carvelli emphasized that in many crucial ways their nervous systems are quite similar to ours. “The most important molecules in humans are there in C. elegans,” she said. “We are not so different from these worms.” This summer, Carvelli was awarded a National Institutes of Health grant for more than $570,000 to study how amphetamine affects the worm’s nervous system. She has two main goals for this research: first, she wants to understand the mechanisms through which amphetamine affects the brain. Despite decades of research, scientists have yet to unravel exactly what the drug does. Scientists have long known that it increases the amount of dopamine in the

brain, and that this likely plays a key role in its addictive properties. But Carvelli, who is also a member of Florida Atlantic’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, said this is only part of the story. Amphetamine is a “dirty” drug, meaning that it affects many different targets in the brain. As a result, its mechanisms almost certainly extend beyond dopamine, something that most people — including many scientists and clinicians — may not realize. “We still don’t know the mechanism of action,” Carvelli said. “To really prevent or treat addiction, we need to understand how the drug works in the body.” This is an urgent question. Although amphetamine can be useful — many ADHD medications, such as Adderall, are amphetamine compounds — it can also be

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C. elegans, suspects that it is food-related. When the worms detect something tasty (generally bacteria), they stop moving so they can eat it. Amphetamine seems to supercharge this behavior, causing them to stop moving more permanently. But not all C. elegans Swip the same way. Some strains require higher doses before they Swip, while others Swip quite quickly. By identifying the genetic differences between strains, Carvelli said she hopes to better elucidate how amphetamine acts on the brain.

deeply harmful. Last year in the United States, nearly 30,000 people died from overdoses involving amphetamine. Her second goal is to better understand the genes that contribute to the risk of addiction. Some people seem to have a genetic predisposition to amphetamine abuse: of those who use the drug, only about 30 to 40% become addicted. This genetic profile remains largely a mystery. How can she tell which worms may be more prone to abuse? One key indicator is a behavior known as swimming induced paralysis, or Swip. When the worms are placed in amphetamine-infused water, they tend to stop swimming and sink to the bottom (when the amphetamine is removed from the solution, they swim again). Carvelli, who first discovered this phenomenon in

Lucia Carvelli, Ph.D.

The most important molecules in humans are there in C. elegans. We are not so different from these worms.” - Lucia Carvelli, Ph.D.

She and her team have already identified one gene, lev-1, that appears to make the worms more sensitive to amphetamine. (The same gene is present in humans too.) As she continues her work, Carvelli expects to pinpoint other genes that regulate amphetamine sensitivity. Eventually, this knowledge could be used to develop tests that identify a person’s relative risk of addiction — or to develop medicines that block the effects of, or the craving for, amphetamine. Carvelli said reaching these goals will likely take years or decades. Fortunately, she loves what she does. She joked that the scientific process —posing questions, doing experiments and evaluating the results — is how she gets her dopamine hit. “For me, science is like a drug of addiction,” she said. “Luckily it’s a healthy kind of addiction.” MASTERMINDS

GRANTS 7TH ANNUAL

Innovations in Cancer Research

ART OF SCIENCE

Grants Fund New Partnership to Target Glioblastoma BY Jeffrey Brooks-Gillies More than a decade ago, a neuroscience research group began homing in on a gene discovered in roundworms for its intriguing links to dopamine signaling. The group has since shown the human version of the same gene may hold clues for new treatments for multiple brain disorders ranging from addiction to Alzheimer’s disease. Now, with the help of more than $600,000 in new grants, these Florida Atlantic University researchers hope to add glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, to that list. The gene, called MBLAC1, was first fingered as an important molecule for cellular signaling and health by neuroscience experts in the lab of Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D, executive director of Florida Atlantic’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. For the glioblastoma project, the Blakely lab has joined forces with the lab of Gregg B. Fields, Ph.D., vice president for research and executive director of the Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-Health) at Florida Atlantic. Ania Knapinska, Ph.D., research professor in Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, I-Health member, and Fields’ collaborator, is the principal investigator. The work is supported by $562,000 from the Florida Department of Health’s Cancer Connect program and a $50,000 grant from Palm Health Foundation. 40

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CELLS IN SYNCITIUM ART OF SCIENCE SUBMISSION

Emaad Mirza, staff, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Mentor: Srinivasa Subramaniam, Ph.D. This coculture of U87 glioblastoma cells and Q7 healthy mouse striatal cells displays what I consider to be the biggest conspiracy of cells. Between many cells in this image exist fine nanostructures known as tunneling nanotubes (TNTs). TNTs are conduits between cells that involve a direct cytoplasmic connection capable of moving the cell's most integral cargo. Conceptually, I performed this experiment to validate the transmission of mitochondria from the healthy Q7 cells to the burdened U87 glioblastoma cells. See more Art of Science submissions from the SNBI on page 32, 33 and back cover.

The Blakely lab previously found that the protein expressed by the roundworm version of MBLAC1 protein works in a novel way to sustain appropriate levels of copper, a vital micronutrient that is tightly linked to processes of energy creation. “This protein is fundamentally controlling the ability of cells to produce energy,” Blakely said. “We know that cancer cells are dependent on a maintained source of energy because they’re growing rapidly and metastasizing. These are very energydemanding changes.”

The labs are collaborating to explore how eliminating the gene or its downstream support for copper homeostasis and energy production affects the growth and spread of glioblastoma tumors. Their tools include a mouse model developed by Blakely that precludes MBLAC1. The plan also includes the development of a method to rapidly screen drugs for the ability to block MBLAC1 activity. The effort aims to find ways to limit glioblastoma spread and add years of life to those affected with this deadly cancer.

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Supporting STEM Stiles-Nicholson Foundation Gives $85K to Fund ASCEND BY Chelsey Matheson

The Stiles-Nicholson Foundation recently gifted $85,000 to Florida Atlantic University’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI), providing essential funding to sustain and expand the ASCEND (Advancing STEM-community Engagement through Neuroscience Discovery) initiative – an innovative neuroscience education program focused on engaging middle school students across South Florida. Launched to ignite interest about the brain and promote STEM career pathways, ASCEND delivers immersive, hands-on neuroscience learning experiences during a critical time in a student’s development. Through classroom visits, field trips to the SNBI, traveling neuroscience vans, and interactive lessons led by FAU scientists, ASCEND makes cutting-edge brain research accessible, exciting and relevant for early adolescents especially those in underresourced schools. With philanthropic backing, ASCEND has grown rapidly – expanding from a local pilot program into a county-wide initiative that has reached more than 10,000 students to date. The Foundation’s most recent gift will help support the critical personnel and educational tools that drive ASCEND’s programming year-round. This includes classroom visits, field trips to SNBI, neuroscience summer camps, and a suite of multimedia educational content

– all designed and delivered by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty to show how basic brain research connects to the real world.

ASCEND and community engagement and programming at the SNBI. “Together, we’re shaping the next generation of brain scientists.”

“The continued support of the StilesNicholson Foundation helps ensure that we can keep ASCEND moving forward — reaching new students, expanding to additional schools and deepening our impact in communities across the region,” said Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., director of

ASCEND depends on community support and philanthropy to continue growing and reaching students throughout our region. To learn how you can support ASCEND, visit www.fau.edu/brain/drive-brain-research.

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Augmented Anatomy ASCEND Introduces State-of-the-Art Educational Tool to Grade School Outreach Programs BY Chelsey Matheson

Florida Atlantic University’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) introduced a new stateof-the-art educational tool that puts the inner workings of the human body at a student’s fingertips – no scalpel required. Anatomy X is an augmented reality (AR) platform that displays an interactive, threedimensional model of the entire human anatomy system. After donning a set of AR goggles, users encounter the model just an arm’s length away. Using a few strokes of their fingers, they can manipulate the model: turning, zooming in or out, slicing and peering into the inner workings of the body. The model is based on a customized lesson. For instance, users could be presented with the whole body, with specific organs like the brain, heart or lungs, or with systems such as the circulatory or nervous systems. The program is typically used for anatomy and physiology courses in medical schools as a supplement to cadaver work. But SNBI is rolling it out through its community-based ASCEND (Advancing STEM-Community Engagement Through Neuroscience Discovery) program for middle and high school students. ASCEND is an educational program designed to address the national shortage in STEM career-oriented students. The goal of the program is to make science 42

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accessible and exciting to young minds through hands-on learning led by professional neuroscientists and their trainees. “Anatomy X utilizes the latest technology for teaching advanced anatomy concepts,” said Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., director of community engagement at SNBI. “By introducing these lessons to students as early as middle school, we hope to open their eyes early to the possibilities of scientific inquiry.” The program offers flexibility to customize lessons, which ensures the experience will be approachable for students at every level. ASCEND educators can opt for controlled, highly structured lessons where they take the lead or less structured, self-guided experiences with integrated learning modules. “It’s important that the students have the opportunity to manipulate the model,” Baganz said. “We don’t want students to just sit back and watch the instructor. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity, so we want them to feel empowered to explore the model, ask questions and feel the excitement of discovery.”

the skeleton, and bone markings on major skeletal structures, and inferred bone function based on shape, markings and position in the body.

strongly reinforced the material from their lectures in a way that made anatomy just click. I cannot wait to implement this into our coursework further.”

Anatomy X is also being introduced in select courses at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. For instance, students taking human morphology and function, used the Anatomy X system for a lesson on bone anatomy. The students followed a self-guided view of the skeletal system where they identified different bone types, bones associated with specific parts of

“Anatomy X has been revolutionary for our classroom,” said Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at SNBI and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine who teaches the laboratory course for human morphology and function. “After our first use with Anatomy X, many students raved about how this experience was like no other and that it

ASCEND programs are free and available to students in Broward and Palm Beach counties and throughout the Treasure Coast. SNBI hosts field trips at its headquarters on FAU’s John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter and brings lessons directly to schools and community programs via its pair of MobileMinds vans. Learn more at fau.edu/brain/community.

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Brainy Days 2025

2025 BRAINY DAYS RECAP

Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center Launches BY Chelsey Matheson

As part of its annual Brainy Days celebrations in March 2025, Florida Atlantic University’s StilesNicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) celebrated the launch of the David and Lynn Nicholson Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research. The evening featured a special reception and dinner for SNBI supporters and collaborators followed by a lecture from eminent Alzheimer’s disease researcher, Sir John Hardy, Ph.D., chair of Molecular Biology of Neurological Disease at University College London’s Institute of Neurology. During the dinner, guests heard from the center’s director, Corinne Lasmézas, DVM, Ph.D., about her vision to accelerate the work already underway at Florida Atlantic to develop bench-to-bedside treatments for neurodegenerative diseases by combining the latest technology with multidisciplinary collaboration. To illustrate, Florida Atlantic’s vice president for research, Gregg Fields, Ph.D., described a current clinical trial with the university and research partners to enhance the efficacy of Alzheimer’s disease drugs by enabling their movement across the blood-brain barrier using focused ultrasound technology coupled to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, Harvy was presented with the institute’s first Expanding Horizons Awards for his groundbreaking work in uncovering genetic links to Alzheimer’s disease, work that has led to the first mechanism-based treatments for the disease. David Nicholson was also honored for his transformational generosity and vision in support of brain research and education.

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David Nicholson

Sir John Hardy, Ph.D. Gregg Fields, Ph.D.

I F YO U G O …

Brainy Days 2026 An overflow crowd attended Hardy’s Brainy Days lecture, Origins and Treatments of Alzheimer’s Disease, which charted his decades of work investigating the genetic source behind hereditary forms of Alzheimer’s disease and the ongoing quest to understand the disease process and how to stop it.

Feb. 19 - March 15 Insights VIII: Triumph of Light Over Darkness Ritter Art Gallery, Boca Raton campus

March 9 NeuroRhythms 2026 Educating and Inspiring Action in Parkinson’s and Brain Health Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Jupiter

The monthlong Brainy Days programs continued with a talk by Michael D. Burton, Ph.D., the Eugene McDermott Distinguished Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Texas Dallas. Burton’s specialty is the neuroscience behind pain, and his lecture explained how regular alcohol use can exacerbate its intensity.

March 12 Toxic Stress and Resiliency Symposium

The final lecture of the series was given by Andrew B. Newberg, MD, director, MRI Research and Discovery Center at Florida Atlantic. Newberg spoke about his research using MRI to visualize the effects of spirituality – specifically prayer – on the brain.

March 21 Brain Sparks

Brain Sparks

Museum of Discovery and Science

March 18 Movie Screening

Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, Jupiter

Cox Science Center and Aquarium, West Palm Beach

March 23 Music as Medicine by Alex Pantelyat, MD Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, Jupiter

Brainy Days would have been incomplete without the popular Brain Sparks pop-up event at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach. SNBI partnered with Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology to introduce children and adults to the fun of neuroscience discovery through interactive, brainbending activities. “Brainy Days exemplifies our mission to make neuroscience accessible to everyone,” said Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., director of community engagement at SNBI. “These events help ensure scientific knowledge and breakthroughs make it out of the lab and into our community – potentially inspiring hope for those struggling with brain disorders and an excitement about science in the next generation.”

Brain Sparks pop-up event at the Cox Science Center

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7TH ANNUAL

ART OF SCIENCE

BRAINY POP-ART ART OF SCIENCE FINALIST Madeline Martinez, doctoral student, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Mentor: Lawrence Toll, Ph.D. This composition presents three solvent-cleared mouse brains; each row represents one brain captured from the same perspective seconds apart. Nothing has changed, yet everything appears different. Inspired by Andy Warhol’s pop-art style, the repetition reflects both the rigor and rhythm of scientific imaging, where precision meets unpredictability. Each brain was made transparent through a chemical clearing process that preserves its structure while revealing uncommon transverse views. The result captures both beauty and disarray — an elegant reminder that even in controlled systems, variation persists and within the delicate architecture of the brain lies the same tension between order and chaos found in art.