The NASA Astrobiology Institute marks its 20th anniversary this year and Georgia Tech is throwing a party! This celebration will feature talks and a poster session by faculty members, NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellows, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in Georgia Tech's vibrant astrobiology community.
The celebration is hosted by Frank Rosenzweig, professor of biological sciences and principal investigator of the NAI program Reliving the Past.
The event is sponsored by the NASA Astrobiology Institute and the Georgia Tech College of Sciences, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, and the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.
The event is by by invitation only.
Speakers, Morning Session starting at 8:30 AM
Thom Orlando, professor of chemistry and biochemistry
"An Overview of REVEALS and CSTAR Programs"
Amanda Stockton, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry
"High Impact Chemistry: The Icy Moons Penetrator Organic Analyzer"
Loren Williams, professor of chemistry and biochemistry
"Visualizing the Origins of Life in Biopolymers"
Nick Hud, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and principal investigator of the Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE)
"Some Highlights of CCE Discoveries on the Possible Origins and Early Evolution of Biopolymers"
Martha Grover, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering
"Prebiotic Replication of an RNA Duplex Containing an Active Ribozyme"
Chris Reinhard, assistant professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences
"Climate and Atmospheric Biosignatures on Reducing Worlds"
Jeff Bowman for Britney Schmidt, assistant professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences
"Oceans Across Space and Time: A Multi-Institutional Effort to Understand and Identify Life in Extraterrestrial Oceans"
Jennifer Glass, assistant professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences
"Laughing Gas as a Precursor to Aerobic LIfe"
Will Ratcliff, assistant professor of biological sciences
"Solving Physical Challenges during the Origin of Multicellularity by Evolving Simple Development
James Wray, associate professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences
"Orbital Spectral Signatures of Changing Habitable Environments on Mars"
Lunch and Poster Session, 12:30-1:45 PM
Speakers, Afternoon Session, starting at 2 PM
Pedram Samani, postdoctoral researcher, Georgia Tech
"Experimental Evolution of Anisogamy: An Inquiry into the Origins of Sexes"
Peter Conlin, NPP Fellow, Georgia Tech
"Experimental Evolution of Adaptive Phenotypic Plasticity in a Temporally Varying Environment"
Caroline Turner, NPP Fellow, University of Pittsburgh
"Environmental Similariy (Mostly) Predicts Genetic Similarity"
Nadia Szeinbaum, NPP Fellow, Georgia Tech
"A Microbial Ecology Perspective on the Success of Oxygenic Photosynthesis"
Moran Frankel-Pinter, NPP Fellow, Georgia Tech
"Dynamic Polymerization of Prebiotic Depsipeptides Allows Selection of Stable Structures"
Micah Schaible, NPP Fellow, Georgia Tech
"Ionizing Radiation Effects on the Surfaces of Airless Bodies"
Event Details
Andrew Spence, PhD
Department of Bioengineering
Temple University
Abstract
How do animals use information from peripheral sense organs when they move? Long, distinguished scientific lineages have given insight into this question, both at the level of how these organs function, and how their input is integrated with more central nervous structures. Despite standing on the shoulders of these giants, interesting open questions remain; what is the relative contribution of different classes of sensory afferent to specific locomotor tasks? how is sensory feedback used as a function of phase? and to what extent can modulating sensory feedback be useful in treating neuromuscular disease or injury, and understanding mechanisms of recovery from injury? This talk will present ongoing work that seeks to use genetic tools to target and manipulate the activity of specific classes of sensory afferent in intact rodents. Early work using optogenetics in mice will be presented, followed by recent work using DREADDs to excite or inhibit large diameter afferents in rats. DREADDs are drug-activated, engineering receptors that allow remote activation or inhibition of neurons. Results of pilot work applying selective afferent modulation by DREADDs to both enhancement of the recovery from spinal cord injury, and to understanding the mechanisms underlying that recovery, in rats, suggest that this approach holds promise. Current limitations of genetic approaches will be discussed, and a risky foray into what may lie ahead will be presented.
About the Speaker
Andrew Spence is an applied physicist by training who leads a research group in animal locomotion. As a group, we are focused on how the nervous and mechanical systems work together to produce movement, taking an integrative approach that combines experimental work with mathematical modeling, instrumentation, and some robotics. Andrew did his undergraduate work in physics at UC Berkeley, before doing a PhD in neuroscience and biomedical microdevices at Cornell University. He returned to Berkeley for a postdoc, and worked with Bob Full on the control of many-legged locomotion.
Before coming to Temple University, he was a faculty member in the Structure and Motion Laboratory at the Royal Veterinary College, London, working with Alan Wilson before becoming an independent researcher. Currently his group is focused on the role of constraints (stability, energetics) in shaping quadrupedal gait control, and in applying new neurogenetic techniques (chemogenetics in the form of DREADDs; optogenetics) to dissect the control of fast legged locomotion and to better treat spinal cord injuries.
Physiology Brownbag Seminars
The Physiology Group in the School of Biological Sciences hosts Brownbag Lunchtime Seminars twice a month on Wednesdays at noon in room 1253 of the Applied Physiology Building located at 555 14th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. You are welcome to bring a lunch and join us as we ruminate with us on topics in Physiology! A full listing of seminars can be found at http://pwp.gatech.edu/bmmc/physiology-brownbag-seminars-fall-2018/.
Event Details
Leucine Zipper and the Zinc Fingers, the world's first genetically modified rock band, have been a staple of the Atlanta Science Festival. This summer they went into a studio and recorded their first album, Atomic Anarchy. The band celebrates the recording with a live performance. Join them on Sept. 22, 2018 at 8:00 pm at Kavarna coffee house, in Decatur.
Band leader Leucine Zipper is the clone of College of Science' Jennifer Leavey. The Zinc Fingers are clones of amphibian ecologist Joe Mendelson, chemist Michael Evans, and biologist Ben Prosser.
All ages are welcome!
Event Details
School of Biological Sciences
Georgia Institute of Technology
Event Details
Giovanni Martino, Ph. D.
Emory University School of Medicine
Abstract
Although the control of locomotion seems to be an easy and automatic process, behind this apparent simplicity there is a remarkable combination of mechanical principles, neural control, and sensory input leading to efficient muscular movements of limbs. Understanding motor control and learning even for a simple movement is a big endeavor due to the many variables that come into play. How does the nervous system harness the redundancy and the large number of degrees of freedom of the musculo-skeletal system? What is the specific role of spinal, supraspinal and proprioception systems in generating rhythmic locomotor behavior? These and other similar fundamental questions concerning the motor control mechanisms are still an open issue in neuroscience. Addressing these challenges may also have important implications in the clinical scenario. Indeed, even in the presence of small lesion of the central nervous system (CNS), patients can suffer profound locomotor impairments. Motoneurons represent the ‘final common pathway’ of the CNS and thus one may infer about what is being programmed in the CNS by evaluating the spatiotemporal motoneuron locomotor output. To get insights into the functioning of locomotor controllers, the main focus of this talk is placed on the analysis of the spatiotemporal organization of multi-muscle activity patterns in normal and pathological gait.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Giovanni Martino’s research interests are largely directed towards understanding the neural control and the biomechanics of human movement in both normal and pathological conditions. In 2012, he obtained his Master’s Degree in Bioengineering (at Roma Tre University) with a thesis titled “Muscle synergies in patients with Parkinson’s Disease”, supervised by Prof. Silvia Conforto. After graduating, he began his work experience as Research Assistant at the Centre of Space Bio-medicine at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” led by Prof. Lacquaniti, and in collaboration with the Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology at IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation under the supervision of Prof. Ivanenko and Prof. Andrea d’Avella. During this period, he conducted a series of studies about locomotor coordination in patients. In 2014, he started his Ph.D. in Neuroscience during which he was involved in several projects related to the spatiotemporal architecture of multi-muscle activity in both normal and pathological adult gait, and control of locomotion in children. In particular, the PhD project focused on the exploration of how healthy subjects and patients with neurological disorders (Parkinson’s disease, Cerebellar Ataxia, Cerebral Palsy, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia) adapt locomotor patterns to the environment, by applying recognition algorithms to the multi-muscle activation profiles. These activities have resulted in publishing 9 articles (3 of them as the first author) in various peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Neurophysiology, Plos One, Frontiers in Physiology, Cerebellum, Clinical Biomechanics, Clinical Neurophysiology). Giovanni Martino recently graduated from the University of Rome Tor Vergata’s Neuroscience Ph.D. program. Currently, he is a postdoctoral research fellow in the lab of Dr. Lena Ting at Emory University School of Medicine.
Physiology Brownbag Seminars
The Physiology Group in the School of Biological Sciences hosts Brownbag Lunchtime Seminars twice a month on Wednesdays at noon in room 1253 of the Applied Physiology Building located at 555 14th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. You are welcome to bring a lunch and join us as we ruminate with us on topics in Physiology! A full listing of seminars can be found at http://pwp.gatech.edu/bmmc/physiology-brownbag-seminars-fall-2018/.
Event Details
Leucine Zipper and the Zinc Fingers, the world's first genetically modified rock band, have been a staple of the Atlanta Science Festival. This summer they went into a studio and recorded their first album, Atomic Anarchy. The band celebrates the recording with a live performance.
Band leader Leucine Zipper is the clone of College of Science' Jennifer Leavey. The Zinc Fingers are clones of amphibian ecologist Joe Mendelson, chemist Michael Evans, and biologist Ben Prosser.
This event has a cover charge.
Event Details
Sarah Prehim, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Health & Engineering
Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
Pollution from agricultural and urban areas fuels excessive algae and cyanobacteria growth, resulting in low oxygen dead-zones during decomposition. These microbial processes deteriorate water quality, reduce the habitat of many economically important aquatic animals and drive biogeochemical processes that alter nutrient cycling and generate potent greenhouse gases. Since population growth and climate change are expected to exacerbate these problems, understanding the dynamic chemical and microbial changes that impact aquatic dead-zones will aid modeling efforts that guide remediation strategies. I will present work to 1.) improve our understanding of the relationship between genes, populations and biogeochemical processes to improve predictive biogeochemical models and 2.) identify viral infections that contribute to cyanobacteria mortality with a novel high-throughput, culture-independent method, epicPCR. To investigate the relationship between microbial genes, populations and the biogeochemical processes they mediate, we used genome reconstruction from metagenomic data and a previously developed biogeochemical model to identify microbial populations implicated in major biogeochemical transformations in a model lake ecosystem. By reconstructing microbial genomes from complex assemblages of microorganisms, we gained insight into microbial processes in the lake and identified additional biogeochemical processes previously omitted from the model that could significantly alter the predicted biogeochemistry of the lake if active. We are also investigating the relationship between microbes, their genes and model predictions in a more complex ecosystem, the Chesapeake Bay. Viral infections will also be identified in the Chesapeake Bay through epicPCR. Identifying populations under the most viral pressure in the environment can improve models of biogeochemical cycling, providing a holistic picture of viruses in the trophic structure of marine environments. Yet, these efforts are stalled because the specific host a virus infects remains largely unknown for a majority of observed viruses. We hope to identify infections that contribute to ecological shifts and alter biogeochemical processes with our to high-throughput, culture-independent approach. Although this method is currently under development, preliminary data suggests the approach can identify specific infections in the environment and reveal the complex network of viral infections in natural microbial communities.
About the Preheim Lab
Research in the Preheim lab focuses on the ecology of microorganisms and microbial processes impacting water quality. Pathogens, low oxygen and harmful algal blooms (HABs) are the most common factors that impair in-land and coastal water bodies. Since population growth and climate change are expected to exacerbate these problems, understanding and modeling the interactions of microbial communities with the chemical, physical and biotic environment will improve of efforts to reduce the impact microbial processes have on water quality.
While traditional microbiology focuses on understanding microorganisms as they function in isolation, environmental microbiology focuses on the complex interactions they experience in most natural settings and the challenges of studying them within environmental systems. To achieve this, we observe microorganisms in various aquatic ecosystems using their genetic information as a proxy for their presence and distribution. We use high-throughput sequencing techniques to capture as much genetic signal from the microbial community as possible, coupled with bioinformatics and computational modeling to understand why microbial populations are present where and when they are. Eventually, the knowledge we gather from observing the structure and function of natural microbial communities will translate into the informed design of synthetic microbial communities or ecological management techniques.
Event Details
Leucine Zipper and the Zinc Fingers, the world's first genetically modified rock band, have been a staple of the Atlanta Science Festival. This summer they went into a studio and recorded their first album, Atomic Anarchy. The band celebrates the recording with a live performance.
Band leader Leucine Zipper is the clone of College of Science' Jennifer Leavey. The Zinc Fingers are clones of amphibian ecologist Joe Mendelson, chemist Michael Evans, and biologist Ben Prosser.
This event is free; all ages welcome!
Event Details
Owen Beck, Ph. D.
Departments of Mechanical Engineering
School of Biological Sciences
Georgia Institute of Techology
Abstract
Athletes with transtibial amputations use running-specific prostheses to run. Running-specific prostheses are passive-elastic carbon-fiber devices that attach in-series to residual limbs. These devices are available across many different models, stiffness categories, and heights. Typically, prosthetic stiffness and height are set based on the respective manufacturer’s recommendation. This talk presents evidence that current prosthetic model, stiffness, and height recommendations do not optimize running biomechanics or economy for athletes with unilateral or bilateral transtibial amputations. Therefore, the distance-running performance of athletes with transtibial amputations can be further enhanced by updating prosthetic configuration recommendations.
About the Speaker
Owen Beck is a postdoc in Dr. Greg Sawicki’s Physiology of Wearable Robotics Lab. He has a B.S. in Kinesiology from Humboldt State University and a Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. For his doctorate, Owen investigated how prosthetic configuration affects distance-running and sprinting performance for athletes with unilateral and bilateral transtibial amputations. At Georgia Tech, Owen’s research focuses on tuning assistive devices to biological leg characteristics, with the goal of augmenting locomotion performance.
Physiology Brownbag Seminars
The Physiology Group in the School of Biological Sciences hosts Brownbag Lunchtime Seminars twice a month on Wednesdays at noon in room 1253 of the Applied Physiology Building located at 555 14th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. You are welcome to bring a lunch and join us as we ruminate with us on topics in Physiology! A full listing of seminars can be found at http://pwp.gatech.edu/bmmc/physiology-brownbag-seminars-fall-2018/.
Event Details
Peter Freddolino, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Chemistry
Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
University of Michigan
Abstract
Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology have yielded a huge increase in our knowledge of genomic sequences, but DNA sequence information remains meaningless without corresponding functional insight. It is only through a synthesis of computational approaches and high-throughput experiments that any meaningful headway can be made in the task of moving from genome sequence information to functional information at the scales of modern biology.We have recently launched two such initiatives, aimed at completely mapping the transcriptional regulatory logic and functional proteome of Escherichia coli. Using a broadly applicable non-specific method for mapping genome-wide protein occupancy, we have begun to identify the binding motifs, functions, and condition-dependent behavior of many cryptic E. coli transcription factors. In the process, we have also identified the presence of heterochromatin-like silenced regions on bacterial chromosomes, which we have found play a key role in regulating stress-response and virulence genes across several bacterial species. To address the problem of assigning functions to poorly annotated proteins without suitably close homologs for sequence-based annotation methods to be effective, we have recently developed a hybrid pipeline combining structural prediction/alignment, sequence alignment, and protein-protein interaction information to obtain combined structure predictions and functional annotations for entire proteomes. We find that our inclusion of structural information makes our workflow unusually strong in performance on difficult targets with limited sequence identity to annotated proteins. Application of our methods at the scale of entire proteomes yields a rich new source of information to seed detailed investigation of the functions of many previously mysterious protein-coding genes.
Event Details
Pages
