Fast-paced visual blitz engages neuroscience community

By Michelle Jaffee; Photos by Jackie Hart

Twenty-four McKnight Brain Institute investigators presented dynamic and wide-ranging snapshots of the latest in neuroscience research Tuesday evening at an MBI seminar called “One Image, 100 Words.”

presenter at the lecturn in a packed room

In the fast-moving blitz, speakers projected a single compelling image or slide and gave an under-two-minute description to spotlight innovative projects underway. Some even flexed their creativity and flair: There was a poem about opioid-induced breathing problems — and a haiku about pain signaling.

MBI Director Jennifer Bizon, Ph.D., welcomed the crowd of over 120 faculty members and students from across UF’s neuroscience community to the second installment of MBI’s new Insights seminar series.

“I hope you meet someone you haven’t met before and learn about something that you didn’t know about before,” she said.

Jose Abisambra at the lecturn
Dr. Jose Abisambra

Presenters spanned five UF colleges and 13 academic departments, a mix of basic scientists and clinician-investigators who took turns jumping into the “hot seat” in an auditorium in the Harrell Medical Education Building.

The event reminded Jose Abisambra, Ph.D., of a turning point in his research career — one evening as a graduate student when he scanned cells in a darkroom hour after hour, late into the night. Now associate director for research programs at the MBI, Abisambra recalled for the crowd what came next.

“The next thing I know, it’s three o’clock in the morning and I see it. And it’s that moment that I think we all love, which is that eureka moment that I just discovered something or saw something that nobody had ever seen before — that image is imprinted,” he said.

Dr. Shellie-Anne Levy

The images presented gave a glimpse into a vast array of scientific disciplines: language processing; epilepsy; traumatic brain injury; autism; Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases; neuroinflammation; neural control of movement in spaceflight and disease; sensory dysfunction in addiction; links between brain inflammation and muscle fatigue; neural circuits in eating disorders; respiratory neuroplasticity; neurogenetics; cognitive aging; and chronic pain.

In order, the presenters were: