Lab members participate in mGluRs Undergraduate Conference!

This past weekend, three of our undergraduate researchers represented our lab at the Midwest Great Lakes Undergraduate Research Symposium (mGluRs) hosted at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. The annual conference brings together students from across the region to share their work in neuroscience, and related fields through poster presentations and discussions.

Each of our students presented an individual research poster, highlighting unique aspects of their ongoing projects and contributing to the broader scientific conversation and our labs impact.

Taylor, Sridhar, and Gavin (left to right)

Gavin presented his poster titled “The Autonomic Amygdala is Similar in Two New-World Primates.” His project explored the similarities of the autonomic amygdala in Marmosets and Capuchins, revealing consistent patterns within the two species’ autonomic nervous systems. These results potentially suggest a shared basis of autonomic output among primate lineages, including humans. Gavin’s findings contribute to the lab’s overarching goal of mapping the autonomic nervous system! Congrats Gavin!

Sridhar presented his poster titled “Comparative Autonomic Amygdalar Circuits in Primates.” His research revealed cell distribution patterns within the basal and lateral sub-nuclei of the amygdala, showing both shared organization and species-specific differences in autonomic connectivity. These findings help clarify how autonomic circuits vary across primates, such as Marmosets and Capuchins, and may inform future studies of human neurobiology and neuropsychiatric conditions. He’s known in the lab as our “Histogram Wizard,” because of his awesome Histograms. Great Job Sridhar!

Taylor presented her poster titled “Revealing the Autonomic Substantia Nigra.” Her research investigated the role of the substantia nigra within the autonomic nervous system, uncovering evidence of autonomic neuronal density in this midbrain region. These findings expand our understanding of how autonomic pathways integrate with motor and reward circuits, contributing to the lab’s broader goal of mapping the autonomic nervous system. Wonderful job Taylor!

We are incredibly proud of Gavin, Sridhar, and Taylor for representing our lab at the mGluRs Undergraduate Research Conference. Each of their projects contributes valuable insight into the structure and function of the autonomic nervous system across different brain regions and species. Their hard work and curiosity exemplify the strength of our undergraduate researchers and the collaborative spirit that drives our lab’s mission!