Virginia Tech® home

In Person Seminar: Mitochondria in Synaptic Plasticity, Gamma Oscillations, and Anxiety

Insert your title here

Your Text Here
Zheng Li, Ph.D.

Zheng Li, Ph.D.

Chief
Section on Synapse Development and Plasticity
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institutes of Health

Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar: Mitochondria in Synaptic Plasticity, Gamma Oscillations, and Anxiety

Date: Dec. 2, 2022

Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

View Speaker Profile
Download Flyer

About this Seminar

Mitochondria are vital organelles that generate most of the ATP needed to power eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria in neurons also play roles in the development and function of synapses. Studies by Dr. Li and her lab show that the subcellular distribution and fission/fusion dynamics of mitochondria are influenced by neural activity. The subsequent alterations of mitochondria, in turn, have great impact on synaptic plasticity, neural synchronization, and anxiety-like behavior.

Additional Details

This is a free event hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and co-sponsored by the institute's Center for Neurobiology Research. The Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar Series, which runs annually from September to May, has featured leading biomedical researchers from throughout the country since the program began in 2012. The lectures are also open to all members of the Virginia Tech community including graduate students, undergraduates, faculty, and staff, as well as the public.

You May Also Be Interested In...

  • Home Item
    Exercise, the Fountain of Youth?
    Exercise, the Fountain of Youth? , home

    Oct. 15, 2026, 5:30 p.m. (Reception at 5 p.m.) | Zhen Yan, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Center for Exercise Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC | Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture

  • Home Item
    Data-Driven Discovery of Secreted Proteins as Cancer Immunotherapies
    Data-Driven Discovery of Secreted Proteins as Cancer Immunotherapies , home

    Oct. 16, 2026, 11:00 a.m. | Peng Jiang, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Cancer Research Center — D.C.

  • Home Item
    Mapping Different Excitatory and Inhibitory Input Types onto Single Cortical Pyramidal Neurons
    Mapping Different Excitatory and Inhibitory Input Types onto Single Cortical Pyramidal Neurons , home

    Oct. 30, 2026, 11:00 a.m. | Elly Nedivi, Ph.D., William R. (1964) & Linda R. Young Professor of Neuroscience, The Picower Institute for Learning & Memory, Departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Center for Neurobiology Research

  • Home Item
    Drug Discovery in the Next Decade: From Genome Medicine to Clinical Trial in a Dish
    Drug Discovery in the Next Decade: From Genome Medicine to Clinical Trial in a Dish , home

    Nov. 5, 2026, 5:30 p.m. (Reception at 5 p.m.) | Joseph Wu, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Director, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine | Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture

  • Home Item
    Presenting Therapeutic Peptides Using Synthetic Polymers
    Presenting Therapeutic Peptides Using Synthetic Polymers , home

    Nov. 13, 2026, 11:00 a.m. | Rachel A. Letteri, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Center for Vascular and Heart Research

  • Home Item
    The Bitter Truth: Alcohol Use and Its Effects on Chemosensory Function
    The Bitter Truth: Alcohol Use and Its Effects on Chemosensory Function , home

    Dec. 11, 2026, 11:00 a.m. | Paule V. Joseph, Ph.D., MBA, Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, NIH Distinguished Scholar, Acting Chief, Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism Unit, NIDCD; Co-Director, National Smell and Taste Center; Attending Nurse Practitioner, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Center for Health Behaviors Research