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Transformation of Information from the External World by Cortical Circuits During Learning

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Alison Barth, Ph.D.

Alison Barth, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Carnegie Mellon University
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Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar

Transformation of Information from the External World by Cortical Circuits During Learning

Date: May 9, 2025

Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

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About this Seminar

Neocortical somatostatin neurons play an important role in sculpting cortical output and plasticity. Dr. Barth and her team have identified marked synaptic plasticity on a subset of somatostatin neurons that is initiated by sensory learning but not pseudo-training, when stimuli and rewards are unpaired. This plasticity, and the sensitivity of SST to neuromodulators during learning, reveals important principles about cortical processing.

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.

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