Department of Neuroscience

Neuroscience Seminar Series Academic Year 2025-2026

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The Neuroscience Seminar Series continues to draw distinguished leaders and scientists from across the United States and around the globe.  Established over 25 years ago, this program stands as a cornerstone of the vibrant academic environment within our department.  Each week, our seminars bring together investigators, postdocs, and graduate students, fostering scientific discussions, collaborations, and innovation while strengthening the local neuroscience community.  

The 2025-2026 Seminar Series is set to commence on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, and will run until Friday, May 29, 2026.  Seminars are scheduled every Friday from 11 a.m. to noon (CST).

All members of the larger neuroscience community at the Texas Medical Center are invited to attend our seminars.  To receive the speaker schedules and weekly reminders, please reach out to Ms. Cynthia Mathew at cynthia.mathew@bcm.edu.

Terms

Sept. 5, 2025: Laura DeNardo, Ph.D.

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11 a.m. in N315 Auditorium at Alkek.  Dr. Laura DeNardo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology in David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.  Dr. DeNardo’s research is to understand the assembly, organization, and function of mPFC circuits that contribute to adaptive behaviors. 

Seminar Title: To Be Announced. Dr. DeNardo’s seminar is hosted by postdoc Jeffrey Zhu, who trains in Dr. Melanie Samuel’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine.   
 

Sept. 12, 2025: Madeleine Oudin, Ph.D.

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11 a.m. in N315 Auditorium at Alkek.  Dr. Madeleine Oudin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University School of Engineering.  Dr. Oudin’s research is to investigate the role of the various components of the tumor microenvironment in driving tumor metastasis and drug resistance, using an interdisciplinary approach that will combine cell biology, microfluidics, intravital imaging, system biology, and implantable devices.

Seminar Title: To Be Announced.  Faculty Host: Edward Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Molecular & Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine.      
 

Sept. 19, 2025: Colleen McClung, Ph.D.

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11 a.m. in N315 Auditorium at Alkek.  Dr. Colleen McClung is a Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh.  Dr. McClung’s research focuses on the role of circadian rhythms in the development and treatment of psychiatric disorders. 

Seminar Title: To Be Announced.  Faculty Host: Vaishnav Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine.      

Sept. 26, 2025: Paul Jenkins, Ph.D.

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11 a.m. in N315 Auditorium at Alkek.  Dr. Paul Jenkins is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School.  Dr. Jenkins’s research focuses on basic cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying complex neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases, such as bipolar disorder and autism spectrum disorders, using confocal microscopy, molecular and cell biology, transgenic mouse models, electrophysiology, and biochemistry.  

Seminar Title: To Be Announced.  Faculty Host: Matt Rasband, Ph.D., Professor and Vivian L. Smith Endowed Chair in Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine.