Averaging just three pounds, the human brain is considered one of the most complex structures in the universe, controlling all functions of the body and interpreting information from the outside world. Analogies of the brain to supercomputers are common. Regardless of the similarities, neuroscientists are increasingly turning to mathematicians, statisticians, modelers and computer scientists to advance brain science.
鈥淪ince the creation of modern computers, researchers have tried to harness computational power to speed up scientific discovery,鈥 said Ilyas Yildirim, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. That鈥檚 why 大象传媒鈥檚 Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute launched a new program in computational brain science and health, supported by the Palm Health Foundation (PHF) and its gift of $1 million. The gift will support the recruitment of an inaugural program director, support three graduate fellowships per year to advance training in computational neuroscience, and fund faculty pilot research projects that can lead to multi-year, external funding. Yildirim recently received the first pilot award funded by the PHF. As a theoretical and computational biophysical chemist, his new pilot project will create a novel computational method to predict the 3D structures of RNA. 鈥淩NA molecules are produced by the DNA of our genomes to allow for protein production throughout our body, including the brain. Predicting how these molecules fold into complex structures remains a challenge鈥, Yildirim said. Using advanced computational approaches, his team aims to reveal the folding properties of RNA molecules associated with brain diseases, such as those that impact risk for dementia, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, and Parkinson鈥檚 disease, among others.
This research offers the possibility of developing novel RNAtargeted medications to treat brain disorders. 鈥淒eveloping computational models that can reliably predict the structure of RNA will have far-reaching and profound effects on our ability to rapidly and accurately develop targeted pharmacotherapeutics for millions of Americans,鈥 Yildirim said. 听听听听听
2022 Palm Health Foundation Fellowships
Four doctoral students recently received 2022 Palm Health Foundation Fellowships in Computational Brain Science and Health, awarded by the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. These fellowships were supported by the Foundation鈥檚 $1 million gift to the institute to establish a program in computational brain science and health.
Mentor: Ramin Pashaie, Ph.D., associate professor, department of electrical engineering and computer science, College of Engineering and
Computer Science
Research: Alzheimer鈥檚 disease is associated with issues involving oxygen and nutrients reaching neurons, referred to as neurovascular coupling (NVC). Esfandi will design a computational model of disrupted NVC in the context of Alzheimer鈥檚 pathology. This work will help scientists better understand the course and impact of the disease and promote the possibility of using blood flow signals for early detection of Alzheimer鈥檚.
Mentor: Sang Wook Hong, Ph.D., associate professor, department of psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Research: Computational models have identified the synchronization of neural activity among complex brain networks as key to flexible behavior. Within the brain鈥檚 frontoparietal region exists the frontoparietal network, also known as the control network. This network is responsible for sustained attention, complex problem-solving and working memory. Yoon will use a non-invasive brain stimulation technique and computational analyses to examine the effects of externally induced neural synchronization of the brain鈥檚 frontoparietal network on cognitive flexibility. The long-term goal of the project is to build a foundation for developing drug-free treatments for people with deficits in cognitive flexibility, such as those with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and major depressive disorder.
Mentors: Terrence Barnhardt, Ph.D., associate scientist, department of psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Behnaz Ghoraani, Ph.D., associate professor, department of electrical engineering and computer science, College of Engineering and
Computer Science
Teresa Wilcox, Ph.D., professor, department of psychology and interim dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Research: When people are presented with new situations, they often have to search their knowledge to form a new category of items that are appropriate to use for the given scenario. Interestingly, these ad hoc categories are not generated as effectively among older adults and patients with Alzheimer鈥檚. Chan will use tensor decomposition, a powerful signal processing approach, along with machine learning to identify the patterns of brain activity that occur when individuals form ad hoc categories in novel situations. Findings from this project may yield diagnostic tools for the identification of cognitive deficits in older adults and patients with Alzheimer鈥檚.
Mentors: Christopher Beetle, Ph.D., associate professor, department of physics, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Emmanuelle Tognoli, Ph.D., research professor, Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Summary: Neurostimulation is a health intervention that disrupts pathological states of neuron activity, with broad applications in the treatment of many illnesses including Parkinson鈥檚 disease, chronic pain, and major depression. McKinley will develop computational models to provide a theoretical foundation for the dynamics of neurostimulation. Such a framework will help tailor treatment protocols to the unique needs of individual patients, improving efficacy and minimizing side effects.