About the Symposium
The 2025 Big 10 Neuroscience Symposium will be the fourth annual meeting to be held by the neuroscience community in the Big 10 Academic Alliance. The Big 10 neuroscience community aims to showcase the diverse, cutting edge neuroscience research being conducted by researchers at Big 10 institutes and to facilitate an ongoing, supportive, diverse and intimate environment to promote neuroscience research for researchers within this community and at all career stages. The overarching theme for next year’s meeting will be “WE ARE Building Flourishing Brains” and the meeting will include presentations across five core topics (i.e., Psychopathology, Neurodevelopment & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Neurological Disorders & Diseases, Neuroscience Methods, Neuromodulation & Other Neuro-Informed Interventions) and that align with the notion of promoting a healthy nervous system, across the lifespan. The meeting will adopt a translational neuroscience perspective (bench-to-bedside) to understanding the normative and non-normative development of the nervous system and the application of this knowledge to the reduction of the burden of neurological disease and the promotion of healthy brain development at all stages of life.
Co-Chairs:
Patrick Randall, PhD Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, and Pharmacology
Emma Rose, PhD Assistant Teaching Professor, Psychology; Co-Director, Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center
Committee:
Janine Kwapis, PhD Director, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders, Assistant Professor of Biology
Nina Lauharatanahirun, PhD Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Biobehavioral Health
Anirban Paul, PhD Assistant Professor of Neural & Behavioral Sciences
Grayson Sipe, PhD Assistant Professor of Biology
Yang Yang, PhD Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Daniela Zarnescu, PhD Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Student and postdoctoral representatives:
G. Vinodh Kumar, PhD Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurology; Sathian Lab
Laurel Seemiller, PhD Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology; Crowley Lab
Joe Ricotta, PhD Postdoctoral Scholar, Engineering Science and Mechanics; Drew Lab
Rachel Kang Graduate Student, Biomedical Sciences; Proctor Lab
Stay tuned for information on registration, abstract submission, and symposium schedule!
Day 1
- Registration & Breakfast (provided)
- Poster Session #1
- Opening Remarks
- Session 1
- Lunch (provided)
- Session 2
- Session 3
- Reception
Day 2
- Breakfast (provided)
- Poster Session #2
- Session 4
- Lunch (provided)
- Session 5
- Awards and closing remarks
more Keynote speakers coming soon!
Travel Tips
The Symposium's main events will be on the Penn State University - University Park Campus
Commonly, travelers opt to fly into University Park Airport (SCE) in State College. This airport directly connects to Chicago O'hare (ORD), Philadelphia International (PHL), and Newark Liberty (EWR).
Airports such as Harrisburg International (MDT), Pittsburgh International (PIT), and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) are located 1-4 hours from State College by car.
- Explore the natural beauty of Central Pennsylvania through many nearby hiking trails.
- Visit one of Penn State's museums, such as the Frost Entomological Museum, the Matson Museum of Anthropology, and the Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery.
- Catch a local concert or movie screening at The State Theatre.
- Visit the Berkey Creamery.
- Drive to visit big cities such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Symposium Sponsors
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
- Penn State College of Medicine
- Social Sciences Research Institute
- Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center