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SUMMARY:Why is the suprachiasmatic nucleus such a brilliant circadian time
 -keeper? - Dr Michael Hastings\, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
DTSTART:20220208T160000Z
DTEND:20220208T170000Z
UID:TALK162052@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Dervila Glynn
DESCRIPTION:*Theme: Adaptive Brain Computations*\n\nCircadian clocks domin
 ate our lives.  By creating and distributing an internal representation of
  24-hour solar time\, they prepare us\, and thereby adapt us\, to the dail
 y and seasonal world.  Jet-lag is an obvious indicator of what can go wron
 g when such adaptation is disrupted acutely.  More seriously\, the growing
  prevalence of rotational shift-work which runs counter to our circadian l
 ife\, is a significant chronic challenge to health\, presenting as increas
 ed incidence of systemic conditions such as metabolic and cardiovascular d
 isease.  Added to this\, circadian and sleep disturbances are a recognised
  feature of various neurological and psychiatric conditions\, and in some 
 cases may contribute to disease progression.  The “head ganglion” of t
 he circadian system is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalam
 us.  It synchronises the\, literally\, innumerable cellular clocks across 
 the body\, to each other and to solar time.  Isolated in organotypic slice
  culture\, it can maintain precise\, high-amplitude circadian cycles of ne
 ural activity\, effectively\, indefinitely\, just as it does in vivo.  How
  is this achieved: how does this clock in a dish work?  This presentation 
 will consider SCN time-keeping at the level of molecular feedback loops\, 
 neuropeptidergic networks and neuron-astrocyte interactions.\n\nBiography:
  Michael Hastings graduated from the University of Liverpool (1977) with a
  BSc in Marine Biology.  For his PhD in Marine Ecology\, again at Liverpoo
 l\, he studied tidal and lunar rhythms in intertidal crustaceans (1980).  
 After a PGCE in Manchester (1981) he took a post-doc with Joe Herbert in t
 he Department of Anatomy\, University of Cambridge to investigate the role
  of melatonin and circadian clocks in seasonal fertility of mammals.  He w
 as appointed to a Junior Lectureship (Demonstratorship) in Anatomy in 1984
 \, and became a Lecturer in 1988 establishing his own laboratory in circad
 ian and seasonal neuroscience.  He was a Fellow & College Lecturer at Quee
 ns' College\, Cambridge (1987-1990).  His research interests moved towards
  the neurobiology of circadian clocks\, with a focus on entrainment of the
  suprachiasmatic nucleus\, the brain’s principal pacemaker\, and he was 
 appointed Reader in Neuroscience in 1998.  In 2001 he left the University 
 to become a Programme Leader in Circadian Neurobiology at the MRC Laborato
 ry of Molecular Biology\, Cambridge.  This enabled him to develop a molecu
 lar genetic approach to elucidate the mechanisms of circadian time-keeping
  in mammals.  In October 2013 he joined Michel Goedert as Joint Head of th
 e Neurobiology Division\, and become sole Head of Division in May 2016 (to
  present).  In 2008 he was Elected to Fellowship of the Academy of Medical
  Sciences and also elected as President of the Society for Research on Bio
 logical Rhythms.  In 2010 he was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Societ
 y.  He has served on the Society for Neuroscience Program Committee\, vari
 ous Royal Society committees and the MRC Neurosciences and Mental Health B
 oard (2016- 21).  He holds an Honorary Professorship in the Department of 
 Physiology\, Development and Neuroscience in the University\n\nRegister in
  advance for this seminar: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrcu
 qsrjIoHdda7Yz5HR16WmvNzejWhW_1\n\nAfter registering\, you will receive a c
 onfirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
LOCATION:Register on Zoom - link in abstract
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