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The Institute for Neurosciences CSIC-UMH celebrates CSIC’s Science and Technology Week
11 de November de 2024
The Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche, is once again joining in the celebration of CSIC’s Science and Technology Week. Throughout the month of November, several researchers will visit various secondary schools in Alicante to give outreach talks about the research conducted at the IN, aimed at students in middle and high school.
Where are memories stored?
Sergio Escamilla Ruiz, researcher at the Altered Molecular Mechanism in Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia laboratory, will give a talk at IES Luis García Berlanga in Sant Joan d’Alacant about how memory works. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the different types of memory, how memories are stored in the brain, and how diseases like Alzheimer’s affect this process.
Date: To be determined
From magnet to image: how far can we go with magnetic resonance imaging?
What is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and what are its physical principles? Elena Espinós Soler, technician at the Translational Imaging Biomarkers laboratory, will explain to 4th-year secondary students at the Nuestra Señora del Carmen Education Center in Sant Joan d’Alacant how this powerful tool works, showcasing examples from her work at the IN. Attendees will learn about the types of images that can be obtained, the advantages of this technique in preclinical research, and its importance in clinical research and the diagnosis of various diseases.
Date: November 21st, 8:00 am
The genes that expanded the human brain
The neocortex is the outermost and largest part of the brain, where cognitive abilities are located. Although size isn’t everything, its expansion throughout evolution has enabled the development of capacities that have allowed humans to transform the world. Eduardo Fernández Ortuño, a researcher from the Neurogenesis and Cortical Expansion laboratory, will give a talk to 4th-year secondary and high school students at IES Antonio José Cavanilles in Alicante, explaining the genetic innovations that emerged in humans and how these set us apart from our closest relatives, such as chimpanzees and Neanderthals.
Date: November 20th, 9:50 a.m.
Exploring the brain through oxytocin
In this talk, researcher Sonia Amorós Bru from the Synaptic Neuromodulation laboratory will cover essential aspects of the brain, exploring structural differences across animal species and how the brain is analyzed in the lab, with a special focus on oxytocin. High school students at IES Montserrat Roig in Elche will discover the characteristics of the brain in various species used in research. Additionally, the talk will delve into the functions of oxytocin, a key hormone for social behavior, and explain how it is studied in the laboratory. Finally, the implications of oxytocin in disorders such as autism and depression will be discussed, highlighting its importance in the development of new therapies.
Date: November 26th, 9:45 a.m.
The secrets of memory
High school students at IES El Pla in Alicante will have the opportunity to learn how human memory works and the differences between short-term and long-term memory, guided by Erick Alejandro Espinoza Martínez, a researcher from the Functional Epi-Genomics of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease laboratory. This talk will cover the stages of memory (encoding, storage, and retrieval) and present techniques for improving memory, such as spaced repetition, visualization, and association. The researcher will also discuss factors that affect memory, such as stress, sleep, and diet, and debunk some common myths about how we remember.
Date: November 12th, 11:10 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. and 12:05 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
DNA manipulation: what are the limits?
Genetic engineering allows the modification of an organism's DNA and has revolutionized science since its emergence in the 1970s, driving major advances. Laura Pérez Grau, a researcher from the Neurogenesis and Cortical Expansion laboratory, will explain to 1st-2 year high school students at IES Paco Ruiz in Bigastro how these techniques have improved treatments for diseases like cancer and AIDS, but have also raised questions about human cloning and genetic editing in embryos. Where should we draw the line on modifying our genes?
Date: November 22nd, 11:10 a.m.
Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
In this talk, José Vicente Sánchez Mut, head of the Functional Epi-Genomics of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease laboratory at the IN, will explain to 4th-year secondary and 1st-year high school students at IES Matemàtic Vicent Caselles Costa in Gata de Gorgos what happens in the brain during aging and how this, along with lifestyle habits, can influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a condition that leads to progressive memory loss, difficulties with thinking and reasoning, and changes in behavior and personality. He will also present examples of the research conducted in his laboratory aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Date: December 9th, 12:00 p.m.
From fruit to the lab: The incredible revolution born from a fly
Researcher Esther Guarch De Jesús will give a talk on some of the less common animal models in science, focusing on the fruit fly, which she works with in the Cell-to-tissue architecture in the nervous system laboratory at the IN. High school students at IES Gaia in San Vicente will learn about notable Nobel Prize winners who worked with the fruit fly, such as Thomas Hunt Morgan and Hermann Joseph Muller. The talk will also cover some of the most interesting mutations and behavioral studies conducted using this animal model.
Date: November 21st, 8:50 a.m.
Alzheimer’s: Why my grandfather doesn’t remember me?
Alzheimer’s disease primarily affects elderly people and significantly impairs memory and other cognitive functions, greatly diminishing the quality of life for those affected. Despite the efforts of neuroscientists to understand what happens in the brains of these patients and how they can be helped, an effective treatment is still not available. In this talk, Ariel Expósito Seco, a researcher from the Plasticity of Brain Networks laboratory, will explain to 1st-year high school students at IES San Vicente in San Vicente del Raspeig what happens in the brain of those who suffer from this disease and why it has such a profound impact on memory. He will also discuss how scientists are working to find ways to improve the lives of patients and their families.
Date: November 22nd, 9:45 a.m.