{"669178":{"#nid":"669178","#data":{"type":"event","title":"The School of Biological Sciences Fall 2023 Seminar Series presents Dr. Alberto Stolfi","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlberto Stolfi, PhD\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia institute of Technology | \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/92235883379?pwd=YWVpNEk0MHRyalNHM2x4NU1BMGFuQT09\u0022\u003ELIVESTREAM\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe adaptive radiation of our vertebrate ancestors likely depended on an increase in the complexity of their brains and motor units. Our research is focused on the molecular basis of neuromuscular development and function in our closest non-vertebrate relatives, the tunicates. Most tunicates live a \u201cbiphasic\u201d life cycle that alternates between a swimming larva and a sessile, filter-feeding adult. We have revealed some of the gene regulatory networks that specify different larval motor and sensory neuron subtypes, some of which are proposed homologs of neurons found in vertebrate nervous systems. We have also identified specific cell types required to trigger larval settlement and metamorphosis in response to environmental cues, as well as neural stem cells that give rise to post-metamorphic neurons, after the pre-programmed elimination of the larval nervous system. Finally, we also show that the formation of multinucleated muscles specifically in adult tunicates requires post-metamorphic activation of the conserved muscle fusion factor \u003Cem\u003EMyomaker\u003C\/em\u003E, indicating that this important gene arose in the last common ancestor of tunicates and vertebrates. Our findings have not only refined prevailing models of chordate and vertebrate evolution, but have also provided insights into basic principles of chordate neuromuscular development. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHost By: Dr. Greg Gibson\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDevelopment and evolution of neuromuscular systems in our close chordate relatives, the tunicates\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Development and evolution of neuromuscular systems in our close chordate relatives, the tunicates"}],"uid":"36506","created_gmt":"2023-08-25 17:03:35","changed_gmt":"2023-09-07 19:17:14","author":"rbailey74","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-09-14T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-09-14T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-09-14T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-09-14 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-09-14 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-09-14 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Roger A. and Helen B Krone Engineered Biosystems Building, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, GA  30032, Room 1005","extras":["free_food"],"hg_media":{"671499":{"id":"671499","type":"image","title":"Alberto Stolfi","body":null,"created":"1693234272","gmt_created":"2023-08-28 14:51:12","changed":"1693234380","gmt_changed":"2023-08-28 14:53:00","alt":"Alberto Stolfi","file":{"fid":"254572","name":"Alberto Stellfi.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/28\/Alberto%20Stellfi.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/28\/Alberto%20Stellfi.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":16322,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/28\/Alberto%20Stellfi.jpg?itok=EIH4-IH5"}}},"media_ids":["671499"],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188689","name":"Biological Sciences Seminar"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor all questions and concerns please contact \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eus at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:administrative@biosci.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eadministrative@biosci.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}