Conferences & Events
Neurobiology Seminar Series
The Neurobiology Seminar Series explores cutting-edge research in neurobiology. This series features prominent speakers from UT MD Anderson and other health care research institutions across the world, presenting the latest developments in neuroscience, neuroimmunology, neurotoxicity and cancer neuroscience. Whether you are looking to stay informed about the latest research trends, expand your knowledge or engage in meaningful discussions with experts, these seminars provide an exceptional opportunity for learning and professional development.
These seminars are designed for health care professionals, researchers, students and anyone with a keen interest in neurobiology and related fields. Contact us if you would like to receive updates about future speakers and seminars.
Please Join Us for the Next Lecture
Brain-Body Communication in Cancer
Breast cancer is associated with disrupted daily rhythms of glucocorticoids like cortisol, which correlate with poorer outcomes, although the cause is unclear. This seminar will discuss findings showing that tumor-bearing mice exhibit blunted hormone rhythms due to altered activity of hypothalamic neurons (PVNCRH), driven by reduced inhibitory signaling. Timed stimulation of these neurons restores normal rhythms, slows tumor growth and enhances anti-tumor immune responses. Unpublished work will also be briefly shared.
Speaker: Jeremy C. Borniger, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Cancer Center & Neuroscience Division, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Dr. Borniger received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from The Ohio State University and completed a BRAIN Initiative postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. His laboratory is focused on understanding interactions between the nervous system and malignant processes across spatiotemporal scales, with special emphasis on brain-body interactions.
Join in person: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 ● 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Central
Zayed Building, Z2.4040 Rooms 2 & 3
Or join on Zoom: Meeting ID: 917 3007 3974 ● Passcode: 306481
2026 Lectures
April 1, 2026
Identification of a Neural Basis for Anorexia Nervosa
Qingchun Tong, Ph.D.
Professor of Molecular Medicine and Immunology, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston
February 4, 2026
The Role of a Novel GPCR Family Mrgprs in Itch, Pain, and Innate Immunity
Xinzhong Dong, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience, Dermatology, and Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
January 7, 2026
Bad to the Bone: Systemic Consequences of Pathologic Bone Destruction
Theresa A. Guise, M.D.
Distinguished Professor of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, UT MD Anderson
2025 Lectures
December 3, 2025
From Placenta to Cortex: Immune and Vascular Coordination of Fetal Brain Development During Maternal Viral Infection
Adrienne Antonson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
November 5, 2025
Targeting TIMP-1 to Promote Pain Resolution
Kyle Baumbauer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Departments of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Anesthesiology, University of Kansas Medical Center
October 1, 2025
Early-Life Cancer and Chemotherapy Lead to Cognitive Defects. Sex-Dependent Effects on Glia
Teresa M. Reyes, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neurobiology and Senior Associate Dean for Basic and Translational Research, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
September 3, 2025
ASIC-Sensing Ion Channels in the Brain
Jianyang Du, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
July 30, 2025
How Microglia Sense and Regulate Neuronal Activity in Diseased Brain
Long-Jun Wu, Ph.D.
Professor and Founding Director, Center for Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Houston
July 2, 2025
Advanced Neuroimaging to Characterize Neurobehavioral Disorders
Max Wintermark, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Neuroradiology, UT MD Anderson
April 18, 2025
Targeted Neuroimmune Communication as a Treatment for Endometriosis-Associated Pain
Victor Fattori, Ph.D.
Research Associate, Department of Surgery, Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital
March 7, 2025
Lipid Metabolism in Brain Tumor and Neurodegeneration
Jian Hu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, UT MD Anderson
2024 Lectures
December 6, 2024
Contributions of Autoantibodies in Lower Back Pain
David J. Clark, M.D.
Professor of Anesthesiology and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Stanford University
November 1, 2024
Nociceptor Neurons Control Cancer Immunosurveillance
Sebastien Talbot, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University School of Medicine
June 7, 2024
Microglial Remodeling of the Extracellular Matrix: Outcomes on Synaptic Plasticity and Behavior
Marie-Eve Tremblay, Ph.D.
Professor, Division on Medical Sciences, University of Victoria
May 3, 2024
Feeling the Force: PIEZO Ion Channels in Interoception
Kara Marshall, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine
March 8, 2024
Neuron, Present Yourself! Implications of CD4+ T Cell-Neuron Communication in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Diana Goode, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of New England
Earlier Lectures
December 21, 2023
Painful Peripheral Neuropathy: Insights into Mechanisms, Diagnostics, and Potential Therapies
Alex Chamessian, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
November 3, 2023
Pain Modulation by Astrocytes and Satellite Glial Cells
Ru-Rong Ji, Ph.D.
Professor of Anesthesiology, Neurobiology, and Cell Biology, Duke University
November 4, 2022
Reza Sharif-Naeni, Ph.D.
McGill University, Montreal Quebec
September 2, 2022
Andrea Nackley, Ph.D.
Duke University
May 6, 2022
The Role of Mouse Serum-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles in Pain
Seena Ajit, Ph.D.
Drexel University College of Medicine
March 4, 2022
Genetic and Physiological Characterization of Human Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons
Steve Davidson, Ph.D.
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
January 7, 2022
Development of PainFace Software to Quantify Spontaneous Pain from Mouse Facial Expressions
Mark Zylka, Ph.D.
UNC School of Medicine
September 3, 2021
Role of IgG in Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Camilla Svensson, Ph.D.
Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
May 7, 2021
Neuroimmune Interactions in Chronic Pain: From Clinical to Clinically-Informed Basic Science
Vivianne Tawfik, M.D., Ph.D.
Standford University School of Medicine
March 19, 2021
Opportunity for Therapeutics for Chronic Pain - Targeting Ion Channels and their Regulators
Rajesh Khanna, Ph.D.
The University of Arizona, College of Medicine
March 5, 2021
Lost in Translation: Why do Experiments Using Animal Models of Painful Neuropathies Fail To Predict Clinical Efficacy? What Can We Do To Improve Their Efficiency?
Andrew Rice, M.B.B.S., M.D., FRCP
Imperial College, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
January 8, 2021 | Inaugural Seminar
Neuro-Immune Interaction and Mitochondria in the Regulation of Nociception and Chronic Pain
Yuriy M. Usachev, Ph.D.
Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa