Seminar title: “AI and the cognitive brain: Have we uncovered the ingredients for intelligence?”

Seminar Speaker:  Dr. Thomas Trappenberg, Ph.D., Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University 

Date: May 12, 2026

Time:  11:30am-12:30pm

Location:  3H-01, Tupper building [in-person]

Description: Given the recent mind-blowing abilities of AI agents, I want to review some of the theoretical underpinnings. This includes the Modern Hopfield Model (MHM) and Vector Symbolic Architectures  (VSA). I will try to illuminate the ideas behind these concepts in a non-mathematical way, although I cannot promise that no formulas are displayed for illustration purposes. While these mechanisms might be implemented with transformers, I will debate the question if these mechanisms are implemented in the brain on a cognitive level, and where it seems that there are gaps in such a cognitive architecture.

Department of Surgery Research Day 2026
MONDAY MAY 11, 2026
Halifax Convention Centre

The 2026 Combined Research Day Keynote
Dr. Brian Nosek
Professor, University of Virginia Medical School
Psychology Department 
"Shifting Incentives: From Getting it Published to Getting it Right"             

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
2026 Presenters List

Making Research Matter: The Power of Implementation Science 

This introduction to implementation science will highlight the ways that researchers can apply or embed implementation science into their research, implementation, and evaluation initiatives. We will introduce people to frameworks and tools that can be applied to their research initiatives. 

May 5 is Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S), a time to honor and remember them, and to raise awareness about the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous people.

May is Brain Tumour Awareness Month in Canada. Help us #TurnMayGrey to #EndBrainTumours. Brain Tumour Awareness Month is dedicated to increasing awareness, advancing research, and supporting everyone affected by brain tumours. It is an opportunity to unite as a collective force, raise our voices, and create positive change.

The Canadian National Brain Bee is a neuroscience competition for high school students, grades 9 through 12. Students study brain and neuroscience research topics including memory, sleep, intelligence, emotion, perception, stress, aging, brain imaging, neurology, neurotransmitters, genetics, brain disease, and more. To compete in the Canadian National, students must first compete in a regional brain bee competition in Canada. The top place winner of each official regional brain bee will advance to the Canadian National level of competition. Finally, the top place champion of the Canadian National Brain Bee will advance to the next level of competition: the International Brain Bee.

The 2026 Canadian National Brain Bee competition will be hosted in two exciting phases. Regional brain bee winners will be invited to compete in the first phase, which will be held virtually on Friday, April 24, 2026.

Earth Day 2026 affirms that environmental progress is real, resilient, and ongoing despite policy uncertainty. Innovation, education, and community problem-solving remain durable. Local systems — cities, schools, Tribal nations — continue implementing solutions that strengthen energy reliability, conserve resources, and reduce risk because they’re grounded in economic sense and public safety.

Explore resources and actions for Earth Day 2026 and year-round at https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2026/

Title: Protecting the Neurovascular Unit: Losartan as a Disease-Modifying Strategy in Experimental Epilepsy

Speaker: Moussa Hamati, PhD Student, Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University

Date: Tuesday, April 21st, 2026,

Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm  

Location: 3H-01  [IN-PERSON meeting]

Description: Epilepsy affects approximately 50 million people worldwide, and nearly one-third of patients remain resistant to current anti-seizure medications. Increasing evidence suggests that dysfunction of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) plays a key role in epileptogenesis by allowing albumin to enter the brain and activate inflammatory signaling pathways that disrupt astrocytic homeostasis and promote neuronal hyperexcitability.

In this seminar, we will present recent findings on the therapeutic potential of the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan in a rat model of drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Using EEG recordings, immunohistochemistry, and mass spectrometry, we show that losartan reduces spontaneous seizures, interictal EEG abnormalities, and BBB leakage. Mechanistically, losartan limits cellular albumin uptake, preserves astrocyte–vascular interactions, and maintains Aquaporin-4 localization, thereby improving neurovascular unit function.

Although losartan does not directly suppress acute seizures, our findings suggest that it reduces neuronal hyperexcitability and may act as a disease-modifying therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy. These results highlight the neurovascular unit as a promising therapeutic target in epilepsy.

Topic(s): The insect physiology lab at MSVU: physical and scientific progress!

Presented by: David Awde and Emily Murphy (Department of Biology, Mount Saint Vincent University)

Location/Platform: Dalhousie University | Biology 5th Floor Seminar room 

Contact info: davidawde@msvu.ca

All are welcome 

Masters Thesis Defence

Candidate: Wali U. Khan, MSc Candidate

Date: Tuesday April 21 2026

Supervisor(s): Dr. Alon Friedman

Department/School/Program: Department of Medical Neuroscince, Dalhousie University

Thesis Title: "Mechanisms Underlying Resilience in a Female Rat Model of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury"

Time: 2:00pm

Location: Room 14-B2, Tupper Building

The BRC relies on the passion and dedication of our trainees—graduate and undergraduate students alike—to bring our programs and outreach to life.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who gives their time, energy, and enthusiasm to support our work. Your contributions truly make a difference, and we appreciate it all. 💙

Volunteer Appreciation Week runs April 19-25.

Title: Anxiety Disorders in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: Genome-wide association study and meta-analyses

Speaker: Meghana Janardhanan , PhD Student, Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University

Date: Tuesday, April 14th, 2026,

Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm  

Location: Theatre C  [IN-PERSON meeting]

Description: 

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common classes of mental disorders worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 30%. Characterized by excessive and enduring fear, anxiety or avoidance of perceived threats and panic attacks, anxiety disorders represent various expressions of underlying dysregulation of the basic threat-response systems. Given the prevalence, associated impairments, and significant societal and economic impact of these disorders, identifying their risk factors is of substantial interest. Evidence from family and twin studies suggests that genetic variation contributes significantly to susceptibility, accounting for approximately 30–50% of the variance in risk. Although early linkage and candidate gene studies did not identify consistent susceptibility loci, genome-wide association studies using large-scale samples have begun to reveal several associated genetic loci and shared genetic influences across anxiety-related traits. Advancing this research, this study focuses on identifying additional loci and examining the contribution of genetic factors to anxiety disorders through a genome-wide analysis in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, followed by meta-analysis with other cohorts.

Title: Perturbation Dependent Homolateral Coordination: ​ A Role for Central Proprioceptive Processing

Speaker: Dr. Turgay Akay

Date/Time: Tuesday april 14th 9:30am-10:30am

Synopsis​: A central goal in motor control is to understand how the nervous system transforms sensory input into spatially accurate motor output. Terrestrial legged locomotion is an ideal model because it is rhythmic, naturally occurring, and supports robust data collection. All legged animals must place their feet precisely to maintain balance, especially on uneven terrain.

In bipeds this relies largely on vision, but quadrupeds cannot depend solely on visual input to guide hind limbs outside the visual field. We asked whether proprioceptive feedback directs hind limb placement during swing in mice. Using genetic manipulations and in vivo behavioral analyses, we found that steady treadmill locomotion produces consistent hind limb placement with little reliance on muscle spindle feedback. However, perturbations evoke forelimb‑guided placement, a coordination lost without sensory feedback from the muscle spindles. Chemogenetic silencing shows this coupling requires supraspinal processing in the cuneate nucleus.​

Topic: IOP-induced blood-retinal barrier compromise contributes to RGC death in glaucoma

Author(s): Chi Zhang, Marina Simón, Haeyn Lim, Nicholas G. Tolman, Logan Horbal, Felicia A. Juarez, Aakriti Bhandari, Christa Montgomery, Simon W.M. John

DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.15.618539

Presenter: Laura Swift

Location: G36, Tupper Building (beside MedIT office)

Contact/RSVP: Delaney

The European Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA) and the World Health Organization established World Parkinson’s Day on April 11th, 1997. April 11th is the birthday of Dr. James Parkinson. He is the first physician to recognize Parkinson’s as a medical condition. He published an essay in 1817 called, “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” During the 9th World Parkinson’s Disease Day Conference in 2005, the red tulip was adopted as the official symbol for the disease.

https://www.parkinson.ca/

Seminar Speaker: Jamie M. Kramer, Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University

Seminar title: Transcriptional Control of Memory in Healthy and Disease-Like States

Location:  Tupper 3H01

Time:  1 pm - 2 pm (AST)

Date:  April 9th, 2026

Mutations in genes encoding proteins that regulate chromatin structure are one of the most frequent causes of neurodevelopmental disorders, like Autism and Intellectual Disability. We still have very limited knowledge about how chromatin can impact brain function.

The main goals of the Kramer lab are:

1) To learn more about the role of epigenetics and chromatin in regulation of learning and memory.

2) To understand the disease mechanisms associated with neurodevelopmental disorders that are caused by disrupted chromatin regulation.

We are especially focused on epigenetic regulatory complexes involved in histone modification (acetylation/methylation) and ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling (SWI/SNF superfamily). We take a multidisciplinary systems approach, combining Drosophila behaviour, neuron specific transcriptomics and epigenomics, bioinformatics, developmental biology.

Check out Kramer Lab publications on Google Scholar.

On World Health Day 2026, WHO unites and mobilizes the world under the theme “Together for health. Stand with science.” celebrating the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet. The year‑long campaign spotlights both scientific achievements and the multilateral cooperation needed to turn evidence into action.

www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2026

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month in Canada, dedicated to raising awareness for the over 100,000 Canadians living with this chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease. Led by organizations like Parkinson Canada, the month focuses on improving care, promoting education, and reducing regional disparities in access to specialists. 

Key details regarding Parkinson Awareness Month in Canada:

• Significance: April is dedicated to education, supporting caregivers, and highlighting that while there is no cure, living well with Parkinson's is possible through support.

• The Symbol: The red tulip is the international symbol for Parkinson's disease.

• Global Awareness Day: April 11 is recognized as World Parkinson's Day.

• Light Up Canada: Many cities across Canada light up landmarks, buildings, and bridges in red on April 11 to raise awareness.

• Impact: Approximately 18 Canadians are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease every day. 

  Canada.ca +5

Throughout the month, initiatives focus on ensuring better, more equitable care for patients, regardless of their location, as access to specialists and medication currently varies across the country. 

Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Last year, people in more than 85 countries on all continents participated in Purple Day! Canada is the only country in the world who officially recognizes March 26th as Purple Day through the Purple Day Act implemented on June 28, 2012.

Hosted by the departments of Pharmacology and Medical Neuroscience

Dr. Douglas Zochodne, MD, FRCPC
Peripheral Neurobiology Laboratory, Neurology and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta

“REGENERATIVE RETUNING OF SENSORY NEURONS TO SUPPORT GROWTH AND RESIST DIABETIC POLYNEUROPATHY”

Every spring, people across Canada come together during Daffodil Month to transform the lives of people affected by cancer. The resilient daffodil is a symbol of renewal, optimism and hope. 

The Canadian Cancer Society’s work doesn’t stop when Daffodil Month ends. Every single day, your support gives hope to people living with cancer, and their loved ones.  

For more info, see https://cancer.ca/en/ways-to-give/daffodil

THE SURGE NERO HACKATHON IS BACK.

SURGE NeuroHack 2026 is officially ON.

March 20–22. Free. 50 spots. Real EEG hardware. No experience needed.

Three days. Brain-computer interfaces. Teams. Prizes. Meals. And the kind of weekend that makes you actually excited about tech.

Sound wild? That's because it is. Registration link in bio @surgeinnovation — spots are limited, so don't sleep on this.

March Break at the Discovery Centre is unlike any other! Come play, learn, and be curious. Their Dome Theatre shows, and Featured Exhibits (Animal Super Powers made with LEGO® Bricks), are just the tip of the Discovery Centre iceberg! 

And the Brain Repair Centre will be hanging out there on Friday March 20th with hands-on games and displays. Come down an say Hi!

Tickets and more info at thediscoverycentre.ca

This event is part of Brain Awareness Week 2026, taking place from March 16-22. Check out www.hfxbaw.org/ for activities in Halifax

This is a public event which will showcase some brain-related research that is taking place at Dalhousie. There will be games, competitions, prizes, experiments, demonstrations, interactive booths and all kinds of information. Learn about how the brain works and what it can do!!

This FREE, student- and family-friendly event provides hands-on, engaging, neuroscience-based activities for all ages! Drop-ins and camp groups welcome!

All ages welcome - kids, parents, march break campers - come and check it out and have some fun. There is something for everyone.

See www.hfxbaw.org/brainfair for photos of past Brain Fair events.

This event is part of Brain Awareness Week 2026, taking place from March 16-22. Check out www.hfxbaw.org/ for activities in Halifax

Students enrolled in Neuroscience-focussed independent research projects are invited to present their work in a 3MT-style presentation. This event is a great opportunity for trainees to hone their communication skills.

This event is not open to the public but trainees and supervisors are encouraged to attend.

This event is part of Brain Awareness Week 2026, taking place from March 16-22. Check out www.hfxbaw.org/ for activities in Halifax

Details coming soon

This event is part of Brain Awareness Week 2026, taking place from March 16-22. Check out www.hfxbaw.org/ for activities in Halifax