Research News
Skin Has the Nerve to Tell You to Scratch
March 10, 2016
No matter the trigger -- bug bites, a medication side-effect or an itchy wound -- the urge to scratch can be a real pain. Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center have identified a potential drug target in the skin for that itchy feeling.
Songbirds Pinpoint Effects of Huntington’s Disease
March 7, 2016
Although Huntington’s disease is caused by mutations in a single gene, understanding how it ravages the brain and body has been anything but simple. A new study by Duke University scientists parses the role of the Huntington’s disease gene in an area of the brain responsible for complex, sequential movements like those used to talk to a friend, play the violin, or swing a golf club.
Brain Tune-Up May Aid Self-Motivation
March 3, 2016
If we could learn to control the motivational centers of our brains that drive volition, would it lead us toward healthier, more productive lives? Using a new brain imaging strategy, Duke University scientists, including senior investigator R. Alison Adcock, have now taken a first step in understanding how to manipulate specific neural circuits using thoughts and imagery.
Liedtke and Ji Win DTRI Pilot Award to Treat Chemotherapy-Induced Nerve Pain
February 18, 2016
Wolfgang Liedtke, MD, PhD, and Ru-Rong Ji, PhD, have just received a one-year, $100,000 pilot award...
Erich Jarvis Promoted to Professor of Neurobiology
February 18, 2016
Duke Neurobiology congratulates our own Erich Jarvis, PhD, on his promotion to Professor of Neurobiology. The department faculty and staff held a celebration for Dr. Jarvis on February 18, 2016 to recognize his many achievements as a scientist, mentor, and innovator in his field and at Duke University.
Duke Neurobiology's Kafui Dzirasa Receives White House Honor
February 18, 2016
President Obama today named 106 researchers, including Duke Neurobiology's Kafui Dzirasa, PhD, as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.
Bhandawat Lab Publication in Scientific Reports, "Organization of descending neurons in Drosophila melanogaster"
February 3, 2016
Neural processing in the brain controls behavior through descending neurons (DNs) - neurons which carry signals from the brain to the spinal cord (or thoracic ganglia in insects). Because DNs arise from multiple circuits in the brain, the numerical simplicity and availability of genetic tools make Drosophila a tractable model for understanding descending motor control.
Why Are Habits So Hard to Break?
January 21, 2016
By now, you might have discovered that taming your sweet tooth as a New Year's resolution is harder than you think. New research by Duke University scientists Nicole Calakos, MD, PhD and Henry Yin, PhD suggests that ahabit leaves a lasting mark on specific circuits in the brain, priming us to feed our cravings.
Cagla Eroglu and Team Find Trio of Autism-Linked Molecules Orchestrate Neuron Connections
January 14, 2016
New research from Duke University reveals how three proteins work in concert to wire up a specific area of the developing brain that is responsible for processing sensory information. “We may have pinpointed a developmental process that may be critically impaired in diseases such as autism, and that’s really exciting,” said Cagla Eroglu, an assistant professor of cell biology and neurobiology at the Duke University School of Medicine, who led the research.
Bhandawat Lab Paper "Odor-identity dependent motor programs underlie behavioral responses to odors" Published in eLIFE
January 11, 2016
Humans rely chiefly on vision to understand and navigate the world around them. But for many...
Liedtke, Grandl Discuss Proprioception in Atlantic Monthly Article
January 7, 2016
Proprioception is the body's ability to understand where its various parts are in relation to each other. In a new article by Eben Bein in The Atlantic Monthly , Duke Neurology's Wolfgang Liedtke, MD, PhD and Duke Neurobiology's Jorg Grandl, PhD discuss new research into what is often considered a sixth sense.
Debra Silver, PhD, and Team Find Slow Stem Cell Division May Cause Smaller Brains
January 7, 2016
Duke University researchers have figured out how a developmental disease called microcephaly produces a much smaller brain than normal: Some cells are simply too slow as they proceed through the neuron production process. Published online Jan. 7 in the journal Neuron , the findings provide not only a new mechanistic explanation for microcephaly, but they could also aid understanding of autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders that are thought to arise from disruptions in the proper balance of neurons in the brain.
Grandl Lab Publication in eLIFE, "Mechanical sensitivity of Piezo1 ion channels can be tuned by cellular membrane tension"
December 16, 2015
Duke Neurobiology's Jorg Grandl, PhD and Amanda H. Lewis of Grandl Lab have a new publication in...
Erich D. Jarvis Receives 2015 Ernest Everett Just Award from the American Society for Cell Biology, Writes Associated Essay, "Surviving as an underrepresented minority scientist in a majority environment"
November 18, 2015
Duke Neurobiology's Erich D. Jarvis, PhD is the recipient of the 2015 Ernest Everett Just Award from the American Society for Cell Biology. In his associated essay, Jarvis discusses the lessons he learned that have allowed him to survive as an underrepresented minority scientist in a majority environment.
Greg D. Field's Paper, "Mapping Nonlinear Receptive Field Structure in Primate Retina at Single Cone Resolution," Published in eLIFE
November 1, 2015
Duke Neurobiology's Greg D. Field has been published in eLIFE, with a paper on mapping nonlinear receptive field structure in primate retina at single cone resolution. Field's Duke University laboratory studies how the retina processes visual scenes and transmits this information to the brain.