06/12/2003 11:00 AM 3-170
Elly Nedivi, Fred and Carole Middleton Assistant Professor; Departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Biology at MIT

Description: In this lecture Elly Nedivi provides an overview on the basics of brain anatomy, working her way up the spinal column to the deepest recesses of the cerebral cortex. Using vivid slides, we learn that physically distinguishable areas of the brain are responsible for specific functions, and that you can, for instance, build maps of the cortical areas dealing with each of the senses. Nedivi explains precisely why there is a safety zone in the spine for an epidural, and also show images of the earliest stages of embryonic brain development. While there are still deep mysteries hidden inside the human brain, Nedivi sheds light on the fascinating things that are known about this very complex human organ.

About the Speaker(s): Elly Nedivi's research focuses on the genetic basis for the brain's plasticity its capacity to adapt to change. She received her Ph.D. in neuroscience from Stanford University Medical School and completed her postdoctoral training at The Weitzmann Institute in Israel. In 1998, after completing research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, she joined the faculty of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and the Picower Center for Learning and Memory at MIT. Dr. Nedivi is the recipient of the Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar Award and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship.

Host(s): School of Science, School of Science