School of Biomedical Sciences cordially invites you to join the following seminar:

Speaker: Dr. Andrea Siew Cheng Phua, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, Life Science Institute Neurobiology Programme, National University of Singapore
Talk Title: Illuminating novel ciliary and nuclear pathways underlying learning and emotion in the brain

Date: 9 January 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road
Host: Professor Mu He

Biography

Siew Cheng earned her PhD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed postdoctoral training at the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. A cell biologist specializing in systems neuroscience, her research has been featured in leading journals such as Cell, Nature Methods, and Science Advances. She is the recipient of several distinguished fellowships, including the Harold Weintraub Award and the A*STAR National Science Scholarship. In 2022, Siew Cheng established the Neuron Signaling Laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore. Her lab leverages advanced in vivo imaging and molecular techniques with computational tools to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and emotion.

Abstract

In this talk, I will present two emerging research stories from our lab. The first explores how neuronal cilia in the dorsomedial striatum influence flexible, goal-directed learning, with a focus on dopamine signaling through elusive axon-cilium contacts. The second investigates the role of a nucleus-localized cell cycle regulator in the basolateral amygdala, shedding light on its involvement in anxiety and fear memory. By illuminating the cell biology in behaving brain, we hope to gain deeper knowledge of how cognitive and affective processes take form & seek for better ways to improve learning and emotion in normal & pathological states.

ALL ARE WELCOME.