Welcome to Neuroscience Symposium 2024

We are excited to welcome you to the 2024 Oklahoma Neuroscience Symposium, presented by the Department of Neurosurgery. This two-day event will take place on November 14th at Devon Boathouse (608 Riversport Dr., Oklahoma City, OK 73129) and on November 15th at the Nicholson Conference Center (1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73104).

The symposium opens on November 14th with flash talks presented by PhD candidates from the Neuroscience PhD Program, giving our talented trainees the opportunity to share their cutting-edge research. The second day, November 15th, will feature keynote presentations from Rakez Kayed, PhD (Universite of Texas, Medical Branch) and Erik Leuthardt, MD (Washington University in St. Louis), alongside talks by researchers from our own university, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), and other institutions.

This symposium serves as a platform to highlight and strengthen neuroscience research across the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campus. It also lays the foundation for cross-disciplinary collaborations among neuroscience, neurosurgery, and other research programs at OUHSC and OMRF.

The theme this year focuses on advances in neuroscience and neurovascular disorders, bridging basic, clinical, and translational research. We aim to foster dialogue that enhances our understanding of neuroscience and brain vascular diseases, promoting interactions between trainees, clinicians, and researchers. These collaborations are intended to spark new publications, inspire grant applications, and showcase the exceptional work already being conducted on our campus.

The symposium is designed for a diverse audience, including neuroscientists, neurosurgeons, neurologists, residents, fellows, graduate and medical students, and nurses. We look forward to the exchange of ideas that will emerge from this gathering of researchers, clinicians, and students, and the opportunity to drive innovation and discovery forward in our field.

We are grateful for your participation in the 2024 Oklahoma Neuroscience Symposium and look forward to two days of insightful discussions and networking.

Please find preliminary information below about the program, speakers. You can upload your abstract on a separate page after you registered, please read the “Instruction for participants” section at the bottom of the page.

Schedule of Events

Day 1:

Date: November 14, 2024

Neuroscience Symposium Social Event, Venue: Oklahoma City University, Devon Boathouse

Program: flash talks, dinner, award ceremony

Day 2:

Date: November 15, 2024; Venue: Nicholson Conference Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Campus

Keynote speakers:

Dr. Rakez Kayed, PhD
Dr. Erik Leuthardt, MD

Program: breakfast and welcome, keynote talks (45’ + 15’ Q&A), invited talks (15’+5’ Q&A), selected talks from trainees (8’ + 2’ Q&A) based on abstract, lunch & poster session, award ceremony

Invited speakers: Jordan Williamson, PhD; Sarah Ocañas, PhD; Dr. Calin Prodan; David Miller, PhD; Muhammad Fauziyya, MD, PhD

Preliminary Schedule:
7:30am	Breakfast and Registration
8:00am	Zachary Smith, MD David Sherry, PhD	Department of Neurosurgery Department of Cell Biology	Welcome and introductory remarks from the directors of the Neuroscience PhD program
8:15am - 10:30am	Morning Session: Sex-related differences in brain function
8:15am	Jordan Williamson, PhD	University of Illinois, Dept. of Bioengineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering	Sex Differences in Brain Functional Connectivity in Alzheimer's Disease
8:35am	Calin Prodan	University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Department of Neurology	Pregnancy, hypertension and cognitive impairment - where is the missing link?
8:55am	Sarah Ocañas, PhD	Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation	Sex differences in an APP mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
9:15am	Coffee break
9:30am	Dr. Rakez Kayed, PhD [KEYNOTE]	University of Texas, Medical Branch, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders	Tau Protein Aggregation and Polymorphs in Neurodegenerative Tauopathies
10:30am	Break
10:40am	Selected talks from trainees - Based on abstract submission
11:30am	Lunch & Poster session
1:30pm - 3:30pm	Afternoon Session: Brain-Machine Interfaces and Technology in Neurosurgery Operating Room
1:30pm	David Miller, PhD	University of Oklahoma, Norman, Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, Dynamic Light, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital	Assessing Vessel Flow and Tissue Perfusion during Neurosurgery
1:50pm	Fauziyya Muhammad, MD, PhD	University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery	Brain Network Reorganization Reveals the Structure-Function Paradox in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy
2:10pm	Break
2:30pm	Erik Leuthardt, MD [KEYNOTE]	Washington University in St. Louis	Neuro-Oncology Implications of Resting State fMRI
3:30pm	Award Ceremony, Closing Remarks

Symposium Program Booklet

Neuroscience Symposium 2024 Booklet

Note: Change in program - Rakez Kayed, PhD Flyer

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We extend our sincere gratitude to all our sponsors, with special acknowledgment to the Presbyterian Health Foundation (PHF) for its continuous partnership and generous support. Through PHF's sponsorship, we celebrate the foundation's commitment to academic excellence and its role in advancing neuroscience education and research on a national scale.