This talk is part of the Texas Science Festival (Feb. 16-Mar. 26). Click here to register and to see a schedule of all the events.

Although Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of families, options for treatment have been limited. Hear from two neuroscience experts about new potential for treatment and prevention, thanks to recent innovations that may help address neurodegeneration and even decode and reconstruct the electrical signals linked to a key memory network in the brain.

Featuring:

• Dr. Laura Lee Colgin is an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Center for Learning and Memory at UT Austin. Her research focuses on understanding cellular and network mechanisms of learning and memory. She earned her Ph.D. in mathematical behavioral sciences from the University of California, Irvine. She has received the Peter and Patricia Gruber International Research Award in Neuroscience, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship, the Klingenstein Foundation Award in the Neurosciences, an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program award, a National Science Foundation CAREER award and a Suffrage Science Life Sciences Award.
• Dr. Jon Pierce is a professor in the Department of Neuroscience at UT Austin. His research interests tie in closely with his personal experiences. His elder son was born with Down syndrome, and he was inspired to study the genetic basis for Down syndrome in his lab at UT. His mother’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease further inspired him to use his research to explore potential treatment and prevention options. Working with researchers dedicated to discovering the causes and potential cures for genetic disorders, Pierce and his team also are exploring research related to alcoholism. He attended the University of Oregon, Eugene before going on to conduct research at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.