Speaker: Josefina Correa (Brown Lab)Title: Bayesian Hierarchical Autoregressive Parametric Estimation with Application to the Analysis of Multilevel Electroencephalogram SignalsAbstract: Estimating the spectral content of electroencephalogram signals is a common approach to characterizing how the brain responds to external stimuli. In clinical studies, electroencephalogram signals are collected over multiple subjects and their spectra are computed using either Fourier-based or parametric approaches. A common analysis entails comparing the spectra of a wide-sense stationary data window after the stimulus onset to the spectra before. However, conventional approaches to analyzing these data do not account for between-subject variability, and could in turn provide inaccurate inferences. This work develops a Bayesian hierarchical auto-regressive modeling framework to estimate subject-level and population-level spectra. Our formulation provides a principled approach for constructing cohort-level estimates, which can be used to assess the extent to which a new subject is consistent with a cohort-level response. We validate our framework in simulation and apply it to the analysis of electroencephalogram signals from ten healthy volunteers undergoing propofol-mediated anesthesia.Speaker: Raleigh Linville (Heiman Lab)Title: Cross-species cellular atlas of the striatum defines cell type-specific and regional disease vulnerabilities.Abstract: The striatum integrates dopamine and glutamate signals to regulate decision-making, movement, and reward. Despite its importance, the molecular diversity of its constituent neurons is not fully understood. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing across 85 human samples spanning both dorsal and ventral regions of the striatum, we identify 14 neuronal subtypes with distinct molecular signatures and spatial organization. Rare subpopulations of striatal neurons and spatial gene expression gradients along the dorsolateral-ventromedial axis show notable differences between human and rodent that suggest species-divergent connectivity, disease mechanisms, and pharmacological targets. By integrating our data with genome-wide association studies, we identify novel sites of human-enriched opioid receptor expression, implicate the ventral striatum in chronic antipsychotic action, and propose a molecular mechanism for the dorsal striatum’s heightened vulnerability in Huntington’s disease. Our findings lay the foundation for understanding how specific striatal neurons contribute to both normal brain function and neurological disorders.

Have some fun(nel) on a tunnel or sun(nel) walk! Join us for a 30-minute volunteer-led walk either through MIT’s famous tunnel system or around Killian Court. As the weather gets warmer, walk leaders may choose to take the group outside. Is the weather warm and you missed the start? Find the group on Killian Court and join in!Location details: Meet in the lobby with the big mirror, right inside the Collier Memorial entrance to Stata. Location photo below.Sun(nel) Walk Leaders will identify themselves by holding a white flag at the meeting location.Prize Drawing: Attend a walk and scan a QR code from the walk leaders to be entered into a drawing for a getfit canvas boat tote bag at the end of the getfit challenge. The more walks you attend, the more entries you get. Winner will be drawn and notified at the end of April. Winner does not need to be a getfit participant.Disclaimer: These walks are led by volunteers. In the rare occasion when a volunteer isn’t able to make it, we will do our best to notify participants. In the event we are unable to notify participants and a walk leader does not show up, we encourage you to walk as much as you feel comfortable doing so. We recommend checking this calendar just before you head out!Getfit is a 12-week fitness challenge for the entire MIT community. These walks are open to the entire MIT community and you do not need to be a current getfit participant to join.

Ten minutes for your mind@2:50 every day at 2:50 pm in multiple time zones:Europa@2:50, EET, Athens, Helsinki (UTC+2) (7:50 am EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88298032734Atlantica@2:50, EST, New York, Toronto (UTC-4) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85349851047Pacifica@2:50, PST, Los Angeles, Vancouver (UTC=7) (5:50 pm EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85743543699Almost everything works better again if you unplug it for a bit, including your mind. Stop by and unplug. Get the benefits of mindfulness without the fuss.@2:50 meets at the same time every single day for ten minutes of quiet together.No pre-requisite, no registration needed.Visit the website to view all @2:50 time zones each day.at250.org or at250.mit.edu

Schmidt Center - MIT EECS Colloquium: CocycleHunter: a topological and geometric tool for phase estimation in single-cell RNA-seq data by Kathryn Hess BellwaldMonday, April 7 4:00 - 5:00 pm (refreshments at 3:30 pm) Yellowstone (415 Main St.)📅 Add to your calendar ✍️ Register herePlease join us for a colloquium featuring Kathryn Hess Bellwald, professor of mathematics and life sciences at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Member of the Academic Board of the Swiss National Science Foundation, on CocycleHunter: a topological and geometric tool for phase estimation in single-cell RNA-seq data.This colloquium is part of a series hosted jointly by the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center at the Broad Institute and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. Kathryn’s colloquium will run from 4:00-5:00 pm with refreshments served at 3:30 pm.The colloquium will be held at the Broad Institute in Yellowstone as well as virtually via YouTube Livestream: broad.io/ewsc. If you do not have a Broad badge, please show up at the 415 Main Street entrance 10 minutes prior to the event to be escorted to the talk.✍️ Register and view the abstractWe look forward to seeing you soon!-Caroline Uhler and the Schmidt Center TeamQuestions? Email Amanda Ogden at aogden@broadinstitute.org.

Time: 3:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

Jesse Shapiro Harvard University (joint with IDSS)