While the functions of the brain may be a solitary process, advancements in neuroscience aren’t discovered alone. It takes a team of researchers collaborating and sharing perspectives across disciplines. That's the underlying principle of the University of Delaware Graduate College’s interdisciplinary neuroscience graduate program, which recently hosted its third annual symposium with a day of presentations, networking and recognition of the program's accomplishments.

“The symposium is more than just a meeting; it is a celebration of the amazing neuroscience research conducted by our 25 Ph.D. students across four departments and two colleges,” said Philip Gable, director of the interdisciplinary neuroscience graduate program. “The day serves a vital dual function: It strengthens our internal community and serves as a premier showcase of our program, students and research for prospective Ph.D. students.”

The opening remarks by Gary Henry, interim vice provost and dean for the Graduate College, explored the growth of the program since its 2021 launch. With 10 interdisciplinary neuroscience graduates already impacting the field, the visibility and notoriety of the program have strengthened the applicant pool and increased admissions, demonstrating the health of the young program. 

“Enrollment has increased from seven students in the first year of the program to 25 now, and that’s a remarkable size. It goes to show the importance of interdisciplinary neuroscience programs and how UD is making a specific mark in this area,” said Henry. 

The symposium featured five 15-minute presentations highlighting the research of UD faculty Stephanie Del Tufo, assistant professor in the School of Education; Amanda Hernan, affiliated faculty in psychological and brain sciences; Alon Hafri, assistant professor of linguistics and cognitive science; Jaclyn Schwarz, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences; and Nicole Guarino, postdoctoral researcher in communication sciences and disorders. Emphasizing the value of their research and program overall, some of the presentations highlighted underrepresented topics in neuroscience.

The talk led by Schwarz brought attention to a mental health topic often overlooked: the effects of postpartum depression in mothers. Despite the fact that pregnancy and childbirth cause major changes in the brain and body, Schwarz noted that postpartum depression is not officially distinguished from major depression as a separate disorder, suggesting limited research on a serious condition affecting 30% of mothers. Schwarz’s lab, which includes graduate students Chenchen Zhang and Bridget Armstrong, developed a new model that studies the different experiences of female rats after birth. Schwarz aims to identify the biological signals that determine depression-like symptoms in rats, offering greater insight into postpartum depression in the long term. 

Combining the disciplines of speech-language pathology and neuroscience, one of the six flash talks — five-minute presentations showcasing the ongoing work of graduate students in the program — examined stuttering, a neurodevelopmental disorder often underrepresented at neuroscience symposia. Grace Gervino, a graduate student whose host department is Communication Sciences and Disorders, presented her research for the Delaware Stuttering Project. Examining children’s beta brainwaves during listening and speech assessments, Gervino discovered additional evidence that stuttering may be due to an unstable internal timing system. She aims to learn more about the mechanisms of the brain during those moments.

Gervino and Armstrong — who investigated the role of hormones in the onset of anhedonia for Schwarz’s lab — were recognized for their research during the student poster session, the final event of the day where students discussed their projects with attendees. While each was awarded a certificate and a $50 gift card, the true prize for Gervino and Armstrong was recognition from their peers. 

“I'm grateful that my colleagues with outside perspectives have positive feedback about my work. It reassures me that my research is just as valuable to others in different disciplines of neuroscience,” said Armstrong, who enjoyed the exposure and exchanging ideas with other departments at the symposium. 

“As someone who stutters, it was especially meaningful to have a platform to share our findings. Receiving the award made me feel the work resonated with the audience and that there is genuine interest in better understanding stuttering from a neuroscience perspective,” said Gervino, who hopes her research helps reinforce stuttering as a neuroscience issue.