Brain Teaser - Science Week 2023

Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, JCSMR

Discover the wonders of the brain at Brain Teaser on August 19th! Talks, interactive booths, and fun for the whole family! Don't miss out!

ANU Research School of Physics

<h1>Step into a world of wonder at Brain Teaser - the ultimate science week event for all things brain-related! </h1><h3>Join us on August 19th in the foyer of the ANU School of Physics for a day filled with brainy excitement!</h3>From 10 am to 4 pm, you'll be immersed in fascinating talks and mind-boggling experiences. Get ready for an electrifying presentation by Alan Finkel, Australia's ex-chief scientist, that will leave you in awe. Plus, don't miss the mesmerizing multidisciplinary panel exploring the mysterious topic of Consciousness. Discover cutting-edge research being done at ANU, showcasing the brain's incredible capabilities!

Unleash your curiosity at interactive booths, where you'll delve into the mysteries of your very own brain. Prepare to be amazed by what you'll uncover! And we've got something special for the young minds too! Children can explore the brain and nervous system with our brilliant team of experts in dedicated spaces, making it a fun-filled and educational experience for the whole family.Mark your calendars and don't miss Brain Teaser on August 19th! It's an unforgettable journey into the wonders of the brain - see you there!

Agenda

How does the brain work? This question has puzzled humanity for millennia. With recent amazing advances in AI and ‘mind-reading’, we seem closer than ever to understanding the supercomputer between our ears. I will give an overview of how exciting developments in neuroscience have expanded our understanding of the brain, and why we should care.

Professor John Bekkers  - Neuroscience: What have we learned so far?

The >1800 patients diagnosed with brain cancer annually in Australia are faced with a dire prognosis: only 20% chance of survival beyond 5 years. Alarmingly, these outcomes have not improved, with no new therapies entering the clinic in more than 35 years. The problem is we still know little about how the brain develops normally, and virtually nothing of the events causing brain tumour formation. Furthermore, brain cancer is not one disease, but comprises multiple subtypes, each characterised by a unique set of genetic mutations and molecular changes. Our work uses sophisticated Drosophila (vinegar fly) genetic models to determine how brain cancer mutations alter neural stem cell fate. Very excitingly, we have shown brain tumours form in the fly when we mimic human brain cancer mutations, identifying these mutations and their molecular signatures as potential therapeutic targets for translation to our pre-clinical human “mini-brain” models.

Professor Leonie Quinn - From bug to bedside. Using flies to cure brain cancer

What makes some people caring and helpful, and others cold and callous? This talk will consider the components of human empathy, and their neural underpinnings, and will discuss how understanding these different components can provide insight into how to improve the well-being of individuals and societies.

Associate Professor Stephanie Goodhew - Components of Human Empathy 

The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, relevant events is critical for survival. For example, when we cross the road our brain integrates information across multiple sensory modalities, selects which parts of the oncoming traffic we need to attend to and ultimately decides when it is safe to cross. Similarly, prey animals (like rodents) need to attend to and integrate information from the environment to detect the presence of a predator and avoid capture. In this talk, I will describe the brain areas and circuits that are involved in attentional orienting movements including a midbrain structure called the superior colliculus. I will characterise how this area receives input from multiple sensory modalities and plays an important role in moving the eyes, head, and body towards or away from biologically significant events.

Dr Saba Gharaei - Brain circuits underlying attention

Embark on a captivating journey into the depths of consciousness with esteemed experts Prof. Daniel Stoljar (Philosophy) and Prof. Ehsan Arabzadeh (Neuroscience) from The Australian National University. In this enlightening one-hour session, each expert will present thought-provoking insights, delving into the very essence of consciousness from their disciplines of expertise. Following this, the audience can engage in a dynamic Q&A session, where you can seek answers, explore ideas, and expand your understanding. This event is perfect for anyone curious about the nature of the mind, from students and academics to those simply intrigued by the enigma of consciousness.

Prof. Daniel Stoljar and Prof. Ehsan Arabzadeh - A Discussion on Consciousness

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising our society in ways we have never seen before. AI algorithms such as ChatGPT and DALL-E are capable of quickly and inexpensively generating text, artwork, and faces that are incredibly realistic. As such, people are worried that AI could manipulate our understanding of what's real. In the ANU Emotions and Faces Lab, we've been investigating why AI-generated faces often seem more human than the faces of real people. We have discovered that racial biases in algorithm training play a significant role in this phenomenon. Join me to find out if you can spot the AI imposters.

Dr Amy Dawel - Can you spot the AI imposters?

For decades as a neuroscientist and as a manufacturer of neuroscience equipment my concentration waned and my scepticism increased when scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs pitched their dream of surface EEGs being used to control prosthetic limbs, wheel chairs, computer games or flight controls in a jet fighter. These products came and went without achieving useful resolution and consistency. But in recent years, things have changed. Numerous brain computer interfaces (BCI) have been prototyped and some are going through FDA approved trials. The era of mind over machine is coming close, with the ultimate promise, perhaps with no purpose, of silent brain to machine to brain communication being imaginable. Join me for a light-hearted overview of BCI.

Brain Teaser - Science Week 2023

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Brain Teaser - Science Week 2023

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