Category: Uncategorized

SPEAKER: Dr. May-Britt Moser
ORGANIZATION: Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience
DATE + TIME: Wednesday February 5, 2014 at 4pm
LOCATION: MIT Bldg 46-3002 (Singleton Auditorium)

ABSTRACT: The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) is part of the brain’s circuit for dynamic representation of self-location. The metric of this representation is provided by grid cells, cells with spatial firing fields that tile environments in a periodic hexagonal pattern. I will begin my lecture by discussing how grid cells are organized within the MEC. Based on recordings from large numbers of grid cells in individual rats, I will show that grid cells cluster into a small number of layer-spanning anatomically-overlapping functionally independent modules with distinct scale and orientation – a property that may be advantage to high-capacity memory in output areas such as the hippocampus. I will further discuss how inputs from grid cells and other functional cell types determine properties of place cells in the hippocampus. Using a combination of electrophysiological and optogenetic techniques, we find that the hippocampus receives input from a variety of sources, including border cells and head direction cells in the MEC, odour-responsive cells in the lateral entorhinal cortex, and, via the nucleus reuniens, decision-correlated cells in the medial prefrontal cortex. Collectively these inputs may be enable memory in ensembles of place cells in the hippocampus.

Charles M. Vest’s death came much too early. I miss this man terribly, his kindness, his intelligence, his fairness and most of all his simple humanity. Chuck was President of MIT when we started our discussion about the possibility of the McGovern Institute to be located at MIT. He was enthusiastic, if not ecstatic, but exercised reserve and a deep felt appreciation for what this would mean for neuroscience at MIT.

Our lengthy discussions and negotiations, some not so easy, were always fair with a win-win in mind, and his humorous use of narratives was a tactic to try and sway you without you noticing. I remember the time we met so I could listen to his rationale about postponing the start of building the MIBR. Of course we were opposed to that, and so I was invited by Chuck to a private lunch with the model of the building prominently displayed in view of our table. As in chess, where you try to corner the queen, Chuck suggested that we trade places, thereby putting the model in a less favorable light, all in the hope he could meet his objective. Oh Chuck! We started and finished pretty much on schedule. So many memories, bear hugs and laughter. I remember an MIT dinner where attendees were leaving, but you and I kept talking, the room cleared out, tables were folded up, the crew swept the floor around us sitting on our chairs, ignoring all. The topic of discussion still centered around the building. And then there always will be the story of French fries at Marché in Menlo Park! Chuck was passing the baton and visited many people across the country to say thank you. I had the pleasure to have dinner with him. Chuck was a runner and in great shape because he was mindful of what he ate; however, both of us ordered that occasional steak and unbeknown to us it was accompanied by two enormous pointed parchment bags in a gracious holder filled with (alas, delicious) French fries! We first looked at them in disdain, but one after the other they disappeared until they were gone. We laughed and tried to excuse away the consumption of all those French fries, and with a huge smile on your face “French fries” became your greeting to the bewilderment of those around us. You also shared private dreams post presidency about being interested in an ambassadorship, but that that would be not be feasible for different reasons. I wish we could have many more of our conversations, but instead I wish you goodbye with one last bear hug!

Be well in the place souls go to rest, my friend, and know that you were respected for all the right reasons, but loved by many and by me because you were very simply, Chuck!

To view the viral core image gallery, please click on one of the thumbnail images below.

Wishing you a ball this holiday season  — from your friends at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT!

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