UNE Researchers Showcase Groundbreaking Work at Global Neuroscience Conference

The University of New England showcased its growing impact in the field of neuroscience research at the 2024 Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Annual Meeting, held in Chicago from Oct. 5-9, with nearly two dozen faculty, student, and professional members of UNE’s research community represented.

The 2024 conference drew approximately 23,000 neuroscientists from across the world. With eight faculty members, two professional staff, and 13 students in attendance, the event provided a platform for UNE researchers to present their findings, engage in public outreach, build infrastructure, and connect with international experts to discuss pedagogy and research methods.

Key contributions came from the following research entities at the University.

The Burman Collaborative

The Burman Lab — known as The Burman Collaborative after director Michael Burman, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences — is dedicated to understanding and discovering treatments for the effects of neonatal trauma on the brain.

Researchers from the lab focused their conference agenda on the effects of this early-life stress, giving three presentations on their research on the lasting impacts of neonatal intensive care unit-type experiences in a session entitled “Processing Threats and Pain.”

Left: (From left) Willard Swift, Michael Burman, Brooklyn Merrill, and Megan Tomash at the 2024 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. Right: Willard Smith poses in front of his research poster examining stress in zebrafish embryos .

The session highlighted the work of Brooklynn Merrill (Neuroscience, ’24); Emma Naess, B.S. ’23, M.S. ’24 (Biological Sciences); and Megan Tomash, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maine Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE).

Additionally, Willard Swift (Neuroscience, ’25) presented the lab’s research on stress in zebrafish embryos during a session on neural and physiological effects of early-life stress.

Merrill’s and Swift’s research was made possible with funding from the Kahn Family Foundation.

Burman, who recently concluded his role on SfN’s Public Education and Communications Committee, helped organize a press conference titled “Pain in the Brain: New Models, Mechanisms, and Targets.” The event highlighted new advances in pain research from four recent studies that have resulted in at least one published article. 

Behavior Core

Members of UNE’s Behavior Core — housed in the Center for Pain Research, a National Institutes of Health-funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) — presented two posters related to both research and student engagement. 

Core Manager Denise Giuvelis, B.S., presented a poster on the Behavior Research Skills Badge program, which trains undergraduates in rodent behavior studies. 

Another poster, presented by research technician Abbigail Felix, B.S. ’22 (Animal Behavior) focused on sex differences in facial nerve injury-induced pain behaviors. Felix said that the conference sparked valuable conversations about behavioral models and provided networking opportunities with other scientists.

“Attending the meeting allowed for wonderful discussions during the poster session about the importance of assessing behavior and helped facilitate new connections with scientists throughout the neuroscience field,” Felix noted.

The Harrison Lab

Following a year of intense productivity, researchers in the lab of Benjamin Harrison, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, delivered three poster presentations and one oral presentation at SfN 2024. 

Postdoctoral researcher Lindsey Fitzsimons, Ph.D., said she appreciated the conference’s openness to diverse scientific backgrounds. 

“The community was very welcoming and interested in how my experiences outside neuroscience could bring fresh perspectives to the field,” Fitzsimons said. 

Left: Peter Neufeld takes a photo in downtown Chicago. Right: (From left) Madison Mueth, Peter Neufeld, Benjamin Harrison, and Lindsay Fitzsimons take a photo at the 2024 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. 

Madison Mueth, a Ph.D. student in the GSBSE, said she found networking opportunities particularly rewarding, noting that discussions with researchers from around the world and social events with pain science leaders were highlights of the meeting.

“We had many discussions at my poster with groups from around the world, and the social events facilitated informal discussions with leaders in the pain field,” she said.

Harrison Lab Manager Peter Neufeld echoed these sentiments, noting that the conference exceeded expectations and provided valuable opportunities to promote the lab’s work and strengthen UNE’s presence on the global neuroscience stage.

Growing Impact in the Field 

Conference attendees said that, by focusing on real-world topics like early-life stress, behavioral research, and pain science, UNE continues to strengthen its research programs and while meaningfully contributing to scientific discovery.