A spider camouflaged against a branch immediately loses its invisibility once it starts moving. A friend you’re trying to spot in a crowded airport terminal is more distinguishable once she begins waving her hands.

While the process of separating an object from a background is seemingly effortless, researchers don’t know how our visual system manages to rapidly pick out and segregate moving objects from their backgrounds.

According to new research from University scientists, one reason human beings are good at discerning smaller moving objects in the foreground is that the brain becomes desensitized to the motion in the larger background. Conversely, when a person’s brain is more sensitive to background motion, the negative trade-off is that the person will be less sensitive to smaller foreground objects. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, could lead to new training programs for elderly adults and patients with conditions such as schizophrenia, which has been linked to weaker motion segregation.

“The human brain cannot possibly process all of the information around us,” says Duje Tadin, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences and the lead author of the study. “Being less sensitive to things that are less important makes the brain more efficient and faster at accomplishing the more important tasks.”

In order to test people’s ability to identify moving objects on a moving background, the researchers showed study participants moving textured patterns. Within the textured background, there was a smaller patterned object moving in the direction opposite from the background. The participants were instructed to report either the location or the shape of the smaller patterned object.

The researchers found that younger adults were better at seeing smaller moving objects in the foreground and worse at seeing background motion. Older adults—participants aged 65 and above—were the opposite. They were poorer at seeing the smaller moving objects because they had a heightened awareness of the backdrop against which the objects moved. Younger adults took on average 20 milliseconds to pick out the moving objects, and older adults took about 30 milliseconds.

“Those extra milliseconds could make a big difference,” says Woon Ju Park, a former postdoctoral associate in Tadin’s lab and currently a research associate at the University of Washington. “Think about things that matter for your survival.” A split second could mean the difference between hitting or avoiding a pedestrian; or it could be just enough time to lose sight of a rambunctious child. In the case of the animal world, it could mean the difference between life and death.

The researchers found that older adults could train their brains to process motion more like younger adults by practicing visual segmentation of moving objects. Older participants performed the study task for four weeks, with four sessions per week, and became quicker at the task, narrowing the gap in performance with their younger counterparts. Surprisingly, the researchers found, the older participants who underwent training did not in fact get better at seeing the smaller moving object; their ability to see the object was just as good as it was at the beginning of the training. What changed with training was that the older adults became less sensitive to the background motion, just like younger adults.

Read more here.

Sarah Kerns, assistant professor of radiation oncology, conducts research in a field known as radiogenomics. Through her work with others around the nation, she hopes to find ways to use genetic markers to identify early on which patients will be more likely to develop side effects from radiation treatment and which won’t. She explains her work in a Q&A in the Wilmot Cancer Institute Dialogue blog.

Q. What research are you working on right now?

Most of my research projects focus on identifying genetic and other biomarkers that could help arrange cancer patients into groups according to their predicted risk of developing side effects following radiation treatment.

We know that genetic background explains some of the variation between patients’ responses to radiation. Some people tolerate radiation treatment just fine, while others who receive the same radiation treatment might develop side effects months or even years after finishing the treatment. The side effects can be mild and bothersome or severe, requiring additional medical interventions. Experiencing radiation treatment side effects in the normal tissues surrounding the tumor limits radiation oncologists’ ability to give high enough radiation doses to ensure the tumor cells are killed. If we could identify people at high risk for such effects prior to treatment, they could be given a modified treatment plan or protective intervention prior to radiation treatment. Other patients at low risk could be treated with higher radiation doses and have a better chance of having their cancer cured.

Q. What’s your proudest achievement so far as a researcher?

My collaborators and I recently published a study among patients with prostate cancer where we identified several genetic markers that are strongly associated with development of urinary and bowel effects up to five years after radiation treatment. This was a large study involving more than 3,800 prostate cancer patients from six different cohorts in which we tested more than 7 million individual genetic markers across the whole genome. It was an ambitious project involving about 40 investigators from around the world, so it was gratifying to be able to complete the project, and it was encouraging that we found some interesting results. We can now work to combine the genetic markers into risk models that can be tested in the clinic.

Q. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a researcher and how did you work to overcome it?

The biggest challenge in these types of genomics projects is getting access to large enough groups of patients to have good statistical power to discover risk markers. While many genes are involved, each individual genetic variant has a relatively small effect on a patient’s risk of developing radiation side effects. So, we need to measure this effect in large sample sizes to be confident we’ve identified a true positive association.

In addition, success of the projects depends on different types of expertise, from radiation biology to statistics and genomics. My collaborators and I are part of a group called the Radiogenomics Consortium, which brings researchers together to share data and expertise. By coming together, we hope to overcome these challenges. I’m on the Steering Committee of the Radiogenomics Consortium, and this has made it much easier for me to complete projects successfully and help move the field closer to having an impact on the cancer patients we’re aiming to help.

Q. What would you want everyone to know about your research or cancer research in general?

On an everyday basis, researchers often feel like they’re making very little progress, spending so much time troubleshooting technical hurdles and trying to make sense of the overwhelmingly complex nature of biology. To many people, it may seem like progress isn’t happening fast enough. But each new piece of information is a step closer to understanding a clinical problem or biologic process that can ultimately have a positive impact on care of cancer patients and quality of life for cancer survivors.

Read more here.

The University libraries have replaced a 25-year-old system software (Voyager) with a new system (Alma) for more intuitive searching of the libraries’ collections and websites.

In addition to new search tools, the upgrade offers several aesthetic and functional changes. Read more here.

The University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (UR CTSI) is offering several training workshops for TriNetX, a cohort discovery tool that will replace the current i2b2 tool. With TriNetX investigators can search a limited set of electronic medical record data to determine the feasibility of their clinical trials. The tool is completely self-serviceable and secure.

The 90-minute TriNetX Advanced Querying Workshops will explore advanced querying concepts such as rare diseases, managing and understanding coding systems to find terms, and using the event and temporal features. Participants should have a basic understanding of the TriNetX interface and be able to build simple queries. Register now for the following dates:

Wednesday, August 21, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, SRB 3434A/3434B
Tuesday, September 17, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, SRB 1404
Wednesday, October 16, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, SRB 1416
Wednesday, November 20, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, SRB 1412
Wednesday, December 18, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, SRB 3434A/3434B

Learn more about TriNetX here.

Want to become an expert in the recruitment and retention of clinical research participants?

Public Health Sciences is offering a three-credit course this fall titled, “PM 419 Recruitment and Retention of Human Subjects in Clinical Research.”

This course focuses on models, strategies and tactics to effectively recruit and retain human subjects in general and specific subgroups (e.g. women, minorities, vulnerable populations).

Participants will critique and design methods through the lens of both an insider and an outsider.

Non-matriculated students can register starting Thursday, August 1.

The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) has made available a webinar series on the types of funding opportunities offered and best practices for a successful application.  Webinar topics include:

• Funding Opportunities and Strategies for Success
• High Risk/High Gain Funding Opportunities
• Team Science Funding Opportunities
• Clinical Research and Clinical Trial Funding Opportunities
• Funding Opportunities for the Development of Technology and/or Resources
• Funding Opportunities for Early Career Investigators
• Consortium-Type Funding Opportunities
• An introductory video on the CDMRP program, as well as the funding and review process, are also available on this page.

Shichao Ma, political science,”Three Essays on Electoral Rules and Competitive Authoritarian Elections.” 3 p.m. August 8, 2019. Harkness 113. Advisor: Mark Fey.

Edward Ayoub, pharmacology, “The Role of EVI1 in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation and Leukemia.” 1:30 p.m. August 9, 2019. Adolph Auditorium 1-7619 (Medical Center). Advisor: Archibald Perkins.

Aug. 6: Demo session on the new Embark technology that will streamline clinical trial management and allow URMC research teams to reach their full potential. All URMC clinical research faculty and staff are encouraged to attend one or more sessions. 3-4 p.m., Ryan Case Method Room.  To RSVP and request special accommodations, contact embark@urmc.rochester.edu.

Aug. 8-9: “Navigating Deaf and Hearing Collaborations in Science.” Second biennial Deaf-Engaged Academic Forum (DEAF-ROC Conference). Keynote speakers, short talks, breakout sessions, panel discussion and a poster session highlighting the research carried out by undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff attending the conference. Register for the conference (for free).

Aug. 9: Demo session on the new Embark technology that will streamline clinical trial management and allow URMC research teams to reach their full potential. All URMC clinical research faculty and staff are encouraged to attend one or more sessions. 2-3 p.m., Helen Wood Hall, Room 1W-502.  To RSVP and request special accommodations, contact embark@urmc.rochester.edu.

Aug. 16: Deadline to submit initial applications to the Environmental Health Sciences Center for pilot project funding of up to $30,000 for one year. Submit applications to Pat Noonan-Sullivan. Contact Deborah Cory-Slechta or Pat Noonan-Sullivan for questions. Learn more.

Aug. 21: Training workshop for TriNetX cohort discovery tool that will replace the current i2b2 tool. With TriNetX investigators can search a limited set of electronic medical record data to determine the feasibility of their clinical trials. Participants should have a basic understanding of the TriNetX interface and be able to build simple queries. 2-4 p.m. SRB 3434A/3434B. Register now. Learn more about TriNetX here.

Aug. 30: Entry forms due for a new annual student competition promoting awareness of Tobacco Regulatory Science. Each team (either an individual or up to four students) develops and presents a proposed solution — a well-developed and researched thought experiment  — to address one or more identified Tobacco Regulatory Research Priorities. Winning team will travel to DC/MD to present their solution to the FDA and NIH. Read more here.

Sept. 11: Deadline for students, junior faculty, early career researchers, and entrepreneurs to apply for this year’s Falling Walls competition. Complete the online application here. By Friday, September 27 email a three-panel slide presentation. Then pitch your innovative idea — highlighting a breakthrough that creates a positive impact on science and society — in just three minutes on October 8 at Feldman Ballroom. The winner will represent the University at the International Falling Walls Finale in Berlin. Contact Adele Coelho for questions.

Sept. 13: Symposium on novel applications of technology to accelerate the development of new therapeutics for patients with rare neurological disorders. Hosted by the University and sponsored by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (UR CTSI). Featuring industry leaders in rare diseases, health technologies and clinical trials. Registration information and agenda available on the TRNDS website.

Sept. 17: Training workshop for TriNetX cohort discovery tool that will replace the current i2b2 tool. With TriNetX investigators can search a limited set of electronic medical record data to determine the feasibility of their clinical trials. Participants should have a basic understanding of the TriNetX interface and be able to build simple queries. 2-4 p.m. SRB 1404. Register now. Learn more about TriNetX here.

Oct. 16: Training workshop for TriNetX cohort discovery tool that will replace the current i2b2 tool. With TriNetX investigators can search a limited set of electronic medical record data to determine the feasibility of their clinical trials. Participants should have a basic understanding of the TriNetX interface and be able to build simple queries. 2-4 p.m. SRB 1416. Register now. Learn more about TriNetX here.

Oct. 22: Deadline to apply for AS&E PumpPrimer II seed funding, typically up to $50,000 for up to one year, for innovative research projects to help the applicant establish a novel research direction and secure extramural funding. Submit proposal via the application portal. All eligibility criterion is enumerated in the guidelines Direct questions to your respective AS&E assistant dean: Arts and Sciences – Debra Haring, debra.haring@rochester.edu; Engineering – Cindy Gary, cindy.gary@rochester.edu.

Nov. 20: Training workshop for TriNetX cohort discovery tool that will replace the current i2b2 tool. With TriNetX investigators can search a limited set of electronic medical record data to determine the feasibility of their clinical trials. Participants should have a basic understanding of the TriNetX interface and be able to build simple queries. 2-4 p.m. SRB 1412. Register now. Learn more about TriNetX here.