Molecular Biology and Genetics Seminars: Asst. Prof. Deniz Atasoy

Asst. Prof. Deniz Atasoy from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Iowa will be the next guest of the seminar series organized by KHAS Molecular Biology and Genetics Department with his speech “A brainstem to hypothalamus connection regulating stress and appetite” on Monday, April 25 at 5:00 pm Istanbul Time; 9:00 am US Time.

The event will take place on Zoom and is open to anyone interested.

Zoom Meeting ID: 854 3783 3707

Abstract: Glucose is the essential energy source for the brain, whose deficit, triggered by energy deprivation or therapeutic agents, can be fatal. Increased appetite is the key behavioral defense against hypoglycemia; however, the central pathways involved are not well understood. Here, we describe a glucoprivic feeding pathway by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing neurons from nucleus of solitary tract (NTS), which project densely to the hypothalamus and elicit feeding through bidirectional adrenergic modulation of agouti-related peptide (AgRP)- and proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons. Acute chemogenetic inhibition of arcuate nucleus (ARC)-projecting NTSTH neurons or their target, AgRP neurons, impaired glucoprivic feeding induced by 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) injection. Neuroanatomical tracing results suggested that ARC-projecting orexigenic NTSTH neurons are largely distinct from neighboring catecholamine neurons projecting to parabrachial nucleus (PBN) that promotes satiety. Collectively, we describe a circuit organization in which an ascending pathway from brainstem stimulates appetite through key hunger neurons in the hypothalamus in response to hypoglycemia.

About the Speaker: Dr. Deniz Atasoy received his B.S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bilkent University Ankara, Turkey and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Texas Southwesten Medical Center at Dallas. He moved to Ashburn, Virginia for his postdoctoral studies at Janelia Research Campus where he studied neurobiological basis of appetite regulation. Dr. Atasoy worked as a faculty member at Medipol University at his hometown, Istanbul, between 2014-2018. Since September 2018, he has been a member of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Iowa.