ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Professor Dorothy Oorschot is a Neurological Foundation-funded neuroscientist with internationally recognised expertise in the anatomy and circuits of the healthy or injured brain. She researches brain circuits, brain deficits, and potential treatments that are relevant to cerebral palsy, ADHD, and schizophrenia. These three disorders can have a developmental origin. Hence, early intervention could be critical. Dorothy’s research team are based in the Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Brain Health Research Centre, at the University of Otago. 

Professor Dorothy Oorschot will present and discuss current international knowledge on treatments for cerebral palsy that has been caused by low oxygen levels during development as a baby. This will include research findings from her team. She will also present and discuss very new findings from her research team on changes in circuits in the brain that could contribute to ADHD and schizophrenia. Knowing about these changes could lead to the development of new and earlier therapies for these conditions. The research that generated these latter findings has been funded by the Neurological Foundation. The presentation will be user-friendly and will focus on key concepts in current knowledge.

Our guest speaker, Dr Owen Jones is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychology, University of Otago. Owen arrived at Otago in 2008 having taken a few years out after finishing his BSc. He has a keen interest in how the brain works, so was looking for a department where biological psychology had a strong presence. Owen’s PhD involves looking into mechanisms that control plasticity, or change, at synapses - the connections between brain cells. This is a continuation of a project he conducted as a 400-level student in Professor Cliff Abraham’s laboratory.

Dr Owen Jones will be speaking about his career pathway and current research.

EVENT DETAILS

This event will be held in The Conference Centre at The Gate Cromwell.

The doors for registration and seating will open at 6.00 pm. There will be a mix and mingle period after the event with the speaker where refreshments and food will be served.

There is ample parking nearby.