Dr. Horacio de la Iglesia | de la Iglesia Lab

Bio:
Horacio de la Iglesia finished his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where working with Eric Bittman he studied the neuroanatomical interactions between the master circadian clock of mammals and the brain centers that control reproduction. He then continued his research on the neural control of circadian rhythms as a post-doctoral fellow and as an instructor in the laboratory of William Schwartz at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He was also an Instructor at Harvard University, where he taught a course on Stem Cells. De la Iglesia joined the University of Washington Department of Biology in 2003.

Abstract:
Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times, but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized communities. I will present data from human and nonhuman primates that provide evidence for the synchronization of sleep by lunar gravity, and for the mechanisms by which the moon may regulate sleep physiology.

Dr. Horacio de la Iglesia | de la Iglesia Lab

Bio:
Horacio de la Iglesia finished his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where working with Eric Bittman he studied the neuroanatomical interactions between the master circadian clock of mammals and the brain centers that control reproduction. He then continued his research on the neural control of circadian rhythms as a post-doctoral fellow and as an instructor in the laboratory of William Schwartz at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He was also an Instructor at Harvard University, where he taught a course on Stem Cells. De la Iglesia joined the University of Washington Department of Biology in 2003.

Abstract:
Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times, but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized communities. I will present data from human and nonhuman primates that provide evidence for the synchronization of sleep by lunar gravity, and for the mechanisms by which the moon may regulate sleep physiology.

Dr. Horacio de la Iglesia | de la Iglesia Lab

Bio:
Horacio de la Iglesia finished his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where working with Eric Bittman he studied the neuroanatomical interactions between the master circadian clock of mammals and the brain centers that control reproduction. He then continued his research on the neural control of circadian rhythms as a post-doctoral fellow and as an instructor in the laboratory of William Schwartz at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He was also an Instructor at Harvard University, where he taught a course on Stem Cells. De la Iglesia joined the University of Washington Department of Biology in 2003.

Abstract:
Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times, but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized communities. I will present data from human and nonhuman primates that provide evidence for the synchronization of sleep by lunar gravity, and for the mechanisms by which the moon may regulate sleep physiology.

Dr. Horacio de la Iglesia | de la Iglesia Lab

Bio:
Horacio de la Iglesia finished his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where working with Eric Bittman he studied the neuroanatomical interactions between the master circadian clock of mammals and the brain centers that control reproduction. He then continued his research on the neural control of circadian rhythms as a post-doctoral fellow and as an instructor in the laboratory of William Schwartz at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He was also an Instructor at Harvard University, where he taught a course on Stem Cells. De la Iglesia joined the University of Washington Department of Biology in 2003.

Abstract:
Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times, but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized communities. I will present data from human and nonhuman primates that provide evidence for the synchronization of sleep by lunar gravity, and for the mechanisms by which the moon may regulate sleep physiology.

Dr. Horacio de la Iglesia | de la Iglesia Lab

Bio:
Horacio de la Iglesia finished his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where working with Eric Bittman he studied the neuroanatomical interactions between the master circadian clock of mammals and the brain centers that control reproduction. He then continued his research on the neural control of circadian rhythms as a post-doctoral fellow and as an instructor in the laboratory of William Schwartz at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He was also an Instructor at Harvard University, where he taught a course on Stem Cells. De la Iglesia joined the University of Washington Department of Biology in 2003.

Abstract:
Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times, but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized communities. I will present data from human and nonhuman primates that provide evidence for the synchronization of sleep by lunar gravity, and for the mechanisms by which the moon may regulate sleep physiology.

Dr. Horacio de la Iglesia | de la Iglesia Lab

Bio:
Horacio de la Iglesia finished his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience and behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where working with Eric Bittman he studied the neuroanatomical interactions between the master circadian clock of mammals and the brain centers that control reproduction. He then continued his research on the neural control of circadian rhythms as a post-doctoral fellow and as an instructor in the laboratory of William Schwartz at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He was also an Instructor at Harvard University, where he taught a course on Stem Cells. De la Iglesia joined the University of Washington Department of Biology in 2003.

Abstract:
Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times, but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized communities. I will present data from human and nonhuman primates that provide evidence for the synchronization of sleep by lunar gravity, and for the mechanisms by which the moon may regulate sleep physiology.

Dr. Alice Accorsi | Accorsi Lab

Bio:
Alice Accorsi is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California, Davis. She is a developmental biologist whose research focuses on the development and regeneration of sensory organs. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as her PhD, from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy), where she conducted a comparative analysis of immune-neuron communication in invertebrates. She then moved to Kansas City to begin her postdoctoral training at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the laboratory of Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado. During her postdoctoral work, she established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as the first genetically tractable system for studying complete regeneration of vertebrate-like eyes. This work, published in Nature Communications, opened new avenues for investigating visual system regeneration. Her laboratory now focuses on uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the regeneration of the visual system.

Abstract:
The ability to regenerate complex sensory organs varies widely across the animal kingdom and remains poorly understood, particularly in systems capable of restoring highly organized, vertebrate-like eyes. While vertebrates exhibit limited regenerative capacity in the visual system, several invertebrates can regenerate entire sensory structures; however, these models often lack genetic tractability or fail to recapitulate key features of vertebrate eye organization. To address this gap, we established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as a novel and genetically tractable model for studying eye regeneration. Following complete amputation, P. canaliculata is able to fully regenerate its eyes. 

Through integrated morphological, cellular, and molecular analyses, we define the sequential stages of regeneration, revealing dynamic tissue remodeling, proliferative activation, and the re-establishment of organized visual architecture. Together, this work provides a powerful platform for dissecting the cellular and genetic basis of eye regeneration, advancing our understanding of how complex organs can be rebuilt, and informing future strategies to promote regeneration in systems with limited intrinsic capacity, including the human visual system.

Dr. Alice Accorsi | Accorsi Lab

Bio:
Alice Accorsi is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California, Davis. She is a developmental biologist whose research focuses on the development and regeneration of sensory organs. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as her PhD, from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy), where she conducted a comparative analysis of immune-neuron communication in invertebrates. She then moved to Kansas City to begin her postdoctoral training at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the laboratory of Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado. During her postdoctoral work, she established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as the first genetically tractable system for studying complete regeneration of vertebrate-like eyes. This work, published in Nature Communications, opened new avenues for investigating visual system regeneration. Her laboratory now focuses on uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the regeneration of the visual system.

Abstract:
The ability to regenerate complex sensory organs varies widely across the animal kingdom and remains poorly understood, particularly in systems capable of restoring highly organized, vertebrate-like eyes. While vertebrates exhibit limited regenerative capacity in the visual system, several invertebrates can regenerate entire sensory structures; however, these models often lack genetic tractability or fail to recapitulate key features of vertebrate eye organization. To address this gap, we established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as a novel and genetically tractable model for studying eye regeneration. Following complete amputation, P. canaliculata is able to fully regenerate its eyes. 

Through integrated morphological, cellular, and molecular analyses, we define the sequential stages of regeneration, revealing dynamic tissue remodeling, proliferative activation, and the re-establishment of organized visual architecture. Together, this work provides a powerful platform for dissecting the cellular and genetic basis of eye regeneration, advancing our understanding of how complex organs can be rebuilt, and informing future strategies to promote regeneration in systems with limited intrinsic capacity, including the human visual system.

Dr. Alice Accorsi | Accorsi Lab

Bio:
Alice Accorsi is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California, Davis. She is a developmental biologist whose research focuses on the development and regeneration of sensory organs. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as her PhD, from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy), where she conducted a comparative analysis of immune-neuron communication in invertebrates. She then moved to Kansas City to begin her postdoctoral training at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the laboratory of Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado. During her postdoctoral work, she established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as the first genetically tractable system for studying complete regeneration of vertebrate-like eyes. This work, published in Nature Communications, opened new avenues for investigating visual system regeneration. Her laboratory now focuses on uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the regeneration of the visual system.

Abstract:
The ability to regenerate complex sensory organs varies widely across the animal kingdom and remains poorly understood, particularly in systems capable of restoring highly organized, vertebrate-like eyes. While vertebrates exhibit limited regenerative capacity in the visual system, several invertebrates can regenerate entire sensory structures; however, these models often lack genetic tractability or fail to recapitulate key features of vertebrate eye organization. To address this gap, we established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as a novel and genetically tractable model for studying eye regeneration. Following complete amputation, P. canaliculata is able to fully regenerate its eyes. 

Through integrated morphological, cellular, and molecular analyses, we define the sequential stages of regeneration, revealing dynamic tissue remodeling, proliferative activation, and the re-establishment of organized visual architecture. Together, this work provides a powerful platform for dissecting the cellular and genetic basis of eye regeneration, advancing our understanding of how complex organs can be rebuilt, and informing future strategies to promote regeneration in systems with limited intrinsic capacity, including the human visual system.

Dr. Alice Accorsi | Accorsi Lab

Bio:
Alice Accorsi is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California, Davis. She is a developmental biologist whose research focuses on the development and regeneration of sensory organs. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as her PhD, from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy), where she conducted a comparative analysis of immune-neuron communication in invertebrates. She then moved to Kansas City to begin her postdoctoral training at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the laboratory of Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado. During her postdoctoral work, she established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as the first genetically tractable system for studying complete regeneration of vertebrate-like eyes. This work, published in Nature Communications, opened new avenues for investigating visual system regeneration. Her laboratory now focuses on uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the regeneration of the visual system.

Abstract:
The ability to regenerate complex sensory organs varies widely across the animal kingdom and remains poorly understood, particularly in systems capable of restoring highly organized, vertebrate-like eyes. While vertebrates exhibit limited regenerative capacity in the visual system, several invertebrates can regenerate entire sensory structures; however, these models often lack genetic tractability or fail to recapitulate key features of vertebrate eye organization. To address this gap, we established the freshwater apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, as a novel and genetically tractable model for studying eye regeneration. Following complete amputation, P. canaliculata is able to fully regenerate its eyes. 

Through integrated morphological, cellular, and molecular analyses, we define the sequential stages of regeneration, revealing dynamic tissue remodeling, proliferative activation, and the re-establishment of organized visual architecture. Together, this work provides a powerful platform for dissecting the cellular and genetic basis of eye regeneration, advancing our understanding of how complex organs can be rebuilt, and informing future strategies to promote regeneration in systems with limited intrinsic capacity, including the human visual system.