Explore the wonders of the nervous system during Brain Awareness Hour. The museum is partnering with the Rio Grande Valley Society for Neuroscience Chapter to offer online presentations by nervous system researchers, perfect for adults and teens interested in expanding their awareness of brain science.

Brain Awareness Hour continues this summer with programs in June, July and August. Registration for this presentation is free and participants tune in virtually via Zoom. Registrants will receive an email with the webinar link after registration.

Why Sleep Matters
Friday, June 25, 5:30-6:30 PM
Dr. Naomi Fang, SOM-UTRGV; RGV-SFN-Chapter Officer

Presenter Biography

Xiaoqian (Naomi) Fang, Ph.D., M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Science at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Medicine. Dr. Fang holds an M.D. from Dalian Medical University, China and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. She also worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the Baylor College of Medicine and at UT Health Science Center in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Dr. Fang is highly motivated to discover clinical problems through basic scientific investigations. She has started studying NMDAR functional regulation and NMDAR endocytosis while working at Florida State University, and for the first time their group demonstrated that regulated internalization of NMDARs causes the number decrease in surface NMDARs as well as suppressing the activity of remaining surface NMDARs through intracellular activated protein kinase D1 (PKD1). Other research interests of Dr. Fang are on intracranial aneurysm, chronobiology, and obesity, which are continuing study of her postdoctoral work.