Dr. Brandon Logeman

Bio:
Brandon L. Logeman, PhD is a new Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky. After completing his Ph.D. at Duke University, he joined the lab of Catherine Dulac at Harvard University to study the molecular mechanisms through which changes in cell-type specific gene expression influence neural activity and animal behavior. After receiving a K99/R00 Career Transition Award he joined the University of Kentucky in August 2025. His new lab will utilize custom designed single-cell genomics technologies such as microfluidic, droplet based sequencing assays and imaging based spatial transcriptomics as well as de novo protein binder design across a panel of genetically diverse mouse strains to discover how genomic and environmental influences contribute to observable differences in animal behavior.

Abstract:
Parental care is composed of multiple infant-directed behaviors that promote offspring survival and is influenced by the sex and physiological state of the caregiver. Previous work in mice has identified the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus as a key brain area implicated in parental behaviors. However, numerous naturalistic behaviors and homeostatic processes are controlled by this area, hindering mechanistic investigation of the circuits underlying parental care. To overcome this challenge, here I employ cell-type specific RNA- and ATAC-seq analysis, neural activity recording, and perturbation to gain access into molecular, biophysical, and circuit-based causality of behavioral control. I find that various neuronal types involved in parenting behavior are each distinctively influenced by the sex and physiological status of an individual and uncover how cell-type specific regulatory programs alter gene expression and neural activity underlying behavior control. These results demonstrate how cell-type specific transcriptional responses to internal physiological cues mediate circuit specific alterations to neural activity and ultimately influence animal behavior.

Join the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences as we celebrate a monumental achievement. In just 10 years, the student organization NeuroCATS has brought the fascinating world of neuroscience to 10,000 K-12 students.

We invite you to attend a special event to honor this decade of hands-on education and discovery.

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins, Dean of Arts and Sciences
• Dr. Mark Prendergast, Director of the Neuroscience B.S. Degree Program
• Dr. Meghan Turner, Founder of NeuroCATS

A reception with light refreshments and snacks will follow the program.

Please RSVP here if you plan to attend this event.

Title: The Pairing Mechanism of Short Range Correlations and the impact of Nuclear Structure

Abstract: At very short distances inside nuclei, protons and neutrons can form fleeting pairs with large relative momentum, known as short-range correlations (SRCs). These SRC pairs dominate the high-momentum component of nuclear wave functions and provide a unique window into the short-distance structure of nuclear matter. Due to overlapping quark distributions and strong interactions, SRC pairs also play a crucial role in linking nucleon structure to the underlying dynamics of the strong force and the behavior of dense nuclear systems. Although many properties of SRCs have been investigated, the fundamental mechanism by which nucleons form correlated pairs remains an open question. In this talk, I will provide a brief overview of what we have learned about SRCs and present new results that probe the nucleon-pairing mechanism and its connection to nuclear structure.

Title: From massive gravity to RATs: ultra-light dark matter phenomenology with atom interferometers

Abstract: Atom interferometers offer exceptional sensitivity to ultra-light dark matter (ULDM)  through their precise measurement of phenomena acting on atoms. Previous work has established their capability to detect scalar and vector ULDM, but their potential for detecting spin-2 ULDM has until recently remained unexplored. In this talk I will introduce the sensitivity of atom interferometers to ULDM and focus on novel research for spin-2 models derived from several frameworks for massive gravity: a Lorentz-invariant Fierz-Pauli case and two Lorentz-violating scenarios. Coherent oscillations of the spin-2 ULDM field induce a measurable phase shift through three distinct channels: coupling of the scalar mode to atomic energy levels, and vector and tensor effects that modify the propagation of atoms and light. Atom interferometers uniquely probe all of these effects, while providing sensitivity to a different mass range from laser interferometers. These results demonstrate an exciting new theory target for atom interferometers and other quantum sensors to explore. I will also discuss challenges faced by these experiments from environmental noise, including atmospheric phenomena and local human and animal activity.