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[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: April 2025

Molecular Connectivity Working Group Newsletter

April 2025

Greetings to all!
We wish to thank all who attended MCOS in March with Xin Di, PhD! The recording from his talk can be found here. Please join us for the April MCOS featuring a talk by  Mattia Veronese, PhD & Mario Severino, University of Padua, please find more information and additional announcements below!


Announcements

We are pleased to announce the next MCOS talk featuring Mattia Veronese, PhD & Mario Severino!

Date: April 11th, 2025
Time: 15:00 CET, 09:00 EDT
Title: Molecular Connectivity in Neurotransmission.
Please join us for this 30 minute presentation to be followed by discussion (~25 minutes).
Please register here.

Abstract: PET and SPECT are fundamental tools for studying neurotransmission in living systems. Traditionally, these imaging modalities are analysed by focusing on individual regions or voxels independently. However, recent interest has shifted toward molecular connectivity approaches, which offer a fresh perspective on the brain’s complex organization by examining interactions between brain regions. This talk will provide a comprehensive review of molecular connectivity studies in neurotransmission, highlighting their expanding applications, advantages over traditional methods, and contributions to advancing neuroscience.

Dr. Mattia Veronese is Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Neuroimaging at King’s College London. He is a biomedical engineer by training and holds a PhD in PET kinetic modelling. His main research interest is related to the development and validation of molecular neuroimaging biomarkers and to their use for drug development and precision medicine.
Click here for more information about him. 

Mario Severino is a PhD student in Bioengineering at the Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua. He holds a Master’s degree in Bioengineering. His primary research focus is on applying PET molecular connectivity and network science approaches, aiming to establish these methods as precision medicine biomarkers. 

The MCOS promotes rigor in research and resource sharing. We aim to hold MCOS every third Friday of the month, subject to change due to speaker availability.

Upcoming MCOS Speakers

  • Simon Eickhoff, PhD, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, will discuss Great expectations but a bumpy road: Caveats in neuroimaging analyses and modelling.
    Date: May 23rd, 2025, Time: 15:00 CEST, 9:00 EDT

The scoping review from the MCWG is finally out in Imaging Neuroscience!

Molecular connectivity studies in neurotransmission: a scoping review

Abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are essential molecular imaging tools for the in vivo investigation of neurotransmission. Traditionally, PET and SPECT images are analysed in a univariate manner, testing for changes in radiotracer binding in regions or voxels of interest independently of each other. Over the past decade, there has been an increasing interest in the so-called molecular connectivity approach that captures relationships of molecular imaging measures in different brain regions. Targeting these inter-regional interactions within a neuroreceptor system may allow to better understand complex brain functions. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of molecular connectivity studies in the field of neurotransmission. We examine the expanding use of molecular connectivity approaches, highlighting their applications, advantages over traditional methods, and contributions to advancing neuroscientific knowledge. A systematic search in three bibliographic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus on July 14, 2023, was conducted. A second search was rerun on April 4, 2024. Molecular imaging studies examining functional interactions across brain regions were included based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-nine studies were included in the scoping review. Studies were categorised based on the primary neurotransmitter system being targeted: dopamine, serotonin, opioid, muscarinic, glutamate and synaptic density. The most investigated system was the dopaminergic and the most investigated disease was Parkinson’s disease (PD). This review highlighted the diverse applications and methodologies in molecular connectivity research, particularly for neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Molecular connectivity research offers significant advantages over traditional methods, providing deeper insights into brain function and disease mechanisms. As the field continues to evolve, embracing these advanced methodologies will be essential to understand the complexities of the human brain and improve the robustness and applicability of research findings in clinical settings.

Please stay tuned for MCOS updates and reminders on social media! Thank you!


Call for announcements, job opportunities, information and news!

The MCWG Outreach Council invites you to submit announcements or information about papers, conferences, presentations or other events or news related to brain and molecular connectivity as well as any positions available or job opportunities that you wish to publicize and share with the community!

Please submit any material for consideration by the final day of each month using this form – thank you!


Who we are

The MCWG is made up of four international and multidisciplinary councils dedicated to promoting molecular connectivity research via dissemination of methods, results, collaboration, and resource sharing (e.g. datasets, tools) within the scientific community. We encourage the neuroscientific community to take an integrative perspective in study of the brain connectome, where various methods including MRI-based techniques, electrophysiological tools, and molecular imaging advance our understanding of the brain. Please find fundamental questions outlined here: “Brain connectomics: time for a molecular imaging perspective?”

Our website can be found here. We also invite you to join the MCWG!


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[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: March 2025

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[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: October 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: September 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: June 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: May 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: April 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: March 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: February 2024

[MCWG] Molecular Connectivity Newsletter: January 2024