Migraine is a major disease burden on society but remains poorly understood. The onset of migraine with aura has been linked to cortical spreading depolarisation (CSD) and Professor Turgay Dalkara (the supervisor) found that inducing CSD in animal models led neurons to release inflammatory proteins in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Because brain-derived (BD)EVs cross the blood-brain barrier and their composition reflects their cellular and temporal origin, they represent biomarkers that, if isolated from the peripheral blood of migraine patients, could give an unparalleled insight into cell-specific neuroinflammation in migraine. However, current methods to isolate cell type-specific BDEVs from the blood insufficiently distinguish them from EVs of other tissues, obscuring crucial insights into cell-specific processes. Here, I (Adam Bennett, the researcher) will develop a workflow to isolate cell type-specific BDEVs from the blood of migraine patients then temporally characterise them to gain a cell-type specific molecular signature during migraine with aura. This will firstly involve the optimisation and validation of isolating neuron, astrocyte and microglia EVs (using a panel of specific markers) from the brains and peripheral blood of rats. Secondly, cell type-specific EVs isolated at different time points post-CSD evocation in rats will be characterised using proteomics to generate temporal cell type-specific data on the pathological processes post-CSD. Thirdly, with optimised time points, cell type-specific EVs will be isolated from the blood of patients after migraine with aura onset and characterised. In doing so, I will (1) identify previously unknown biomarkers to deepen our understanding of migraine with aura, with possible treatment derivations; (2) create a tool for researchers to investigate other neurological conditions through analysing cell type-specific BDEVs; (3) develop my skillset, publication record, visibility and networks to advance my career.

The central nervous system (CNS) processes sensory information obtained through various sensory structures in the body. These include signals with a wide variety of spatiotemporal features, such as different speed and propagation patterns. In this stream of multimodal sensory information, CNS must decide how it should integrate these signals to construct a unique representation of the environment. How CNS accomplishes this process is not known. In this project, I will investigate the filtering mechanisms adopted by CNS to integrate multisensory information. Specifically, I will study multisensory integration within the context of two unique behaviors: (1) glass knifefish combine visual and electrosensory cues to track the movements of a refuge in which it is hiding, and (2) zebrafish utilize vision and mechanosensory lateral line to sense the direction and velocity of the local current during their rheotaxis behavior. To accomplish this, I will first build a novel experimental setup, a speed-controlled flow tunnel, which allows independently probing different sensory modalities for both the glass knifefish and the zebrafish. I will adopt a control-theoretic approach to identify how CNS combines multisensory information under different sensory conflict scenarios. Specifically, I will estimate the frequency response functions for the sensory weights assigned to different sensory modalities. Moreover, we will observe how CNS dynamically changes these weights when there is a change in the saliency of the available sensory information. Our goal is to use system identification theory to generate models that capture the dynamics of online, real-time sensory re-weighting mechanism adopted by these fish.

Teaching mathematics, which is in the core of scientific thought and development, has been one of the most challenging issues. Numerous researches proved that technology integration can play an effective role to solve the challenges of teaching mathematics (Li & Ma, 2010; Cheung & Slavin, 2013). Hew and Brush (2007) described the strategies to overcome technology integration barriers as: having a shared vision and technology integration plan; overcoming the scarcity of resources; changing attitudes and beliefs; conducting professional development, and reconsidering assessments. The main aim of the project is to provide Math teachers professional development to integrate ICT to their lessons. To achieve this, three intellectual outputs have been designed; open online course (OOC), open educational resources (OER), and online teacher community (OTC).In OOC, it has been aimed to change the teachers’ attitudes and belief in the positive way as well as conducting professional development. Through development and dissemination of OER it is aimed to overcome the scarcity of resources. Through OTC, support of peer teachers and researches at participating organizations will be provided to teachers. As it is seen, outputs are consistent with Hew and Brush’s strategies.As well as the Hew and Brush’s strategies, the project is also based on the Koehler & Mishra’s (2009) Model. Koehler & Mishra developed a framework called Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) which is about teachers’ knowledge of technology integration in a subject matter. According to TPCK, for integration of technology, it is vital to have the body of knowledge which should be an intersection of content, pedagogy and technology. Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (HU) has Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Department of Mathematics Education (JKU) has Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), and GeoGebra Institute Association (AGIB) who is specialized in GeoGebra has Technological Content Knowledge (TCK). At the point in which all these binary interactions intersect, TPC Knowledge will be formed. It is clear that teachers who will receive courses developed in an interdisciplinary way within the TPC Knowledge will realize successful results. Also the coordinator, who has a Ph.D. on instructional technology, has a bachelor degree in Mathematics education. In the same way contact person of AGIB is a Math teacher who has experience on ICT integration. The contact person of JKU is the developer of GeoGebra software and founder of International GeoGebra Institutes. The contact person in PEKSA, which will take up the responsibility of dissemination, has a wide range of teacher network not only in Turkey but also all around Europe at different organizations resulted from projects she has been involved in. It is evident that the project has been set up with the perfect combination of partners.The first product of this dream team, the OOC will be grounded on three modules (M). M1 – ICT use in learning and teaching. M2 – Using GeoGebra. M3 – Educational material development in GeoGebra. On M1 teachers will understand the purpose and benefit of using ICT in the classroom so they could feel necessity. Also it may affect their attitudes and beliefs positively. HU will prepare this module by using their expertise in ICT integration. M2 will be developed by AGIB whose one of the aims is to provide the professional development opportunities in line with GeoGebra. On this module teachers will learn to use GeoGebra, which is free dynamic Mathematics software. M3 will be developed by JKU. On M3 teachers will learn how to develop educational materials by GeoGebra. Furthermore teachers will take feedbacks about their materials from both researchers and their peer teachers on this module. At the end of the OOC, educational materials that will be designed by the teachers will then be changed into OER by instructional and technical revisions of partners. Teachers who will attend OOC will be lead to OTC. In OTC, teachers will share and exchange their teaching experiences, GeoGebra materials, and ICT-based lesson plans which they will develop with the help of the trainings.In a nutshell enhancing digital integration in learning and teaching will be the core idea of the project. Math teachers will learn ICT based teaching as well as gaining experiences in a course which has innovative methods and technology-rich environment. 300 teachers will participate workshops about Teaching Mathematics with ICT which will take a place under the title of multiplier events. All the outputs will maintain online during the life of the project and after the completion. In this way the sustainability of the project will be provided. It is expected to have an impact on at least 1000 teachers during the project and much more after it finished.