Presenter: Dr. Kinning Poon, SUNY Old Westbury Department of Biology,  & SUNY Old Westbury Institute for Cancer Research and Education (ICare)

Discussant: Dr. Wei Zhu, Empire Innovation Program & SUNY Old Westbury Neuroscience Research Institute

The hypothalamus is a key region of the of the brain that controls homeostatic functions, including hunger and satiety. This talk will explore Both homeostatic and non-homeostatic control of food intake and how excessive dietary fats affect the neurochemistry of the hypothalamus, leading to increased ingestive behavior.

Brain Awareness Week exposes students from all majors to an informative snapshot of what the brain is, how it works, and how it can be studied. It also provides students with hands-on activities to appreciate how the brain facilitates our conscious decision making processes and behaviors through topical faculty lectures