Christiane Linster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christiane Linster
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| Born | 1962 (age 62–63) |
| Nationality | American |
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| Known for | Research in neuromodulation as it relates to learning and memory, using the olfactory system of rodents as a model |
| Spouse(s) | Thomas A. "Thom" Cleland |
| Children | 4 |
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Christiane Linster is a scientist who studies the brain and behavior. She was born in Luxembourg. Today, she is a professor at Cornell University.
Her work focuses on how our brains learn and remember things. She especially looks at how "neuromodulation" works. This is how certain chemicals in the brain change how brain cells communicate. Dr. Linster uses the olfactory system (the sense of smell) of small animals like rodents to understand this better.
In her lab, she combines different ways of studying the brain. She looks at how animals behave. She also measures the electrical activity of brain cells. And she uses computers to create models of how the brain works.
Christiane Linster also helped start an important group called the Organization for Computational Neurosciences (OCNS). This group helps scientists who use computers to study the brain. She was the first president of the OCNS from 2003 to 2005.
Since 2000, Dr. Linster has led the Computational Neurophysiology Lab at Cornell University with Thomas Cleland. She teaches classes about the brain and how to use computers in neuroscience. She speaks many languages, including English, French, German, and Luxembourgish. This has helped her work with scientists from all over the world.
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Christiane Linster's Education and Teaching
Christiane Linster was born in Luxembourg in 1962. She grew up there and finished high school. In 1982, she went to Austria to study. She learned to play the clarinet at a music school. At the same time, she studied Electrical Engineering at the Graz University of Technology.
She finished both degrees in 1987. She earned a certificate in classical clarinet and conducting. She also got a master's degree in Electrical Engineering. Her master's project was about using "neural networks" (computer systems inspired by the brain) for music.
In 1989, Dr. Linster became a research fellow at Graz University. She helped teach labs about light-based communication and neural networks. From 1990 to 1993, she studied and taught in Paris, France. She earned her PhD in applied physics from Pierre and Marie Curie University in 1993.
After getting her PhD, she became an assistant professor in Paris. But after two years, she moved to the United States. She worked as a researcher at Harvard University with scientist Michael Hasselmo. From 1998 to 2000, she taught at Harvard. Then, in 2000, she became a professor at Cornell University. She still works there today.
Christiane Linster's Research and Career
Dr. Linster has spent most of her career doing scientific research. While working in Paris, she published articles about how animals recognize pheromones. Pheromones are chemical signals that animals use to communicate.
From 1995 to 2000, at Harvard University, her research expanded. She started looking at how "neuromodulation" affects the brain. She wanted to find out how certain brain areas control activity in other parts, like the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is key for processing smells.
Most of Dr. Linster's important work has happened since she joined Cornell University in 2000. She continues to write many scientific articles. She is still making new discoveries about how different neuromodulators affect our sense of smell.
How Neuromodulators Affect Smell
Dr. Linster's recent research has shown something very interesting. Brain chemicals like acetylcholine and norepinephrine help us tell the difference between similar smells. These chemicals are important for processing smells in the olfactory bulb.
In her studies, rats were given special tubes to deliver medicines. When a medicine blocked certain receptors for acetylcholine, the rats had trouble telling similar smells apart. But when the effects of acetylcholine were increased, the rats got much better at it.
However, when the rats were trying to find a reward (like food) based on smells, blocking or increasing acetylcholine didn't change their behavior much. This suggests that the brain's smell center (the olfactory bulb) is very adaptable. It changes based on what we experience with smells. This adaptability helps us learn and remember smells. It also affects how we behave based on what we smell and if it's linked to a reward.
Dr. Linster has also studied how these brain processes affect habituation. Habituation is when you get used to a smell and stop noticing it. She looks at how long you are exposed to a smell and how that affects your memory of it.
Christiane Linster's Personal Life
Christiane Linster is married to Thomas A. "Thom" Cleland. He is also a professor at Cornell University. They got married on October 3, 1998. They have four daughters: Linsey, Haley, Jasmine, and Anna. The family lives in a small village called Freeville, New York.
Both Dr. Linster and Dr. Cleland are interested in the sense of smell. Because of this, they often work together. They have published many articles. Their work covers everything from how important computer models are in understanding smell to their findings on memory and behavior related to brain chemicals in the olfactory bulb.
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Christiane Linster
