Jan Kurzawski

PhD Student in Neuroscience, University of Pisa

Profile Update 28.02.2019

Current activities:

I am currently a member of Imago7 team in Pisa where I work with quantitative MRI, specifically I am involved in designing a 3D Magnetic resonance fingerprinting sequence insensitive to motion. I am also participating in several projects investigating visual cortex using acquisitions with submillimeter resolution.

I am also finishing previous assignments related to the main projects of my PhD work.

Accomplishments:

My main PhD project investigated the neural correlates of plasticity in adult visual cortex. Using the power of the 7T scanner and monocular deprivation we found that responses to the deprived eye after the deprivation increase for the deprived eye and are reduced for the fellow eye Notably, these changes are in the opposite direction to those that occur as a result of visual deprivation during development. This has important implications because lazy eye syndrome is currently considered untreatable in adulthood.

In my second project, we used advanced neuroimaging methods to investigate peripheral parts of visual cortex. This led to a discovery of new visual area – Area Prostriata, that preferentially responds to very fast and peripheral stimuli. We are currently investigating its structural connections with the visual thalamus.

Future plans:

After I finish my current assignment I would like to pursue a career in neuroscience.

My NextGenVis experience:

Being a member of the NGV consortium was a great adventure that allowed me to develop skills in neuroimaging techniques, be a part of several labs and meet great people. It was definitely one of the best experiences I had in terms of work, science and building new friendships.

 

Publications

Binda, P*., Kurzawski, J*., Lunghi, C., Biagi, L., Tosetti, M., & Morrone, M. (2018). Response to short-term deprivation of the human adult visual cortex measured with 7T BOLD. Elife, 7. doi: 10.7554/elife.40014

Mikellidou, K., Kurzawski, J., Frijia, F., Montanaro, D., Greco, V., Burr, D., & Morrone, M. (2017). Area Prostriata in the Human Brain. Current Biology, 27(19), 3056-3060.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.065

Kurzawski, J., Mikellidou, K., Morrone, M., Pestilli, F., A large and spatially complex bundle connects area prostriata and thalamus in humans (in prep).

Bhat, A., Kurzawski, J., Anobile, A., Tinelli, F., Biagi, L., Morrone, M.C., Bilateral Visual field maps in a patient with left eye microphthalmia and massive congenital brain damage involving the left geniculostriate pathway: A Case study. (in prep).

 

Talks

Kurzawski, J, Binda, P., Lunghi, C., Biagi, L., Tosetti, M & Morrone M.C., Monocular Deprivation affects BOLD responses and Spatial Frequency tuning as measured with ultra-high field MR in adult humans, 40th European Conference on Visual Perception, Berlin, 27 – 31 August 2017. 

Kurzawski, J. Mapping characteristics of neuronal populations using fMRI, Eco-tech complex, 22.11.2019 Lublin 

Kurzawski, J, Binda, P., Lunghi, C., Biagi, L., Tosetti, M & Morrone M.C., Monocular Deprivation affects BOLD responses and Spatial Frequency tuning as measured with ultra-high field MR in adult humans, Aspects of Neuroscience, Warsaw 23-25.11.2019

 

Conferences

Binda, P., Kurzawski J.W., Lunghi C., Biagi L., Tosetti M., Morrone M.C. Short-term monocular deprivation enhances 7T BOLD responses and reduces neural selectivity in V1 May 19 – 24, 2017. 17th Vision Science Society Meeting. St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA, 

Mikellidou, K., Kurzawski, J.W., Frijia, F., Montanaro D., Greco V., Burr D., Morrone, M. C. (2017). Area prostriata in the human brain. 17th Vision Science Society Meeting. St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA, May 19 – 24, 2017 

Kurzawski, J.W., Binda, P., Lunghi, C., Biagi, L., Tosetti, M & Morrone M.C., Short-term plasticity of 7T BOLD ocular dominance in adult human primary visual cortex, 41st European Conference on Visual Perception, Trieste, 26 – 30 August 2017

Kurzawski, J.W, Mikellidou, K., Pestilli, F., Independent evaluation of the reliability of major human white matter tracts mapped via brainlife.io. 2019 OHBM annual meeting, 10-16 June, Rome

Binda, P., Kurzawski, J.W., Lunghi, C., Biagi, L., Tosetti, M., & Morrone, M. Response to short-term deprivation of the human adult visual cortex measured with 7T BOLD. 2019 OHBM annual meeting, 10-16 June, Rome

Kurzawski, JW., Cencini, M., Gomes, P.A., Shulte, RF., Fallo, G., Retico, A., Tosetti, M., Costagli, M., Buonincontri, G  Three-dimensional motion correction in Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF). ISMRM conference in Montreal, Canada 10-16.05.2019.

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Education

2013 – 2015: MA in Biomedical Image Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway

2011 – 2013: BA/BS in Biomedical Engineering, Technical University of Lodz, Poland

Work Experience

• University of Eastern Finland – Researcher – A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences
• University of Cambridge – Erasmus placement – Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre
• University of Turku – Intern – Turku PET Centre

Theses

Kurzawski. J, Voxel dimension optimization for probabilistic tractography in rat brain using 7T scanner. University of Bergen, Norway (2015).

  Current Project

Cortical stability and plasticity after a short periods of monocular deprivation.

Project aims to investigate the fMRI correlates of monocular deprivation and specifically how visual responses to the deprived and fellow eye are affected by this phenomenon. Stimuli will be optimized for using the population Receptive Fields approach for fMRI data analysis

Current research and interests

Neuroimaging, Vision, Cortical plasticity