Isabelle Susman
To protect communities from volcanic hazards, it is crucial to understand the magmatic system that feeds magma (molten rock) toward the surface. Determining the depth of magma storage helps interpret seismic unrest. Seismic activity arising from the depth where magma is thought to be stored may indicate an imminent eruption. A good knowledge of magma storage depths can also guide the placement of geophysical monitoring systems to get the best advanced warning possible of an eruption. Ta’u island, American Samoa, sits above an active volcanic hotspot, and last erupted in […]
Shelly Chen
Figure-ground segmentation—the ability to distinguish objects from their background—is vital for mammalian survival. While mice can perform this type of visual processing, the specific neural circuits involved remain unclear. One candidate is a class of inhibitory neurons called somatostatin-expressing (SOM) interneurons, which help filter visual information through orientation-tuned surround suppression. Because SOMs are selective for stimulus orientation, they may help differentiate between “iso-oriented” and “cross-oriented” visual stimuli—those aligned with or perpendicular to the background. My project uses optogenetics to selectively activate or silence SOMs in mice during contrast detection tasks. […]
Yuling Li
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, impacting millions of people worldwide. While PD is primarily characterized by motor dysfunction due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), sleep disturbances, including insomnia and sleep fragmentation, are a significant yet understudied burden for most patients. The mechanisms linking dopaminergic neurodegeneration to sleep problems in PD remain unclear. mTOR pathway, a key regulator of cell growth and metabolism, has been linked to neurodegeneration when dysregulated, therefore making it a potential therapeutic target for […]
Shreya Jariwala
Phage-bacteria interactions drive the co-evolution of bacterial pathogens and their viral predators. Additionally, these interactions reveal novel molecular mechanisms that impact microbial ecology and therapeutic strategies. My research asks: What counter-defense mechanisms do ICP1 phages use to overcome stably encoded phage defense systems in epidemic Vibrio cholerae? ICP1 is a lytic phage that exclusively infects V. cholerae, which has developed diverse defense systems to block phage infection. In response, ICP1 encodes specialized counter-defense strategies to neutralize bacterial immunity and ensure successful infection. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for phage therapy […]
Sasha Sengelmann
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, exhibits profound resistance to radiotherapy (RT), limiting treatment efficacy and driving recurrence. A key mechanism underlying this resistance is the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), largely facilitated by DNA-PKcs (encoded by the PRKDC gene). While prior research has shown that pharmacological inhibition of DNA-PKcs with M3814 enhances radiosensitivity, its broader effects on the tumor microenvironment remain unknown. This project employs Open Spatial Transcriptomics (OpenST), a novel approach that preserves spatial context to examine […]
Ryan Bloch
Cataracts, the leading cause of blindness, result from clouding of the eye lens. While cataract etiology is well known, complete molecular mechanisms remain unclear. One key mechanism involves age-related loss of gap junction function. Studies in connexin knockout models have shown this loss elevates calcium levels in lens cells. This causes overactivation of calcium-dependent proteases, resulting in aberrant cleavage of structural proteins that then aggregate and cloud the lens. Less studied are the calcium salt deposits observed in these models, resembling those in soft tissue calcification driven by phosphate dysregulation. […]
Quinn Elliott
RNAs are universal biopolymers but the mechanisms of intracellular RNA trafficking remain elusive. RNAs often interact with RNA-binding proteins to form ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs). RNPs can further assemble into larger bodies such as nuclear Cajal-bodies (CBs) and cytosolic P-bodies that enrich cellular components to carry out diverse biological processes. CBs are phase-separated membraneless organelles that participate in maturation of ribosomal RNAs and splicing of messenger RNAs prior to their cytoplasmic export. Interestingly, CB associated proteins, Coilin and Survival of Motor-Neuron have been shown to localize to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, our […]
Pooja Agarwal
Although Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become better characterized in recent years, there is still much to learn about the genetics of ASD. Existing research has collected variants identified in ASD patients with novel mutations, but little is known about these variants’ effects. Previous research has identified variants in activation domains of transcription factors (TFs) that regulate gene expression. This project will focus on variants identified within activation domains of identified transcription factors. It is currently unknown how these variants impact activation domain activity and pathogenicity. My research aims to […]
Ningjian Gao
Peroxisomes are membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotic cells that perform critical roles in cellular metabolism. They are essential for human health, and defects in peroxisome biogenesis cause severe developmental and neurological disorders, notably Zellweger Spectrum Disorder. As the peroxisome lacks a genome, peroxisomal enzymes are synthesized in the cytosol and imported fully folded via either C-terminal Peroxisomal Targeting Sequence 1 (PTS1) or N-terminal Peroxisomal Targeting Sequence 2 (PTS2). The PTS2 import complex comprises Pex7 and its co-receptor Pex18 or Pex21, but how Pex18 or Pex21 is delivered to the ubiquitin ligase […]
Nicolas Lee
Epilepsy will affect 1 in 26 people throughout their life, and is currently active in about 2.9 million U.S. adults. It remains difficult to treat, with many patients continuing to experience seizures despite being medicated. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound derived from cannabis, has become prominent in clinical settings for its anti-epileptic effects. Even so, the molecular basis behind CBD’s anti-epileptic effects remain unknown. Recent studies at the Brohawn Lab have illustrated CBD as a potent inhibitor of mechanosensitive two-pore domain K+ (K2P) channels, including TRAAK and TREK-1 that regulate […]