Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
Appointed McNair Scholar July 2023
My laboratory's primary focus is the mechanism and function of protein interactions in the brain. Like societies, individual proteins are only fully functional when engaged in interactions and networks. These critical pathways encompass proteins' entire life cycle, from the trafficking and anchoring within subcellular domains, to the activity-dependent modulation of signaling and plasticity, and further to the dynamic regulation in degradation and recycling. Conversely, the breakdown of these interactions often contributes to phenotypes seen in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions.
My laboratory utilizes cutting-edge tools in proteomics, protein engineering, and high-throughput electrophysiology to uncover new mechanisms of protein interaction in synaptic and ion channel models of autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. Furthermore, my laboratory seeks to develop innovative strategies for modulating molecular neural signaling and modifying phenotypes implicated in these conditions.
