Experience

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• PhD Candidate

  • Aug 2019 - Present

  My work in Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh's lab examines unique regulation of apoptosis in neurons. Unlike most other cell types, mature neurons are highly resistant to undergoing apoptosis. Remarkably, neurons are uniquely capable of recovering even after activating the apoptotic pathway. My project aims to understand which apoptotic proteins might be differentially regulated in neurons to acheive survival after apoptotic activation. My work in Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh's lab examines unique regulation of apoptosis in neurons. Unlike most other cell types, mature neurons are highly resistant to undergoing apoptosis. Remarkably, neurons are uniquely capable of recovering even after activating the apoptotic pathway. My project aims to understand which apoptotic proteins might be differentially regulated in neurons to acheive survival after apoptotic activation.



Vanderbilt University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Intern

  • May 2018 - Present

  My work in Dr. Roger Colbran's lab at Vanderbilt is part of a larger effort to understand the role of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKIIα) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) etiology. This project utilizes a novel mouse model with a mutation in CaMKIIα, originally identified in a young male diagnosed with ASD. Current studies aim to examine sensory sensitivity in learning and memory by controlling sensory stimuli in the Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT). I also performed a variety of mouse behavior testing including Open Field Test and Elevated Plus Maze. My contribution to this project resulted in a middle author publication, which is now in review. I also assisted in mouse behavior analysis and western blotting for other projects in the lab, which resulted in two middle author publications (PMID: 29458998, PMID: 31983435). Show less



Florida Atlantic University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Student Intern

  • May 2016 - Jul 2016

  I continued working with Dr. Adele Stewart when the Blakely lab moved to Florida Atlantic University as part of the John Nambu REU Summer Program. There, I helped to transition the mouse colony to the new facility and identify the effects of psychostimulants on an ADHD mouse model using the Open Field Test. My work during this summer and the previous school year resulted in a middle author publication (PMID: 36117213). I continued working with Dr. Adele Stewart when the Blakely lab moved to Florida Atlantic University as part of the John Nambu REU Summer Program. There, I helped to transition the mouse colony to the new facility and identify the effects of psychostimulants on an ADHD mouse model using the Open Field Test. My work during this summer and the previous school year resulted in a middle author publication (PMID: 36117213).



Vanderbilt University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Student Researcher

  • Sep 2015 - May 2016

  I worked with my bench mentor, Dr. Adele Stewart, to help maintain a mouse colony and identify the effects of psychostimulants on an ADHD mouse model using the Open Field Test in the Blakely lab. I worked with my bench mentor, Dr. Adele Stewart, to help maintain a mouse colony and identify the effects of psychostimulants on an ADHD mouse model using the Open Field Test in the Blakely lab.