Imagine you’re decorating a house; as you decorate, each piece of furniture influences how you behave, and how they’re arranged influences how you interact with the whole. Now imagine instead that “you” are a cell in the brain, and the furniture is made up of proteins and sugars. What I study is how the furniture of the brain—those proteins and sugars—changes as an organism develops, and how that change influences how cells function, and how organisms behave.

Photo by Celia Muto

What are the big questions driving your research?
The big question is ultimately this: What factors guide the development and maturation of the nervous system?

The development of the human brain is one of the most fascinating areas of research. A group of cells must multiply, differentiate, organize, specialize, and appropriately wire to guide our behavior. Every step of this process is still being actively explored, but I’m especially fascinated by the final step.

For neurons in the brain to form appropriate connections, we need to experience a range of sensations. This sensory experience primes the brain to respond to similar events in the future, but also allows it to generalize and predict novel events—enabling the remarkable adaptability of the mind. Ultimately, experience acts on cells in the brain by changing which genes are expressed, and which proteins are made. While many study intracellular protein changes, I focus on the spaces between cells. How does a cell or group of cells reshape their environment to modify their own function? How does their ability to do this change as an animal develops? And if we interfere with this process, how does that influence the overall development of animal behavior?

What drew you to this area of neuroscience?
I’ve always been curious about the underdogs. Neuroscientists predominantly study neurons, the primary information carriers in the brain. As an undergraduate biochemistry student, I entered the world of neuroscience relatively unbiased and admittedly naïve. Instead of neurons, I was immediately enamored of astrocytes, cells shaped like starbursts that strongly influence neuronal development and function. I knew I wanted to better understand how these mysterious cells function.

When I started my thesis work in the Stevens lab, known for its study of microglia—the brain’s resident macrophages—I was determined to study astrocyte biology, but my perspective was shaped by my biochemistry coursework. In biochemistry, we spent a remarkable amount of time talking about carbohydrates, and I was surprised to find that these macromolecules rarely came up in a neuroscience context. I quickly learned the reason: glycobiology—the study of sugars in nature—is challenging, especially in the brain. Yet with the pomp of an early graduate student, I decided to craft a thesis project that combines neuroscience and elements of matrix biology. I’m fortunate to have a PI who supports my unique path.

What is the trait you most admire in others?
Kindness. It isn’t always rewarded, and in science, it can put you in a disadvantaged position. I admire people who put kindness first, especially those in positions of power or leadership, and I truly believe that all the other traits that enable science to progress stem from this kindness.