Maëla Paul, Ph.D.

Maëla Paul is a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute, where she works at the intersection of molecular neuroscience and developmental neurobiology. She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Sorbonne University, under the supervision of Dr. Fekrije Selimi at the College de France. Prior to her doctoral studies, she earned her M.Sc. in neuroscience and B.Sc. in biology from École Normale Supérieure in Paris.

Her doctoral research challenged a long-standing theory about how brain connections form, revealing that specific connections between neurons aren’t predetermined but develop through a precise step-by-step process. Using the cerebellar circuit as a model system, she demonstrated how different types of inputs initially form similar connections to the same target cells before one type develops its own unique molecular identity. This process is regulated by neuronal activity, suggesting that experience may shape specific brain connections during development.

Currently, she is investigating how single neurons establish complex connection patterns with multiple targets across different brain regions. Working with Professors Stavros Lomvardas and Franck Polleux, she combines cutting-edge techniques to uncover the molecular strategies that enable neurons to form these specific connections. Her postdoctoral work was previously supported by Columbia University’s Alan Kanzer Fellowship.