SURFiN Program Lab Opportunities

Mentor: Daril Brown II
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Sergey Stavisky
Institution: University of California, Davis
Location: Davis, CA
Lab Website: https://neuroprosthetics.faculty.ucdavis.edu/

Project Title: Pioneering novel experimental paradigms with next generation brain recordings in humans

Project Description: In this project, our lab will be pioneering research using next-generation, high density electrodes, called Neuropixels, to record neural activity from human subjects. These brain probes will enable us to isolate and characterize the activity of single neurons during speech, improving our understanding of the function of the brain regions involved. The goal of this research is to develop therapeutic systems that allow patients with lost or diminished ability to speak to communicate again. Taking advantage of these high yield recordings we will develop and deploy novel experimental paradigms to characterize brain areas involved in speech planning and language. This project is multidisciplinary, spanning neural engineering, neuroscience, medicine, machine learning, mechanical engineering and audio processing. There are several potential sub-projects including processing and analyzing human data and designing devices to facilitate using these next-generation devices in the operating room. We will work with 1-2 students to design a project that is both appropriate for their current skill set and designed to equip them with the experiences and skills necessary for their career aspirations.

Mentor Biography: Daril Brown II is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, Davis, under the dual mentorship of Sergey Stavisky, and David Brandman. Brown has a unique background, having earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Howard University, and both a master’s degree in bioengineering and a doctorate in electrical engineering (with a specialty in medical devices and systems) from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) as both an NSF, GRFP and UC-HBCU Fellow. His postdoctoral research focuses on developing and deploying novel interactive experimental paradigms to understand the neural mechanisms of naturalistic speech to help develop next-generation communication neuroprosthesis for humans. A three-time UCSD Grad Slam finalist, Brown is a strong advocate for science literacy and accessibility and was recently featured on the ‘KPBS Rad Scientist’ podcast. His leadership and outreach, both inside and outside of the lab, earned him recognition as a class of 2022 Siebel Scholar for Bioengineering and induction into the Bouchet Honors Society. He is currently a Schmidt Science Fellow, NSF funded ASEE eFellow and BWF PDEP Fellow.

Mentor: Elizaveta Okorokova
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Scholar
Principal Investigator: Sergey Stavisky
Institution: University of California, Davis
Location: Davis, CA
Lab Website: https://neuroprosthetics.faculty.ucdavis.edu/

Project Title: Pioneering next generation brain recordings in humans and animals

Project Description: In this project, our lab will be pioneering research using next-generation, high density electrodes, called Neuropixels, to record neural activity from human subjects. These brain probes will enable us to isolate and characterize the activity of single neurons during speech, improving our understanding of the function of the brain regions involved. The goal of this research is to develop therapeutic systems that allow patients with lost or diminished ability to speak to communicate again. Additionally, we are developing a long-term Neuropixels recording system in sheep to assess the stability and safety of these probes for future clinical applications, including brain-computer interfaces and diagnostic brain monitoring. This research will help establish best practices for integrating Neuropixels technology into long-term human use. The SURFiN fellow(s) will gain hands-on experience in data analysis, signal processing, and experimental design. Potential projects include processing and analyzing human neural data, developing tools for real-time signal monitoring or designing devices to improve the use of Neuropixels in surgical settings. We will work closely with 1-2 students to design a project that is both appropriate for their current skill set and designed to equip them with the experiences and skills necessary for their career aspirations.

Mentor Information: Elizaveta Okorokova is a postdoctoral scholar in the Neuroprosthetics Lab (Sergey Stavisky and David Brandman) at the University of California, Davis. She holds a doctorate in computational neuroscience from the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on developing intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) to restore communication and motor function in individuals with paralysis, with an emphasis on improving usability and real-world application. In parallel, she works on advancing next-generation neural recording microelectrodes to enhance neural signal resolution and improve diagnostic and therapeutic applications of these technologies. Her work was nominated for the International BCI Award in 2019 and 2022.

Mentor: Sowmya Manojna Naraismha
Mentor Role: PhD Student
Principal Investigator: Gal Mishne
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lab Website: http://mishne.ucsd.edu

Project Title: Deciphering the neural representations underlying complex behavior

Project Description: To develop BCIs capable of decoding more complex behaviors, we must first understand the neural mechanisms underlying them. At the heart of this challenge is the brain’s ability to construct fluid, high-dimensional behavior from sequences of smaller movement elements. How the brain seamlessly integrates these elements to behavior remains an open question. In this project, we aim to build computational models to analyze how neural activity underlying simple movement elements relates to that of complex behaviors.

We are using deep learning and end-to-end feature selection techniques to identify neural latents and subspaces encoding movement segments and overall behavior. Manifold learning methods will then be used to characterize these subspaces and their role in shaping behavioral representations. The selected SURFiN fellow will learn to use techniques such as Gaussian process factor analysis, recurrent neural networks and transformers, to understand the neural mechanisms underlying complex behavior. This project provides them an opportunity to develop hands-on skills in Python programming, high-dimensional data analysis and computational modeling while contributing to fundamental advances in motor control research.

Mentor Information: Sowmya Manojna Naraismha is a third-year neuroscience doctoral student in Gal Mishne’s lab at the University of California, San Diego. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering and a master’s degree in data science from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Naraismha’s research lies at the intersection of neuroscience and AI, focusing on how neural activity geometry relates to behavioral geometry. Using deep learning and neuroscience tools, she aims to elucidate the neural activity underlying complex behavior for BCI applications.

Mentor: William Wright
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Takaki Komiyama
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lab Website: https://komiyamalab.biosci.ucsd.edu/

Project Title: The role of synaptic plasticity in reorganizing circuit dynamics during learning

Project Description: A fundamental function of the brain is to flexibly acquire and adapt new behaviors through learning. For this to occur, learning must induce modifications within neural circuits to alter their output in a way that generates a novel behavior. The modification of synaptic connections, or synaptic plasticity, is thought to underlie this process by altering the input-output transformations performed by neurons, ultimately reshaping the dynamics of neural circuits. However, learning induces other adaptations that also act to regulate neural activity, making it unclear precisely how synaptic plasticity contributes to the reorganization of neural circuits. To address this, we will utilize optogenetic techniques to block the induction of synaptic plasticity in the primary motor cortex (M1) as mice undergo motor learning. This will be combined with large-scale in vivo recording of neural activity to determine how synaptic plasticity contributes to the reorganization of neural circuits within M1 over the course of learning. Mentees will gain extensive experience in mouse surgery, mouse behavior, optogenetics and histology. In addition, mentees will be exposed to and learn the principles of in vivo two-photon microscopy and data analysis. The mentee’s experimental training will also be complemented by guided review of the relevant literature.

Mentor Information: William (Jake) Wright is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Takaki Komiyama at the University of California, San Diego. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wofford College and a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on understanding how synaptic plasticity gives rise to complex neural computations during learning. His work has been supported by the NIH and Schmidt Science Foundation.

Mentor: Jeremy CY Lin
Mentor Role: Graduate Student Researcher
Principal Investigator: Takaki Komiyama
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lab Website: https://komiyamalab.biosci.ucsd.edu/

Project Title: Investigating distinct input-output patterns in the retrosplenial cortex supporting value-based decision making

Project Description: The project aims to elucidate the roles of retrosplenial cortex (RSC) circuits in value-based decision making. Recent studies show that RSC neurons potently and persistently encode value information and that perturbing the RSC neural activity interfered with the history-based strategy. To study the flow of value information in and out of RSC, we have characterized the anatomical RSC connection map and neural codes in these connections in the context of reinforcement learning. However, we will need to manipulate the neural circuit activity to determine the contribution of each circuit piece. In this project, we will silence different RSC projection groups or local neurons using optogenetics and quantify the differences in value-based, decision-making strategy. SURFiN fellows can expect to learn training mice using complex behavior paradigm, optogenetics manipulation and basic histology, in addition to data processing and communication skills. The results will give the field a more detailed understanding of the circuit mechanisms of dynamic decision making, which will help reveal the etiology of conditions in which decision making is impaired.

Mentor Information: Jeremy (Chung-Yueh) Lin is a graduate student researcher in Takaki Komiyama’s lab at the University California, San Diego. He holds a bachelor’s degree in neurosciences and computer sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lin’s research focuses on characterizing the functions of different neural circuits in the context of complex cognitive behavior in mice.

Mentor: Sonja Blumenstock
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Takaki Komiyama
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lab Website: https://komiyamalab.biosci.ucsd.edu/

Project Title: Cell-type resolved circuit analysis in Huntington’s disease

Project Description: Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating monogenic neurodegenerative condition without a cure. HD preferentially affects motor circuits in the striatum and its afferent regions, neocortex and thalamus. How HD impacts individual neuronal subtypes in these areas is poorly understood. In this project, we will examine the hypothesis that HD pathophysiology is caused by deficits in specific cell types within the motor circuit. Such cell types would be primary targets for future intervention strategies. Using in vivo neural imaging in behaving mice, we will study HD-related functional alterations in specific neuronal projections from the cortex and the thalamus to the striatum. We will relate functional changes to motor behavior at the presymptomatic and symptomatic disease stage. SURFiN fellows will develop hands-on skills in mouse surgery, behavioral assays, optogenetics and histology. They will also gain foundational knowledge in the care and maintenance of disease model mouse lines and become familiarized with in vivo two-photon microscopy and data analysis. They will further join lab meetings and discussions.

Mentor Information: Sonja Blumenstock is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Takaki Komiyama at the University of California, San Diego. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Regensburg and a doctorate in neuroscience from the LMU Munich in Germany. Her research focuses on disturbances in neuronal encoding of motor behavior in the context of neurodegenerative movement conditions.

Mentor: Jennifer Li
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Takaki Komiyama
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lab Website: https://komiyamalab.biosci.ucsd.edu/

Project Title: Learning-induced synaptic plasticity in cortico-spinal neurons in motor cortex

Project Description: Learning is a dynamic process that enables animals to interact with the environment in an adaptive manner. In particular, the ability for animals, including humans, to develop learned motor skills is crucial for survival. This project is interested in understanding how learning modifies the activity of neurons in the brain to coordinate muscle activation during skilled movements. We will focus specifically on the neurons in the primary motor cortex (M1) that project directly to the spinal cord, termed corticospinal neurons. Using advanced imaging techniques in behaving animals, this project will address how synaptic plasticity in these corticospinal neurons can drive learned behaviors. Findings generated from this proposal are highly relevant for understanding spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurological diseases that affect learning and/or movement. The undergraduate researcher will have the opportunity to gain hands-on training in a variety of essential systems laboratory techniques, including from perfusion/histology, cranial window surgery for chronic two-photon imaging during behavior and data processing/analysis in MATLAB and Python.

Mentor Information: Jennifer Li is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Takaki Komiyama at the University of California, San Diego. She obtained her undergraduate degree in integrated science and biology at Northwestern University and her doctorate in neurobiology at Duke University. Broadly, she is interested in understanding how synapses in the brain are dynamically regulated in the context of motor and sensory computations.

Mentor: Qiyu Chen
Mentor Role: Graduate Student Researcher
Principal Investigator: Takaki Komiyama
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lab Website: https://komiyamalab.biosci.ucsd.edu/

Project Title: Refinement of causal connectivity in primary motor cortex during motor learning

Project Description: Throughout our lives, we continuously acquire novel motor skills—such as writing, driving and playing sports—relying on the brain’s exceptional capacity to adapt and meet our evolving behavioral demands. The primary motor cortex (M1) plays a critical role in motor learning and movement execution, with its intricate network of interconnected neurons exhibiting remarkable plasticity during the acquisition of new motor skills. In this project, we aim to elucidate how learning a novel motor task refines and reorganizes the causal connectivity within M1 to support the execution of skilled movements. To investigate these questions, trainees will be exposed to a range of cutting-edge techniques, including mouse cranial surgery, behavioral training on a lever-pressing task, two-photon in vivo calcium imaging and holographic single-cell optogenetic stimulation to map connectivity between neurons—with the opportunity for hands-on experience in select methodologies based on their interest and capacity. Additionally, trainees will engage in data analysis with MATLAB and Python, literature review and data presentation training, ensuring a comprehensive research experience.

Mentor Information: Qiyu Chen is a graduate student in Takaki Komiyama’s lab at the University of California, San Diego. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from University of California, San Diego. Chen’s research aims to elucidate how learning a novel motor task refines and reorganizes the causal connectivity within M1 to support the execution of skilled movements.

Mentor: Victor Ansere
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Bérénice Benayoun
Institution: University of Southern California
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Lab Website: https://gero.usc.edu/labs/benayounlab/

Project Title: Impact of gonadal hormones on mouse brain aging

Project Description: This project involves understanding the mechanisms that drive sex differences in the brain, particularly with aging. We intend to identify molecular pathways and genomic targets that could help delay brain aging and disease. SURFiN fellows will help characterize the contributions of gonadal hormones on brain function and cognitive aging. In addition, we will determine the impact of gonadal hormones on the transcriptomic and epigenomic landscapes of microglia subtypes. Fellows will gain experience with novel mouse models through cognitive behavioral assessments, as well as generating and analyzing bulk and single-nuclei RNA sequencing and chromatin accessibility data from mouse brain issues.

Mentor Information: Victor Ansere is a postdoctoral fellow in the Benayoun lab at Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. He holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and a master’s degree in clinical pharmacology from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. He received his doctorate in physiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. His research interests include understanding the fundamental mechanisms of microglia aging, sexual dimorphisms in brain aging and developing anti-aging interventions to extend brain health.

Mentor: Rapheal Williams
Mentor Role: Research Lab Specialist
Principal Investigator: Bérénice Benayoun
Institution: University of Southern California
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Lab Website: https://gero.usc.edu/labs/benayounlab/

Project Title: The African turquoise killifish as a model for brain aging

Project Description: In this project, we will explore the role of microglia in the aging brain of male and female African turquoise killifish. We have shown that microglia cell proportion in the brain increases with age, so the goal of the project is to qualitatively and quantitatively verify the increase and elucidate molecular mechanisms that contribute to an increase in proliferation. Using transcriptomic data to assist with targeting of potential genes and proteins, we can then measure, at a single-cell resolution, the amount present within microglia. The SURFiN fellow can expect to learn how to prepare killifish brains for slides (cryosectioning), perform immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization, assist with confocal microscopy and analyze fluorescent images using multiple software.

Mentor Information: Rapheal Williams is a research lab specialist in the laboratory of Bérénice Benayoun in the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. He holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Georgia State University, and received his doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Washington, Seattle. Following his graduate career, he became interested in spatial biology with a special interest in microglia structure and function in multiple animal models. His research now focuses on how aging influences microglia phenotypes and molecular identity, using fluorescent microscopy techniques.

Mentor Name: Xulu Sun
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Researcher
Principal Investigator: Loren Frank
Institution: University of California San Francisco
Location: San Francisco, CA
Lab Website: https://franklab.ucsf.edu

Project Title: Cortical-hippocampal neural dynamics underlying model-based planning and problem solving

Project Description: When dealing with novel situations or unexpected events, we often contemplate possible actions and imagine their outcomes using our knowledge of environmental contingencies. This flexible cognitive process is known as model-based planning and is typically impaired in many neuropsychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. The hippocampus (HPC)—usually understood to represent past or present experience—has recently been implicated in the ability to imagine possible futures. Despite observing hippocampal future representations before decision-making, we understand little about how these representations are regulated and what functions they subserve. I hypothesize that, to find adaptive solutions in response to a changing environment, input from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) drives hippocampal future representations for mental simulation. I further hypothesize that these representations coordinate with PFC cost-benefit computations to link imagined actions with predicted outcomes, thereby facilitating model-based decision-making. Employing a dynamic foraging task in a complex maze, I am examining how PFC and HPC interact when rats plan new routes toward rewards in the presence of novel barriers. I will leverage closed-loop optogenetic manipulations coupled with electrophysiological recordings to determine the necessity of PFC-HPC interactions for model-based decision-making. This project will uncover the anatomical underpinnings, mechanistic control and functional significance of hippocampal future representations, which will ultimately illuminate the neural basis of mental simulation and flexible planning.

Mentor Information: Xulu Sun completed her doctoral research with Krishna Shenoy at Stanford University in 2021. In the Shenoy Lab, she investigated the neural dynamics underlying dexterous movement control and motor learning in rhesus monkeys. She used behavioral tasks, large-scale neural recordings and computational models to investigate how the cortical motor system implements an action-organizing map to acquire and retain motor skills. In Loren Frank’s lab at the University of California, San Francisco, she currently aims to explore the anatomical underpinnings, mechanistic control and functional significance of hippocampal nonlocal activity in the context of model-based planning and problem solving. Her project is funded by the Jane Coffin Childs Fellowship and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Mentor: Can Dong
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Lisa Giocomo
Institution: Stanford University
Location: Stanford, CA
Lab Website: https://giocomolab.weebly.com/

Project Title: Investigating how hippocampal subnetworks support spatial and social memory features

Project Description: Memories are composed of a rich and diverse set of features, which can be flexibly encoded in a combined or distributed manner. For example, recalling a memory of visiting a restaurant with a close friend involves both spatial and social features, which can be detached and recombined (e.g. the same restaurant but with a different friend and vice versa). However, how the brain supports this feature encoding and integration remains unknown. In this project, we will address this question in the hippocampus, a potential site for flexible spatial and social feature encoding and integration. During this project, the student will help develop novel experiment setups to record the activities of large populations of neurons in vivo and decipher the coding mechanism of spatial and social features in the mouse hippocampus. The SURFiN fellow can expect to work with the mentor to gain basic knowledge in neuroscience, acquire hands-on experiences in animal behavior training, learn to code for neural data analysis and develop scientific communication and presentation skills.

Mentor Information: Can Dong is a postdoctoral scholar in Lisa Giocomo’s lab at Stanford University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Zhejiang University and a doctorate in neurobiology from the University of Chicago. Dong’s research focuses on feature encoding and integration during learning and memory. She is a recipient of the Stanford School of Medicine Dean’s Fellowship.

Mentor: Katrina Nguyen
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Abigail Person
Institution: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Location: Aurora, CO
Lab Website: http://www.personlab.org/

Project Title: Cerebellar circuit computations for motor control

Project Description: Systems neuroscience projects in mice, investigating basal ganglia-cerebellum interactions, motor control or cerebellar information processing depending on student interests.

Mentor Information: Katrina Nguyen is a postdoctoral scholar in Abigail Person’s lab at the University of Colorado Anschutz. She holds a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from George Mason University and a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Nguyen’s research focuses on computations made within and across motor control regions in the brain in control of healthy and diseased movements. She is the recipient of a National Research Service Award (F32) from the NIH.

Mentor Name: Yen-Wen Chen
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Associate
Principal Investigator: Gabriela Rosenblau
Institution: George Washington University
Location: Washington, D.C.
Lab Website: dsnlab.org

Project Title: Cerebellar contributions to social learning in typically-developing adolescents and adolescents with autism

Project Description: Adolescence marks a critical stage in social development, during which individuals experience increasing social demands. While adolescents generally display less optimal social learning strategies compared to adults, teens with autism face even greater difficulties. Adolescents with autism have been shown to rely less on prediction errors (PEs), the discrepancy between predicted and actual consequence, compared to neurotypical peers. A possible neural mechanism for this discrepancy may involve information integration between the cerebellum, the cerebellar posterior lobe in particular, and prefrontal cortices. This project directly investigates cerebellar contributions to social learning in adolescents with autism and neurotypical adolescents.

The fellow will take an active role in brain imaging data processing and analysis. The fellow will receive training on collecting in-person behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and acquire technical skills through hand-on training on brain anatomy, fMRI data preprocessing and quality assessment, as well as programming and statistical analysis. The student will meet weekly with the daily supervisor for training, troubleshooting and progress updating. The student will also attend weekly lab meetings, gaining exposure to fMRI data collection, various other research projects in the lab, connecting with lab members and having the opportunity to develop science communication skills through presenting in lab meetings and supporting poster and oral conference presentations.

Mentor Information: Yen-Wen Chen is a postdoctoral associate in Gabriela Rosenblau’s lab at the George Washington University. She received her doctorate in integrative neuroscience at Stony Brook University in 2023. Her research focuses on understanding cognitive and neural mechanisms of social learning in developing brains among typically developing individuals and individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions, using behavioral, brain neuroimaging and computational modeling approaches. She has a solid background in experimental design and quantitative data analysis using Python and R, along with expertise in various neuroimaging data processing pipelines. In her research, she works with big data and data analysis on High-Performance Computing clusters.

Mentor Name: Yumeng Xie
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Tingting Wang
Institution: Georgetown University
Location: Washington, D.C.
Lab Website: https://www.wangtingtinglab.org/

Project Title: Elucidating intercellular communication pathways in homeostatic synaptic plasticity

Project Description: The homeostatic modulation of synaptic transmission is a fundamental and evolutionarily conserved mechanism that stabilizes neural function. To maintain synaptic strength within physiological ranges, presynaptic neurotransmitter release is dynamically adjusted in response to perturbations such as toxins, genetic mutations or disease states. Dysregulated homeostatic plasticity leads to synaptic and network hyper- or hypo-excitation, contributing to neurological conditions, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism, and neurodegeneration. Our recent findings highlight the critical role of trans-synaptic interactions between presynaptic ion channels and postsynaptic adhesion molecules in synaptic homeostatic plasticity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation remain unclear. In this project, we aim to investigate how trans-synaptic interactions influence presynaptic ion channel localization and neurotransmitter release. We will employ biochemical and super-resolution imaging techniques to dissect these molecular processes and identify key regulatory pathways. By elucidating the mechanisms governing synaptic stability, this research will provide insights into the pathophysiology of synapse-related neurological conditions. Ultimately, these findings may facilitate the development of targeted therapeutic strategies, particularly for conditions linked to ion channel dysfunction and synaptic instability.

Mentor Information: Yumeng Xie is a postdoctoral fellow in Tingting Wang’s laboratory at Georgetown University’s department of pharmacology and physiology. She earned her medical degree and doctorate from Wuhan University, where she investigated the molecular mechanisms of depression, utilizing mouse models to explore potential treatments for severe depression. This research sparked her deep interest in the molecular and cellular foundations of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, driving her to further specialize in neuroscience with a particular focus on synaptic plasticity. Her current research explores trans-synaptic signaling mechanisms in homeostatic plasticity, aiming to uncover fundamental principles of synaptic stability and neuronal function.

Mentor: Yimei Cai
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Tingting Wang
Institution: Georgetown University
Location: Washington, DC
Lab Website: https://www.wangtingtinglab.org/

Project Title: Elucidating intercellular communication pathways in homeostatic synaptic plasticity

Project Description: Autism-associated genes play key roles in epigenetic regulation and synaptic function, yet their contributions to synaptic homeostatic plasticity remain poorly understood. Our electrophysiology-based genetic screening in Drosophila has identified neuron- and glia-expressed genes that are critical for maintaining synaptic homeostasis. While intercellular communication, particularly glia-neuron interactions, is essential for synaptic development and function, its specific influence on synaptic homeostatic plasticity is largely unexplored. Our preliminary electrophysiological and computational analyses have identified potential glial signaling molecules that may act downstream of epigenetic regulators and influence synaptic plasticity. This project aims to dissect the signaling network governed by these epigenetic regulators, utilizing electrophysiological approaches in Drosophila to examine their roles in synaptic homeostatic plasticity. We will assess how specific glial factors modulate neuronal responses to perturbations and identify molecular pathways that mediate these effects. By elucidating how intercellular communication impacts synaptic stability, this research will provide critical insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental conditions. The findings may offer new therapeutic targets for conditions such as autism, where synaptic dysfunction is a key pathological feature.

Mentor Information: Yimei Cai is a third-year doctoral student in the department of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University. Her journey began in education, earning a master’s in education and teaching biology in public high schools, focusing on special education. Inspired by students with neurodevelopmental conditions, she pursued a master’s in pharmacology before entering the doctorate program. Her research examines glia-neuron interactions in synaptic transmission and homeostatic plasticity to uncover mechanisms of neural network stability. She has received multiple predoctoral fellowships, including the F31 NRSA, Rita Levi Montalcini Scholar Award and Cosmos Scholar Award.

Mentor Name: Millie Rogers
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Julia Dallman
Institution: University of Miami
Location: Coral Gables, FL
Lab Website: https://dallmanlab.weebly.com

Project Title: Development and function of sensorimotor GI integration in zebrafish models of autism

Project Description: This project will investigate the role of Syngap1 in enteric nervous system development using zebrafish as a model organism. Students will use immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and FIJI-based image analysis to characterize enteric neurons in wild-type and syngap1 mutant larvae. Additional techniques will include transcriptomics and plasmid cloning. Students will also gain experience in high-throughput functional assays, including feeding assays and intestinal transit measurements to assess gut motility in zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish are an excellent model due to their genetic tractability, transparency during early development and conservation of key genes and neurodevelopmental pathways. Undergraduates accepted into our lab will gain hands-on experience in molecular biology, imaging techniques, quantitative data analysis and functional assays. Students will also receive training in working with zebrafish under IACUC protocols. No prior laboratory experience is needed, only a strong work ethic and a desire to learn.

Mentor Information: Millie Rogers is a fourth-year doctoral candidate at the University of Miami. She received her bachelor’s from the University of Florida, where she studied the genetics underlying cochlear detoxification in the mammalian inner ear. She continues her research in molecular neuroscience at the University of Miami, where she is currently investigating the role of Syngap1 in the development and function of the enteric nervous system using zebrafish as a model. Her work investigates how syngap1 influences enteric neuron development and its potential relevance to GI distress associated with neurodevelopmental conditions. Since beginning graduate school, she has helped undergraduates develop experimental design and laboratory skills by teaching general biology labs, cell and molecular biology labs and HHMI labs. She has been a SURFIN mentor for two years, guiding three fellows through collaborative research projects and training them in various laboratory techniques.

Mentor Name: Adhikansh Jain
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Julia Dallman
Institution: University of Miami
Location: Coral Gables, FL
Lab Website: https://dallmanlab.weebly.com

Project Title: Gut as gatekeeper? Testing the role of serotonin in a zebrafish model of Phelan-McDermid Syndrome

Project Description: The aim of the study is to unravel the intricacies surrounding serotonin and its role in Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), a form of autism linked to a mutation in the shank3ab gene. PMS, characterized by symptoms such as gut motility distress, social interaction deficits and repetitive behaviors, affects both the gut and the brain in humans, mirroring observations in zebrafish. Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter with diverse functions including synaptic activity, mood regulation and social behaviors. Given that shank3ab mutations are often associated with disrupted synaptic function, understanding the interplay between serotonin and shank3ab is crucial. Using anti-5HT staining, I will test serotonin level disparities in shank3ab and wild type zebrafish brains. Previous data has shown variations in serotonin levels in zebrafish wild type and shank 3ab-mutated guts, prompting the use of bulk RNA sequencing to pinpoint affected serotonergic pathway components in both the gut and the brain. Focusing on brain serotonin levels extends beyond gastrointestinal insights. By scrutinizing RNA transcripts, specific genes causing serotonin variations will be identified, discerning if lower serotonin stems from gene inactivity or reduced expression. Subsequent investigations will probe these genes further, determining if they are inactive, diminished or undergoing differentiation. This research promises valuable insights into the interplay of serotonin, shank3ab and PMS in zebrafish, providing a foundation for understanding serotonin’s role in shank3ab mutations. Ultimately, this knowledge may pave the way for exploring serotonin administration as a potential cure for PMS-linked symptoms.

Mentor Information: Adhikansh Jain, a second-year graduate student at the University of Miami, completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Davis. Starting his research journey in the Calisi lab, he explored the impact of hormones on pigeon biology. Over the past two years, his contributions to research at the Wildlife Institute of India included significant work in leopard genomics and field skills such as camera trapping and scat extraction. Collaborating with a Ph.D. scholar in bioacoustics, Jain captured and studied oriental magpie robins, analyzing vocalizations and constructing nest boxes. Additionally, his experience in the private sector involved working with companies such as Sphaerapharma and Color Genomics, providing real-world exposure to cancer research, cell culture, RNA extractions and testing for SARS-CoV-2. Since beginning graduate school at the University of Miami, Jain has taught undergraduate students experimental design and laboratory skills in a general biology lab.

Mentor: Lidia Garcia Pradas
Mentor Role: Research Associate
Principal Investigator: Julia Dallman
Institution: University of Miami
Location: Coral Gables, FL
Lab Website: https://dallmanlab.weebly.com/

Project Title: Nutrient-sensing and metabolism in zebrafish autism models

Project Description: Gastrointestinal (GI) issues are common in autism, yet their causes remain poorly understood. This project focuses on identifying the metabolic pathways that may underlie gut motility disruptions in zebrafish models carrying shank3 and syngap1 mutations, both of which are strongly linked to autism. Specifically, we will explore how enteroendocrine cells (EECs), the gut’s primary chemosensory cells, respond to different nutrients and communicate with the enteric nervous system (ENS) and vagal afferents to regulate motility.

To investigate these pathways, we will conduct experiments using mutant, transgenic and wild-type zebrafish lines, employing techniques such as calcium imaging, immunohistochemistry, genotyping, confocal microscopy, transcriptomics and gut transit assays with fluorescent beads. By analyzing EEC neurotransmitter release and its metabolic downstream effects, we aim to uncover how synaptic disruptions contribute to autism-related GI dysfunction.

As part of this project, the SURFiN fellow will actively participate in designing experiments, collecting data and analyzing results while learning the techniques outlined above. This is a great opportunity to build practical research skills in a supportive and collaborative setting.

Mentor Information: Lidia García Pradas is a research associate in the Dallman Lab at the University of Miami and will begin her doctorate in August 2025. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in molecular medicine, both from the University of Tübingen, Germany. García Pradas’ research focuses on how genetic mutations in genes such as shank3 and syngap1, linked to autism, affect gut function at a cellular and metabolic level.

Mentor: Elizabeth Illescas-Huerta
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Nancy Padilla-Coreano
Institution: University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, FL
Lab Website: https://www.padillacoreanolab.com/

Project Title: Prefrontal mechanisms underlying cooperation in mice

Project Description: Although most social animals perform prosocial actions such as cooperation, the brain mechanisms involved in this behavior are poorly understood. In this project, we will explore the neural circuits that regulate cooperation behavior in mice. To do this, we developed a behavioral task in which a mouse must choose between a cooperative option that delivers a reward to themselves and a partner or a selfish choice that provides a reward only to themselves. We will use multisite electrophysiology recordings to explore the prefrontal neural circuits involved in decision-making in a social context. During this project, the SURFiN fellow will gain experience handling laboratory animals and conducting operant behavioral assays to assess social behaviors. The SURFiN fellow will be trained in the construction of electrode arrays and in spike sorting analyses to assist with neural activity data analysis. Additionally, the fellow will be trained to use a deep learning tool called SLEAP for behavioral analysis for an independent project exploring whether behavioral interactions of the subject and partner explain pro-social decisions.

Mentor Information: Elizabeth Illescas-Huerta is a postdoctoral scholar in Padilla-Coreano’s lab at the University of Florida. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and a doctorate in biomedical science from the Cell Physiology Institute of Mexico. Illescas-Huerta’s research focuses on neural circuits regulating decision-making in social contexts. She received the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico Fellowship.

Mentor: Sequioa Smith
Mentor Role: PhD Student
Principal Investigator: Nancy Padilla-Coreano
Institution: University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, FL
Lab Website: https://www.padillacoreanolab.com/

Project Title: Breathing, brain circuits, and bonds: mapping neural circuits in social relationships

Project Description: How do neural circuits support the formation and maintenance of long-term social relationships? In this project, consider this important question by examining how the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and its projections to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) contribute to social recognition. While we know that the mPFC-NAc circuit is critical for social memories representing short-term relationships, its role in sustaining bonds across long-term relationships remains unknown. Since breathing patterns are linked to emotional and cognitive states, and the mPFC plays a key role in regulating these dynamics, we also record breathing as physiological measurement reflecting internal state during social interactions. Our project will investigate how mPFC-NAc circuit function evolves across the duration of a relationship. Furthermore, by recording respiration during our experiments, we will determine if respiration patterns during social interactions reflect social history factors such as familiarity level and social ranks. As a SURFiN fellow, you will be trained to conduct social behavioral experiments, perform optogenetic manipulations and collect fiber photometry data. No prior experience is required, just curiosity and a willingness to learn. This project will provide hands-on training in cutting-edge neuroscience techniques while contributing to our understanding of how the brain encodes social relationships.

Mentor Information: Sequioa Smith is a graduate student research assistant in Nancy Padilla-Coreano’s lab at the University of Florida. They earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Sam Houston State University (2023) and are currently pursuing a doctorate in neuroscience at the University of Florida. Their research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying social memory, particularly how the medial prefrontal cortex encodes long-term social relationships and recognition. Smith is also a T32 predoctoral fellow, exploring how chemosensory signals, including respiratory dynamics, influence these social relationships.

Mentor: Vaibhav Dhyani
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Associate
Principal Investigator: Ryoma Hattori
Institution: University of Florida
Location: Jupiter, FL
Lab Website: https://hattori.scripps.ufl.edu/

Project Title: Probing circuit dysfunction to restore reinforcement learning in autism

Project Description: Disruptions in neuronal circuits for reward-based learning are believed to underlie the cognitive and social challenges faced by individuals with autism. In this project, we will investigate the neural circuit dysfunctions in the reinforcement learning system in autism. We will harness a cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) platform to precisely control visual stimuli while tracking neuronal dynamics in head-fixed mice by fiber photometry and two-photon calcium imaging. The SURFiN fellow will gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art behavior experiments, optogenetics, imaging techniques and their data processing. Through these multifaceted approaches, we seek to map the neural circuits responsible for atypical reinforcement learning in autism and identify actionable therapeutic targets. The resulting insights will not only deepen our fundamental understanding of the neural mechanism of cognition but also pave the way for novel interventions to enhance quality of life for individuals with autism.

Mentor Information: Vaibhav Dhyani is a postdoctoral associate in Ryoma Hattori’s lab at UF Scripps. He holds a joint doctorate from the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India and Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. Dhyani integrates advanced imaging, computational modeling and in vivo approaches to investigate how circuit-level disruptions drive neurodevelopmental conditions. He has authored several papers in high-impact-factor journals and has considerable experience in animal surgeries. He also serves as vice president of the Society of Research Fellows at the Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, where he promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and professional development for emerging scientists.

Mentor: Adriana P. Amrein Almira
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Ryoma Hattori
Institution: University of Florida
Location: Jupiter, FL
Lab Website: https://hattori.scripps.ufl.edu/

Project Title: Neural dynamics of number abstraction

Project Description: In this project, we will explore the roles of various brain regions in the process of number abstraction and the dynamics of the neural circuits involved. Our aim is to determine not only where in the brain numerical information is processed, but also how, at the level of individual neurons. We will image and manipulate the activity of neurons in live mice performing number-related activities in a virtual reality setup. The SURFiN fellow will train the mice in these tasks, learn how brain activity is imaged and manipulated during the behavior and process the data for analysis. The fellow will gain exposure to state-of-the-art techniques in behavioral neuroscience using optical tools, such as optogenetics for inactivation of candidate brain regions and in vivo large field-of-view two-photon microscopy for simultaneous imaging of various cortical regions during behavior.

Mentor Information: Adriana Amrein is a graduate student in Ryoma Hattori’s lab at the UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from George Mason University. Her research in the Hattori lab focuses on the neural dynamics of number processing. She is a recipient of the Herbert A. Wertheim Fellowship.

Mentor: Elizabeth Lekah
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Ryoma Hattori
Institution: University of Florida
Location: Jupiter, FL
Lab Website: https://hattori.scripps.ufl.edu/

Project Title: Neural dynamics in mice running virtual reality behavior tasks

Project Description: In this project, we will investigate the neural dynamics underlying learning and cognitive functions. We will establish virtual reality behavior tasks for head-fixed mice, image the neural dynamics during animal behavior and manipulate the neural activity to show the causal relationship between the activity and behaviors. The SURFiN fellow will learn animal experiments and how to process experimental data

Mentor Information: Elizabeth Lekah is a graduate student at the UF-Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology in the Hattori Lab. She completed her bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology and public health from Vanderbilt University. During this time, she worked on research related to RNA biology and bioinformatically identifying targets of disease. Currently, she works to uncover causal trends in the neural dynamics of mice completing a variety of learning and cognitive tasks.

Mentor: Ben Kelvington
Mentor Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Principal Investigator: Edwin Abel
Institution: University of Iowa
Location: Iowa City, IA
Lab Website: https://tedabel.lab.uiowa.edu/

Project Title: Molecular mechanisms mediating learning deficits in the 16p11.2 deletion mouse model

Project Description: The 16p11.2 hemi-deletion (16p11.2 del) is one of the most common genetic changes associated with autism. Because the human 16p11.2 region is highly conserved in mice, we can study this genetic determinant factor using a construct valid mouse model. We have previously reported alterations in the structure and function of striatal circuits, which is consistent with recent studies reporting changes in striatal structure and function in patients with autism. The striatum is the input structure of the basal ganglia, the key neural substrate for reward processing and motor control, and these functions are often disrupted in individuals with autism. In this project we will investigate how 16p11.2 deletion leads to changes in the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating male-specific reward learning deficits. We will apply both cutting-edge molecular biology and in vivo fiber-photometry recordings during reward learning behavior to address this question. These findings will identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning sex-specific striatal dysfunction in autism. We hope that our research will help to develop novel therapeutic approaches and lead to tangible benefits for individuals with autism.

Mentor Information: Ben Kelvington is a doctoral candidate in the department of neuroscience and pharmacology and Iowa Neuroscience Institute at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine. Ben received his bachelor’s in biochemistry from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. During his undergraduate studies he worked on defining the mechanisms downstream of genetic disruption in cholesterol synthesis in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome using both mouse models and human induced pluripotent stem cells. He also worked as a direct support professional in an intermediate care facility supporting children with disabilities. In the Abel Lab, his doctoral work focuses on defining the molecular mechanisms mediating behavioral male-specific reward learning deficits in the 16p11.2 deletion mouse model. 16p11.2 deletion is one of the most common genetic variations associated with autism, and it can be faithfully modeled in mice. Using the 16p11.2 deletion model, the Abel lab revealed male-specific impairments in the acquisition of reward-dependent, goal-directed behaviors, which is consistent with the striking male bias observed in autism. Kelvington is working to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating this behavior.

Eligibility: Students not currently enrolled at the University of Iowa must enroll in the university for a minimum of one semester hour in order to receive funds through this program. Individuals appointed on student hourly appointments are limited to 20 hours per week during the academic year as per university policy: https://hr.uiowa.edu/careers/student-employment/info-students/hours-week-limitations.

Mentor: Alok Nath
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Amar Sahay
Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital
Location: Boston, MA
Lab Website: www.sahaylab.com

Project Title: Parvalbumin interneuron cell state plasticity and neurodevelopmental conditions

Project Description: Hippocampal inhibitory interneurons orchestrate circuit and network activity essential for memory processing and cognitive function. Works from our lab recently demonstrated a specific form of experience-dependent structural plasticity of hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons, which enables these neurons to reorganize inhibitory inputs onto CA3/CA2 pyramidal neurons to restore circuit function and cognition. We performed a gain-of-function screen to isolate candidate gene regulators underlying such inhibitory neuron plasticity. Our study aims to investigate how these cell-type specific gene regulators, many of which are risk genes for neurodevelopmental conditions, impact network dynamics and cognition. The study will employ tools such as inducible mouse- and viral genetics, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, high-density in vivo electrophysiology, markerless behavior tracking and annotation (Deeplabcut and SIMBA) and memory-related behavioral paradigms.

Mentor Information: Alok Nath Mohapatra obtained his doctorate in neurobiology from the University of Haifa, Israel, where he focused on understanding the neural dynamics underlying social interactions. During his doctoral studies, he developed expertise in multi-electrode array recordings, signal processing and network analysis to investigate brain-wide activity during social behaviors in mice. Nath Mohapatra is further expanding his research at Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, as a research fellow in Amar Sahay’s Lab. His current research delves into the intricate mechanisms of experience-dependent inhibitory neuronal plasticity and its impact on hippocampal network properties. Specifically, he is interested in how the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for learning and memory, is shaped by experiences. Nath Mohapatra’s work has the potential to provide valuable insights into the processes involved in learning, memory consolidation and the alterations in brain networks that may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Nath Mohapatra combines cutting-edge techniques such as optogenetics, high-density electrophysiology (Neuropixels probes) and behavioral analysis using tools like Deeplabcut.

Mentor: Edward L. Rivera
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Shantanu Jadhav
Institution: Brandeis University
Location: Waltham, MA
Lab Website: https://jadhavlab.com

Project Title: Neural and behavioral mechanisms of cooperative behavior in rat models

Project Description: How does the brain enable animals to collaborate toward a shared goal, and how are these processes affected in disease? This project investigates the behavioral and neural mechanisms of cooperative social behavior using rat models, focusing on interactions between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. By uncovering how these circuits support teamwork, we aim to advance our understanding of social behavior and provide insights into conditions like autism and fragile X syndrome.

The SURFiN fellow will participate in innovative experiments using spatial cooperative tasks to study how rats collaborate, paired with neural recordings to capture brain activity. They will gain hands-on experience in behavioral data collection and computational analysis of neural signals, learning essential skills like Python coding, statistical analysis and data visualization. This project is designed to be accessible to students with diverse skill levels, providing personalized mentorship to support individual growth and learning goals.

By the end of the academic year, the SURFiN fellow will have developed foundational skills in neuroscience research, data analysis and teamwork while contributing to cutting-edge research on the brain mechanisms underlying social interactions. This experience will prepare them for future opportunities in research and provide a strong foundation for tackling complex scientific questions.

Mentor Information: Edward L. Rivera is a doctoral candidate in the neuroscience graduate program at Brandeis University, working under the mentorship of Shantanu P. Jadhav. He holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico. Rivera’s research focuses on understanding the neural and behavioral mechanisms of cooperative behavior in rat models, with an emphasis on hippocampal-prefrontal interactions.

Eligibility: Undergraduate students may not work over 20 hours per week when classes are in session.

Mentor: Ariella Kornfeld
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Mollie Meffert
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Location: Baltimore, MD
Lab Website: https://www.meffertlab.com/

Project Title: Gene regulation of neuronal mitochondrial metabolism

Project Description: The Meffert lab studies the molecular mechanisms with which neurons create long-lasting changes during neuronal development, experience-dependent plasticity (such as learning and memory) and in injury or disease. The brain has one of the highest energy consumptions of any organ, and synaptic activity requires ATP production by mitochondria. Mitochondria rely on genes encoded in both mitochondrial DNA and the nuclear genome to generate ATP and power the activity of neurons. Collectively, mutations in the mitochondrial genome are among the most common heritable neurological conditions. Mitochondria dysfunction is also associated with cognitive issues, including neurodegenerative conditions and autism. However, the mechanisms necessary for regulating mitochondrial gene expression and energy production remain poorly understood. Recently, our lab has obtained evidence for the function of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), an essential post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression, in the mitochondria. RISC is known to play a critical role in neuronal gene expression allowing temporal and spatial control of synaptic plasticity, impacting development, learning and memory. RISC’s presence in the mitochondria is exciting because it suggests a regulatory role in mitochondrial gene expression and metabolism. During a project in the Meffert lab, a student would participate in our investigations into post-transcriptional gene regulation in neuronal mitochondria and gain skills including cell culture, genetic models of disease, high resolution imaging, biochemical approaches such as immunoblot and molecular techniques handling DNA and RNA.

Mentor Information: Ariella Kornfeld is a predoctoral candidate in Mollie Meffert’s lab at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She holds a bachelor’s in biology and chemistry from Skidmore College. She is studying the intersection between mitochondrial gene expression and neuronal activity, particularly in the context of autism. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa National Honors Society and has practiced mentoring students at Skidmore College and Johns Hopkins University as a peer tutor, teaching assistant, first-year student mentor and journal club leader.

Mentor: Julia Kravchenko
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Catherine Kaczorowski
Institution: University of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Lab Website: https://kaczorowski.lab.medicine.umich.edu/

Project Title: Identifying genes that regulate sleep in Alzheimer’s disease using Drosophila

Project Description: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is commonly associated with significant memory impairment and cognitive decline. However, sleep disruptions in AD can start up to 20 years prior to the onset of memory impairment and worsen with the progression of the disease. There is significant variation in human patients in the severity, onset and type of experienced sleep disruptions. This variation can be explained by unidentified factors in individuals’ genetic background that confer resilience or susceptibility to AD-dependent sleep changes. In this project, we aim to identify the genes that confer resilience against disruptions to sleep/wake behavior and circadian rhythm in AD, by conducting forward genetic analysis in Drosophila (fruit flies). SURFiN fellows can expect to learn (1) the basics of fly husbandry, (2) methods to analyze sleep and circadian data, (3) how to perform genetic mapping to identify candidate genes and (4) molecular and histological techniques to understand gene function.

Mentor Information: Julia Kravchenko is a doctoral candidate in Catherine Kaczorowski’s lab, who collaborates closely with Ravi Allada’s lab at the University of Michigan. She received her bachelor’s and master’s at the University of Michigan studying neuroscience. Her experiences researching the neural circuitry of reward and the role of the brainstem in epilepsy prior to her doctorate, and activities studying the impact of sleep in graduate school informed her love for translational neuroscience. Kravchenko’s doctoral work uses both mouse and drosophila models to identify and understand the pathways regulating sleep disruptions in Alzheimer’s disease.

Mentor: Frank Raven
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Principal Investigator: Catherine Kaczorowski
Institution: University of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Lab Website: https://kaczorowski.lab.medicine.umich.edu/

Project Title: Genetic mechanisms controlling sleep in Alzheimer’s disease

Project Description: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, with no available treatment to halt its progression, including cognitive decline. AD patients frequently experience sleep disturbances; however, it remains unclear which aspects of sleep are affected, when during adulthood these changes emerge and how these disruptions contribute to cognitive decline and neuropathology. This project aims to characterize age-related changes in sleep architecture and establish their connection to the pathological and cognitive changes seen in AD. To capture the heterogeneity observed in AD patients, this project adopts a systems genetics approach, leveraging genetically diverse mouse lines to identify modifiers that influence resilience or susceptibility to AD. The Aton and Kaczorowski lab—and this project in particular—offer an ideal environment for a student in this program by providing exposure to a range of lab techniques and environments tailored to the student’s interests. A SURFiN student could focus on one or more areas, including: 1) behavioral testing, such as running tasks to assess anxiety and memory; 2) analyzing sleep architecture; and/or 3) evaluating brain activity through immunohistochemical staining of different neuronal subpopulations.

Mentor Information: Frank Raven is a postdoctoral research fellow in the lab of Sara Aton and Catherine Kaczorowski at the University of Michigan. His long-term research objective is to understand the relationship between sleep disturbances and cognitive decline that arise during aging and neurodegenerative diseases. He studied biomedical sciences (bachelor’s) and fundamental neuroscience (master’s) at the University of Maastricht (The Netherlands), during which he also conducted research in the laboratory of Rudolph Tanzi at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. During his doctoral program at the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (The Netherlands), he utilized behavioral paradigms and molecular techniques, and showed that within specific brain regions, sleep loss has selective effects on microcircuit structures (i.e., dendritic spines). During his doctoral program, Raven served as a teaching assistant for several courses, including Neurobiology of Aging and Neuroscience Research.

Mentor Name: Apoorva Arora
Mentor Role: DBBS Graduate Research Assistant
Principal Investigator: Adam Kepecs
Institution: Washington University in St. Louis
Location: St. Louis, MO
Lab Website: https://kepecslab.org/

Project Title: LEGO maze to study one-shot learning rats

Project Description: Survival in the wild often hinges on rapidly learning the consequences of actions. A single mistake—whether picking a dangerous food source, fighting a competitor or misjudging a leap—can be fatal. To avert such risks, brains have evolved to predict outcomes of goal-directed actions after just one exposure to a novel situation, a process known as one-shot learning. In contrast, modern AI requires thousands of iterations to master unfamiliar tasks. We aim to investigate the behavioral strategies enabling one-shot learning in an intelligent yet often underestimated agent: the rat.

Rats adeptly navigate complex settings—think NYC subways—and remember food locations. We’ve designed a naturalistic LEGO maze where thirsty rats learn the path to a water reward after a single trial. We hypothesize that their success hinges on how they explore and encode potential routes. By recording rats’ solutions to a series of mazes of known complexity, we can use deep learning to extract and quantify their search strategies. We will then compare these strategies to those employed by reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms and ultimately augment RL with rat-like search behavior to enable one-shot (or few-shot) learning. This project will identify behavioral strategies that bolster biological intelligence in new environments and adapt them to improve AI.

An undergraduate researcher could help design and build the LEGO mazes, record and label the video data, and run data analyses to characterize the rats’ search strategies and participate in refining and testing our one-shot RL models.

Mentor Information: Apoorva Arora is a senior graduate student in the neuroscience doctoral program at Washington University in St. Louis doing her thesis project in the Kepecs lab. She received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Delhi, India, a master’s degree in biotechnology from Amity University, India, and a master’s degree in neuroscience from Brandeis University, MA. During this time, she worked on research related to gene cloning, radiation biology and human speech processing. As a research technician for the late John Lisman, Arora studied the molecular mechanisms of long-term memory storage. In her doctoral research, she is studying value-guided decision making in rats using fiber photometry to record mesolimbic dopamine and has set up a LEGO maze to study rapid learning in rats. Arora has been mentoring as part of the Young Scientist Program and serves as the director of St. Louis Neuroscience Outreach.

Mentor: Keran Yang
Mentor Role: DBBS Predoctoral Trainee
Principal Investigator: Adam Kepecs
Institution: Washington University in St. Louis
Location: St. Louis, MO
Lab Website: https://kepecslab.org/

Project Title: Executive control of defensive behavioral reactions in mice

Project Description: The frontal cortex is thought to exert top-down control over subcortical circuits for response inhibition. We aim to determine whether it suppresses instinctive defensive reactions when animals perceive a threat. Previous studies identified two midbrain regions, the superior colliculus (SC) and the periaqueductal gray (PAG), as central to these defensive responses. Our anatomical data reveal that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) sends notably dense projections to these regions, suggesting the ACC is a key regulator of threat-driven behaviors. Therefore, we will investigate how ACC projections to the medial SC and dorsal PAG regulate defensive responses.

To understand the role of this circuit in executive control we developed a conflicted threat paradigm. This setup pits goal-directed reward pursuit against instinctive avoidance of an ‘overhead predator’ threat, forcing the mice to choose between seeking a reward and dodging the threat. We will use fiber photometry to monitor neural activity during these decisions and optogenetics to manipulate specific pathways and test their causal roles. By pinpointing how the ACC–SC and ACC–PAG circuits shape defensive decisions, we seek to illuminate the frontal cortex’s executive control over subcortical defense mechanisms.

An undergraduate could assist with running the conflicted threat paradigm, conducting the behavioral experiments, collecting fiber photometry data and helping to analyze the resulting neural and behavioral datasets and gain hands-on experience in both experimental design and data interpretation.

Mentor Information: Keran Yang is a senior graduate student in the neuroscience doctoral program at Washington University in St. Louis, conducting her thesis research in the Kepecs laboratory. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology from Wheaton College, MA, where she worked on a fruit fly model of Parkinson’s disease and sea urchin embryo ciliogenesis. In her doctoral work, she pioneered the validation of PRIME (Panoramically Reconfigurable IlluMinativE), an innovative technique that enables high-density optogenetic neural stimulation through a single optic fiber. Her other research projects include anatomical mapping and investigation of how frontal brain regions exert executive control over innate behaviors. Yang serves as a guest instructor for the graduate-level Systems Neuroscience course (2022–2025) and was the teaching assistant for the Laboratory of Neurophysiology (2020).

Mentor: Alana Dea
Mentor Role: Senior Clinical Research Specialist
Principal Investigator: Elena Tenenbaum
Institution: Duke University
Location: Durham, NC
Lab Website: https://sites.duke.edu/risebattery/

Project Title: Remote Infant Studies of Early Learning (RISE) battery

Project Description: The RISE battery is a multidisciplinary effort by more than 20 researchers and clinicians around the country to design a battery of tasks that will allow us to explore early cognitive and language development in infants with and without developmental delays.

Mentor Information: Alana Dea is a senior clinical research specialist in the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public health from the University of South Carolina. Dea’s research focuses on examining how co-occurring anxiety and ADHD affect young autistic children through caregiver reports, observational and neurobiological assessments.

Eligibility: Unless it is via a subaward agreement, Duke is unable to administer funds to individuals not enrolled or employed at our institution.

Mentor: David Akinsooto
Mentor Role: Senior Clinical Research Specialist
Principal Investigator: Elena Tenenbaum
Institution: Duke University
Location: Durham, NC
Lab Website: https://sites.duke.edu/risebattery/

Project Title: Remote Infant Studies of Early Learning (RISE) battery

Project Description: The RISE battery is a multidisciplinary effort by more than 20 researchers and clinicians around the country to design a battery of tasks that will allow us to explore early cognitive and language development in infants with and without developmental delays.

Mentor Information: David Akinsooto is a clinical research specialist in the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development. He holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and economics from Swarthmore College. Akinsooto’s research focuses on the use of neurophysiological metrics to identify biomarkers for autism and associated co-occurring conditions.

Eligibility: Unless it is via a subaward agreement, Duke is unable to administer funds to individuals not enrolled or employed at our institution.

Mentor: Iman Wahle
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Tatiana Engel
Institution: Princeton University
Location: Princeton, NJ
Lab Website: N/A

Project Title: Circuit-level mechanisms for compositional task execution in artificial and biological networks

Project Description: Humans and non-human primates have the remarkable ability to quickly learn complex new tasks like cooking a new dish, often on the first try. One reason for this is that we can draw on past experience—we don’t have to learn how to cook rice from scratch every time a new recipe calls for it. There is still much to understand about the mechanisms for how the brain repurposes previously acquired skills. How does the brain infer which previous skills to use in a new context? Once the relevant skills have been determined, how does the brain compose the corresponding neural representations for these skills together? How does the structure of instructions for a new task shape the extent to which the brain can leverage previous skills? In this project, we will explore these questions in artificial recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and monkey electrophysiology data. The SURFiN fellow can expect to work on some of the following: training RNNs, comparing networks trained on different datasets or with different architectures, analyzing the activity and connectivity of these networks and/or performing preliminary data analysis of electrophysiology data.

Mentor Information: Iman Wahle is a third year graduate student in Tatiana Engel’s and Tim Buschman’s labs at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Caltech. Her research focuses on how artificial networks and the brain repurpose circuitry across tasks for efficient generalization.

Mentor: Gregory Davis
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Emre Aksay
Institution: Weill Cornell Medicine
Location: New York, NY
Lab Website: https://physiology.med.cornell.edu/people/emre-aksay-ph-d/

Project Title: Context-dependent processing in networks with dendritic gating

Project Description: In this project, we will explore recurrent neural network (RNN) models of state-dependent computations (e.g., computations that depend on the contents of short-term memory). We will systematically compare the dynamics, task performance and learning capabilities of traditional RNNs with models that incorporate nonlinear, dendritic compartments, which are hypothesized to support context-dependent changes in network dynamics. These models may provide testable predictions about dynamics in biological neural systems and advance the development of more powerful machine learning systems. A prospective SURFiN fellow can expect to train and evaluate RNNs using conventional machine learning libraries (e.g., PyTorch) and gain practical experience in neural model development, as well as statistical methods and dimensionality reduction techniques that are more broadly useful in the analysis of neural population recordings.

Mentor Information: Gregory Davis is a postdoctoral scholar in Emre Aksay’s lab at Weill Cornell Medicine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a doctorate in computer science from the University of Maryland, College Park. His research focuses on the neuronal dynamics underlying short-term memory and state-dependent cognitive and sensorimotor computations. He is a current NIH BRAIN Initiative NRSA fellow and former NSF Research Traineeship fellow.

Mentor: Mathieu Simeral
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Emre Aksay
Institution: Weill Cornell Medicine
Location: New York, NY
Lab Website: https://physiology.med.cornell.edu/people/emre-aksay-ph-d/

Project Title: Dendritic computations for robust neural integration

Project Description: In this project, we will be exploring how dendritic computations impact network behavior in a neural integrator circuit. Integrator neurons in the oculomotor system are known to monitor and control eye movements by integrating eye-velocity signals and producing eye-position commands. Classical models of recurrent neural networks can integrate incoming signals. However, they tend to break down without fine tuning of the network parameters that is not biologically plausible. Models that incorporate dendritic biophysics as another level of computation may increase the robustness of the integration process. Our goal is to further ground these models with biophysically realistic neurons and dendrites and test them experimentally. To do so, SURFiN fellows will help take measurements of integrator dendritic activity using two-photon imaging, help analyze this experimental data using customized software tools and participate in the development of integrator network models with biophysically realistic neurons. Fellows will be able to focus on different aspects of this project depending on interest and experience. Altogether, SURFiN fellows will learn broadly applicable skills in optical measurements, coding, data analysis and physical modelling on top of gaining experience in interdisciplinary and collaborative neuroscience research.

Mentor Information: Mathieu Simeral is a postdoctoral associate in physiology and biophysics in Emre Aksay’s lab at Weill Cornell Medicine. He holds a bachelor’s in physics and a doctorate in biophysics from William Marsh Rice University. His research focuses on the role of dendritic computation in neuronal network function.

Mentor: Charles Dowell
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Associate
Principal Investigator: Vanessa Ruta
Institution: Rockefeller University
Location: New York, NY
Lab Website: https://www.therutalab.com/

Project Title: Formation and utilisation of navigational goals in Drosophila. Circuit mechanisms of spatial memories

Project Description: Animals exploit the space around them by revisiting places that are particularly salient—can you picture how to get to your favorite café? To do this, contextual information and sensory experience are bound to neuronal representations of space, which become navigational goals that animals travel towards. This project will explore the cellular and circuit mechanisms of these computations, by assessing how the fruit fly Drosophila forms spatial memories and uses them to revisit food odors while foraging. The SURFiN fellow will examine how distinct neuron classes in navigational and learning brain centers of the fly (central complex and mushroom bodies) contribute to olfactory guided search, through optogenetics experiments and quantitative assessment of behavior. Fellows will use the complete wiring diagram of the fly brain (connectome) to generate and test hypotheses of how neuronal activity in these circuits enable computations and behavior, improving our general understanding of how the brain forms and uses spatial memory. By the end of their SURFiN program, fellows will gain expertise in the powerful neurogenetic and connectomics tools available in Drosophila, allowing them to design, analyze and interpret their own experiments— ultimately shedding light on a computation fundamental to an animal’s survival and evolutionary success.

Mentor Information: Charlie Dowell is a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Vanessa Ruta at The Rockefeller University. Charlie holds a bachelor’s in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge and a master’s and doctorate in neuroscience from University College London. He is interested in the detailed circuit mechanisms of cognition and studies how olfactory experience influences neuronal representations of space during navigation. Dowell is a recipient of the Junior Fellowship from the Simons Society of Fellows.

Mentor: Jiso Hong
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Researcher
Principal Investigator: Franz Weber
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Lab Website: https://www.med.upenn.edu/weberlab/

Project Title: Role of MCH neurons in sleep regulation and memory in 16p11.2 deletion mice

Project Description: 16p11.2 deletion syndrome is associated with neurodevelopmental conditions, and affected individuals show impaired sleep and cognitive functions. Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons in the lateral hypothalamus are crucially involved in sleep regulation and memory processing. However, their involvement in behavioral difficulties of 16p11.2 deletion mice remains unknown. In this project, we aim to understand the role of MCH neurons in sleep and cognitive issues of 16p11.2 deletion mice. First, we plan to record the activity of MCH neurons during sleep and novel object exploration using calcium imaging. By comparing with WT mice, we can investigate the association between MCH neuron activity and behavioral phenotypes. Using optogenetic manipulation, we will test whether activating MCH neurons can rescue 16p11.2 deletion mice behaviors. By combining viral tracing and immunohistochemistry, we aim to identify changes in the connectivity of MCH neurons in 16p11.2 deletion mice. The SURFiN fellow will learn to perform sleep recordings and object recognition tests combined with calcium imaging and optogenetic stimulation and to analyze results using Python. Apart from expanding their technical and analytical skill sets, students will learn in-depth about sleep neurobiology and the interconnection of sleep and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Mentor Information: Jiso Hong is a postdoctoral researcher in the Weber lab at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a bachelor’s in biological sciences and doctorate in neuroscience from KAIST in South Korea. Hong’s research focuses on the regulation of REM sleep and its phasic features by the prefrontal cortex and how the population dynamics of cortical neurons during sleep changes in autism.

Mentor Name: Sara Caldas Martinez
Mentor Role: Doctoral Candidate
Principal Investigator: Kate Hong
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Lab Website: thehonglab.com

Project Title: Distributed processing of tactile discrimination

Project Description: The ability to discriminate between different objects is essential for our everyday lives. This project is aimed at understanding how neural circuits mediate touch-mediated discrimination to guide behavioral decisions. Using the mouse whisker system as a model, we will seek to uncover how sensory experiences are transformed into a percept and how cortical and subcortical areas coordinate their activity to underlie sensory-guided behavior.

The SURFiN fellow will learn techniques in animal behavior and optogenetic methods to activate or silence populations of neurons while mice perform a discrimination task. In addition, students will learn to perform stereotactic surgeries, circuit tracing using viral vectors and histological processing and imaging of brain tissue. The fellow will work under the close mentorship of a senior graduate student and is encouraged to develop skills that can lead to an independent project within the scope of the mentor’s research goals. The fellow is invited to participate in lab meetings, journal clubs and neuroscience research seminars in the broader Pittsburgh area to gain further exposure to topics in neuroscience research, science communication and critical thinking.

Mentor Information: Sara Caldas Martinez is a doctoral candidate in biological sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a bachelor’s in biochemistry and master’s in neuroscience from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. Her research focuses on investigating how tactile information is processed between cortical and subcortical brain areas during a discrimination process.

Mentor: Rawan Fakhreddine
Mentor Role: Doctoral Candidate
Principal Investigator: Kate Hong
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Lab Website: thehonglab.com

Project Title: Sensory rehabilitation after ischemic injury

Project Description: Understanding how the brain recovers from cortical injury is foundational for developing effective rehabilitation strategies. Loss of tactile sensation after cortical stroke increases the risk of injury and delays motor recovery, due to the close link between sensory and motor function. While most rehabilitation efforts focus on motor recovery, the mechanisms of tactile recovery independent of motor function remain poorly understood. A key challenge in studying sensory recovery is that ischemic stroke often affects both sensory and motor areas simultaneously. This project aims to identify the time course of recovery after ischemic injury to primary somatosensory cortex in mice to determine the critical window during which sensory rehabilitation is most effective.

The SURFiN fellow will gain experience in animal behavior, mouse models of ischemic stroke, histological analysis, immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. Fellows will also learn data analysis of behavioral learning and performance and image processing and quantification. The fellow will acquire technical and analytical skills with opportunities to explore an independent project aligned with the mentor’s research goals. The fellow is encouraged to participate in lab meetings, journal clubs and neuroscience research seminars in the broader Pittsburgh area to gain further exposure to topics in neuroscience research, science communication and critical thinking.

Mentor Information: Rawan Fakhreddine is a doctoral candidate in the program in systems neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University. She received her bachelor’s in neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mentor Name: Seo-Jun Kang
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Hye Young Lee
Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Location: San Antonio, TX
Lab Website: https://lsom.uthscsa.edu/physiology/team-member/hye-young-lee-ph-d

Project Title: Nonviral gene editing for brain disorders

Project Description: Gene therapeutics have great potential for treating neurological conditions. However, challenges with delivery have limited their clinical potential. CRISPR/Cas9 is one of the most widely used gene editing tools due to the target specificity and simple design of sgRNA lending it both precision and ease of use. The Lee lab has demonstrated that gene editing with Cas9 RNPs (Cas9 protein/sgRNA complexes) using non-viral delivery is possible in the adult mouse brain. Our current project aims to deliver Cas9 in a form of mRNA/sgRNA using non-viral vectors in brain disorder mouse models given the promising features of mRNA delivery. To achieve this goal, we will focus on identifying the most efficient delivery vehicle and will apply this novel delivery system to neurodevelopmental conditions in their mouse models.

Mentor Information: Seo-Jun Kang is a postdoctoral fellow in Hye Young Lee’s lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Kang holds a bachelor’s degree in bioscience from Ajou University and a doctorate in neuroscience from Ajou University School of Medicine in Korea. His research focuses on gene editing using non-viral vectors in a neurodevelopmental disorder model.

Mentor: Rodrigo Gonzales-Rojas
Mentor Role: Medical Student
Principal Investigator: Hye Young Lee
Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Location: San Antonio, TX
Lab Website: https://lsom.uthscsa.edu/physiology/team-member/hye-young-lee-ph-d

Project Title: Mimicry behaviors in the mouse model for fragile X syndrome

Project Description: The project will focus on elucidating mimicry behaviors using a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. We will assess mimicry behaviors using imitative scratching behaviors or eating behaviors. If successful, this proposal will contribute to elucidate the behavioral social complexity of neurodevelopmental conditions by developing mimicry/imitative behavior assessment tools in preclinical models and will contribute to understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of fragile X syndrome.

Mentor Information: Rodrigo Gonzales-Rojas is a medical student in Hye Young Lee’s lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Gonzales-Rojas holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and biosciences from Rice University. His research focuses on mimicry behaviors in autism using mouse models.

Mentor: Shamim Ahmed
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Hye Young Lee
Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
Location: San Antonio, TX
Lab Website: https://lsom.uthscsa.edu/physiology/team-member/hye-young-lee-ph-d

Project Title: Microglia in fragile X syndrome

Project Description: The project aims to elucidate how microglial FMRP contributes to the pathophysiology of fragile X syndrome. We will use molecular, cellular and behavioral techniques to understand the potential mechanisms underlying microglia deficits as well as to determine the contributions of these microglia deficits to the pathophysiology of fragile X syndrome. If successful, this work will provide critical understanding of fragile X syndrome pathophysiology and will provide information necessary for potential therapeutics.

Mentor Information: Shamim Ahmed is a graduate student in Hye Young Lee’s lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Shamim holds a bachelor of pharmacy and master of pharmacy in pharmacology and clinical pharmacy from the North South University in Bangladesh. His research focuses on microglia in fragile X syndrome.

Mentor: Damhyeon Kwak
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Frost
Institution: University of Utah
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Lab Website: https://nickfrostlab.org/

Project Title: Neural mechanism underlying context-dependent social behavioral decisions

Project Description: The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulates flexible decision-making during complex behaviors, such as social interactions. Neurological conditions, including autism, are marked by issues in social interaction. Previous work in the lab demonstrated that the mPFC encodes persistent representations of social information in parallel with representations of the environment. However, it is not well understood how changes in context alter social behavioral decisions, reflecting the dynamic and reciprocal nature of social behavior. Moreover, the circuit mechanisms by which the mPFC regulates these behaviors and decisions are not well understood. To bridge this gap, we have designed a novel paradigm that permits us to examine mPFC activity underlying social interaction across different contexts. Notably, we see distinct repertoires of social interaction that emerge in a context-dependent manner. Specifically, we observe that whereas wild type mice initiate social interaction with intruder mice in their own home cage, this drive to initiate social interaction is lost when there is a competing drive to explore a novel environment. Moreover, we observe similar loss of initiation in mice lacking the autism-risk gene SHANK3. Taken together, these data suggest that there is a specific loss of motivation to initiate social interaction in mice lacking SHANK3. Using microendoscopic calcium imaging in labeled projection populations, we will investigate how socially-relevant information is routed in neural circuits during the initiation of social interaction. Our preliminary datasets suggest that a population of mPFC neurons are specifically active at the moment mice decide to initiate social interaction and this activation is lost in mice lacking SHANK3. These experiments will help to elucidate how mPFC circuit dysregulation in a mouse model of autism disrupts typical social interactions.

Mentor Information: Damhyeon Kwak is a doctoral student in neuroscience at the University of Utah. She received her bachelor’s degree in life sciences and psychology from Sogang University, Korea and a master’s degree in brain and cognitive sciences from Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Korea, where she studied neural activity driving group social behavior utilizing intracortical recording. With continuous interest in studying the neural mechanism underlying social behavior, she joined the Frost lab for doctoral training. Currently, her graduate work focuses on understanding how the brain guides flexible social decisions and how it is altered by behavioral context and neurological conditions.

Mentor: Nathan Johnston
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Frost
Institution: University of Utah
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Lab Website: https://nickfrostlab.org/

Project Title: Multiplexed social and spatial encoding in the prefrontal cortex

Project Description: Social interactions are highly complex repertoires of behaviors essential for the survival of an organism and may change between diverse contexts and locations. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is necessary for this adaptability, which requires it to encode relevant social, spatial and contextual information in parallel. The principal goal of this project is to understand how neurons in the mPFC encode spatial information relevant to social interaction. Specifically, we sought to understand if there are individual neurons which multiplex social information on allocentric (world-centered) or egocentric (self-centered) coordinate systems within the mPFC. We have identified egocentric boundary cells and egocentric social cells which map the relative position of oneself and the position of a conspecific, respectively, on an egocentric frame of reference. We have also identified similar neurons which multiplex the position of self and other on allocentric coordinates. Using this approach we can quantify the relative preference of cells within the prefrontal microcircuit to encode social and non-social information on egocentric and allocentric reference frames; our data suggest that the mPFC is strongly tuned to multiplex spatial information regarding social conspecifics on an egocentric frame of reference. We are actively examining the tuning of specific cell populations and projections which engage in processing and routing spatial information relevant to social and non-social stimuli in the healthy and diseased brain.

Mentor Information: Nathan Johnston is a fourth year doctoral candidate in the Frost lab at the University of Utah. After completing his undergraduate training at the University of Washington, he came to Salt Lake City as a part of the University of Utah’s biosciences doctoral program in 2021. Under the mentorship of Nick Frost, Johnston has developed a research program focused on how the medial prefrontal cortex combines social and spatial information to support complex social behaviors in mice. He has been a SURFiN mentor since 2023.

Mentor: Hailee Walker
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Frost
Institution: University of Utah
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Lab Website: https://nickfrostlab.org/

Project Title: Behavioral phenotyping of the GRN R493X model of frontotemporal dementia

Project Description: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the second most common cause of dementia in people under 60 years old. It is marked by changes in behavior, executive function and language. In addition, there is a family history of dementia in up to 20-50 percent of cases, with mutations in C9orf72, MAPT or GRN accounting for 60 percent of inherited cases. Recently, a knock-in mouse model of one of the most common pathological mutations causing progranulin deficiency (GrnR493X) has been generated and recapitulates many of the hallmark pathological findings, including age-dependent microgliosis in both the thalamus and hippocampus . However, the behavioral phenotypes have not been well characterized. We have identified difficulties in novel object recognition starting at five months which persist with age. Additionally, these mice exhibit early, anxiety-like phenotypes and increased sociality. We also observe context-specific, impulsive social behaviors in age-dependent parental over-barbering of pups. We plan to further characterize these changes in social and maternal behaviors utilizing Social LEAP Estimates Animal Poses (SLEAP). Additional experiments will compare the activity of neuronal populations activated by these behaviors to determine changes that could underlie these behaviors.

Mentor Information: Hailee Walker received her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in chemistry from the University of Utah in 2021. As a lab technician in the lab of Nick Frost, she utilized single nuclei RNA sequencing to understand how the activity of heterogeneous cell types are impacted during social behavior in the Shank3 KO model of autism. She additionally worked on a project behaviorally characterizing social, anxiety and maternal behaviors of a mouse model of frontotemporal dementia (GRN R493X). In 2023, she started her doctorate in neuroscience at the University of Utah under the mentorship of Jessica Osterhout and Nick Frost. Her doctoral work is focused on how aging impacts the neural mechanisms that underlie behavior.

Mentor: Victoria Pierce
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Amy Orsborn
Institution: University of Washington
Location: Seattle, WA
Lab Website: https://faculty.washington.edu/aorsborn

Project Title: Effects of feedback on learning redundant sensorimotor transforms

Project Description: Real-world motor tasks involve a many-to-one (i.e. redundant) relationship between our nervous system’s inputs and the motor output we observe. For example, we use many muscles to throw a dart, but hitting the bullseye only depends on the angle and speed at which the dart is launched. Controlling a brain-computer interface (BCI), where hundreds of neurons control a few aspects of movement, involves learning a similar complex inverse problem. Redundant input-output mappings introduce feedback ambiguity that may make learning the relationship between inputs and movement outputs more complicated. This project will investigate how various kinds of feedback can shape behavior as someone learns to control a novel redundant sensorimotor transform. You will help run experiments where human subjects use hand motions to control a cursor inside of a virtual reality environment. You will be given mentorship to design experiments, and analyze and interpret your results. This project will impart a deep understanding of the cutting edge of motor learning and human-machine interface research, as well as vital experience in experimental design and execution, time-series data analysis and scientific communication.

Mentor Information: Victoria Pierce is a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering in the Orsborn lab. Her research focuses on advancing accessibility of neural interfaces by investigating how design decisions can impact the way people learn to control a device. She conducts experiments with human volunteers using motion capture and virtual reality (VR) displays to study how manipulations to visual feedback can either help or hinder users in learning to control devices. She also runs simulations to test new behavioral models that will enable researchers to predict learning effects in human-machine interfaces. Pierce received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of California, Davis with a minor in neuroscience. At UC Davis, she worked in a lab researching closed-loop spinal stimulation to restore balance after spinal cord injury. She is a member of Women in Neural Engineering (WINE) and has previously mentored students for the ENDURE program.

Mentor: Gabby Shvartsman
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Anna Gillespie
Institution: University of Washington
Location: Seattle, WA
Lab Website: www.gillespie-lab.com

Project Title: Neural mechanisms of deliberation in the hippocampus

Project Description: Making good decisions often involves remembering past experiences, evaluating them and using them to inform a choice; a process that we refer to as deliberation. The hippocampus has long been known as a critical brain region for memory processes but has recently been implicated in deliberation. While the hippocampal neural mechanisms of both spatial navigation and memory have been extensively explored, how these mechanisms may support memory-guided deliberation is less clear. To better understand this process, we are collecting a large dataset of hippocampal neural recordings during a flexible, memory-guided spatial navigation task in rats. In this task, rats must repeatedly choose particular locations to visit (out of many options) in order to receive a food reward, providing us ample opportunities to study the deliberation process. We will leverage this dataset to explore the relationship between the internal spatial representations reflected in our hippocampal neural data and relate them to decision outcomes. The SURFiN fellow will be given opportunities to learn to handle rats and administer the behavioral task, build neural implants, assist with collecting electrophysiology data during task performance, visualize and analyze neural and behavioral data, read and discuss current literature and present their scientific work.

Mentor Information: Gabby Shvartsman is a graduate student in Anna Gillespie’s lab at the University of Washington, Seattle. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley in molecular and cellular biology, with an emphasis in neurobiology, and a minor in computer science. Her project explores the hippocampal neural mechanisms of memory-guided decision making.

Mentor: Kim Miller
Mentor Role: Research Scientist
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Steinmetz
Institution: University of Washington
Location: Seattle, WA
Lab Website: https://www.steinmetzlab.net/

Project Title: High-accuracy electrophysiological targeting methods and validation

Project Description: Neuroscience has been revolutionized in recent years by the advent of new tools for large-scale electrophysiology, including Neuropixels technology. These devices are often used to target multiple regions across the brain, thus achieving a new scale of dataset capable of unraveling the complex coordination between brain regions that underlies mammalian cognition. However, the use of multiple probes increases the requirements for accurate targeting, since any mistargeted probe can yield an experiment unusable. In this project, the student will undertake a combination of experimental and computational approaches aimed at improving methods for high accuracy of electrode targeting. This will include validation experiments with stereotaxic injections and histological data collection and will include computational methods for analyzing these datasets and determining targeting accuracy. The student will gain first-hand experience in modern neuroscientific techniques and computational approaches.

Mentor Information: Kim Miller is a research scientist in the Steinmetz Lab with an extensive background in experimental neuroscience including microscopy, electrophysiology, histology and other techniques in multiple species including mice and birds. Her focus in the lab is on collecting large-scale, high-quality electrophysiological datasets with Neuropixels probes, on training mice to perform advanced cognitive tasks and on developing approaches for high-resolution electrode targeting.

Mentor: Ian Quah
Mentor Role: Doctoral Student
Principal Investigator: Osama Ahmed
Institution: University of Washington
Location: Seattle, WA
Lab Website: https://www.ahmedlab.science/team/sama-ahmed

Project Title: Decoding neural network robustness in the fly brain

Project Description: Brains are generally resilient to some, but not all, forms of damage. However, we do not yet fully understand what factors contribute to this robustness or under what conditions the brain becomes fragile to neuron loss. Research in our lab has identified two types of neurons: those that, when removed, lead to large changes in a network’s expected activity patterns and those that do not seem to matter as much. We hypothesize that understanding a neuron’s morphological and network properties—its arborization patterns, neurotransmitter profile, synaptic partners, etc.—will hold the key to understanding its role in network robustness.

Using both in vivo and in silico approaches, the SURFiN fellow will engage in experiments with live fruit flies and develop computational models to analyze data. This includes setting up genetic crosses and collecting and analyzing behavioral data. On the in silico side, the fellow will learn Python programming for data analysis, basic linear algebra, graph theory and computer science principles. Additionally, the project offers opportunities to develop science communication and data visualization skills. The fellow will therefore gain hands-on experience in both experimental biology and computational techniques, contributing to ongoing research in neural network robustness.

Mentor Information: Ian Quah is a doctoral student in the neural systems and behavior program at the University of Washington’s department of psychology, working in Sama Ahmed’s Lab. Quah earned his bachelor’s in cognitive science from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017, where he conducted research on automated database management and interpretable AI. Quah’s work uses the Drosophila connectome to understand neural computation, and he hopes to bridge the gap between deep neural networks and biological neural circuits, using insights from neural systems to develop more computationally and data-efficient learning algorithms.

Mentor: Vardan Arutiunian
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Sara Webb
Institution: Seattle Children’s Hospital
Location: Seattle, WA
Lab Website: http://depts.washington.edu/pbslab/

Project Title: Short-term neural plasticity in the auditory cortex of youth and young adults with autism

Project Description: Recent studies, using optogenetics and single-cell recording in animals, have revealed that gamma oscillations (30-150Hz) can reflect the mechanisms of short-term neural plasticity and learning. For instance, in the visual modality, during the repetition of the same visual stimuli, gamma power increases from trial to trial but remains lower for the novel stimuli, suggesting the sensitivity of this neural response. The same mechanisms in the auditory cortex have not been studied yet.

The goal of the present project is to explore the short-term neural plasticity and changes of gamma power in the auditory cortex of youth and young adults with autism and to assess whether the alteration of this mechanism is associated with communication skills. Using local available dataset (GENDAAR wave 2), including large sample size (N ~ 150) and standard EEG auditory oddball paradigm, we aim to calculate gamma power at the single-trial level and to assess the changes of power from trial to trial during repetition of the same sounds (tones at 1000Hz). The results will explore, for the first time, the mechanisms of short-term neural plasticity and learning in the auditory cortex at the individual-subject level in autism.

Mentor Information: Vardan Arutiunian is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Sara Jane Webb’s lab. He received a doctoral degree in linguistics at the Center for Language and Brain (HSE University, Moscow, Russia) in the field of language and communication in autism. In his research, Arutiunian uses behavioral assessment, genetic approaches and neurobiological methods (magnetoencephalography, electroencephalography, brain morphometry, etc.) to investigate variability of language skills as well as structural and functional brain mechanisms of language impairment in children with autism. He has received a number of research and teaching awards from several organizations, including the European Union, and has published eight articles in international peer-reviewed journals.

Mentor: Jesse Miles
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Sara Webb
Institution: Seattle Children’s Hospital
Location: Seattle, WA
Lab Website: http://depts.washington.edu/pbslab/

Project Title: Developmental neurophysiology of human affect regulation networks

Project Description: This project explores the neurophysiology of affect regulation. In collaboration with neurosurgeons at Seattle Children’s Hospital, we do research with pediatric epilepsy patients who have electrodes temporarily implanted in their brain to aid in clinical care. Working with this patient population gives us the rare opportunity to study pediatric brain activity using intracranial electrodes while patients are awake and participating in research tasks.

In our current project, participants are shown two types of stimuli: 1) pictures of faces with sad, fearful, angry, neutral or happy expressions, and 2) clips from movies that are meant to elicit positive feelings, sadness or fear. An aim of this project is to investigate how different valences (sad, happy or fearful) and modalities (image or movie) of stimuli evoke different response patterns in circuits involved in regulating emotions.

The SURFIN fellow can expect to learn about the fundamentals of electrophysiology, basic human neuroanatomy and working with clinical data. Based on fellow interests, day-to-day work may include interpreting clinical MRI scans, examining neuroelectric activity, processing research data or analyzing neural responses. All fellows can expect to read papers related to affect regulation and will receive mentorship in scientific paper reading commensurate with their experience level.

Mentor Information: Jesse Miles is a postdoctoral research fellow mentored by Sara Jane Webb in the center for child health, behavior, and development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and Jeff Ojemann at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He has a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Washington. Miles’s research focuses on human brain development. Specifically, he studies how brain physiology changes throughout neurodevelopment with a particular interest in the development of affect regulation circuitry.

Mentor: Caitlin Ottaway
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Lucia Peixoto
Institution: Washington State University
Location: Spokane, WA
Lab Website: https://labs.wsu.edu/peixoto-lab/

Project Title: Single-cell approaches to understand the impact of sleep deprivation in the brain in a mouse model of autism

Project Description: Individuals with autism often experience sleep disturbances, which can exacerbate the severity of core autism traits. This project will investigate how sleep deprivation and autism interact in early development. Specifically, we will use single-nuclear RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to investigate how sleep deprivation in Shank3ΔC mice induces cell-type-specific changes in gene expression in the frontal cortex of very young mice. The SURFiN fellow will gain hands-on experience performing differential gene expression on snRNA-seq data by developing proficiency in creating reproducible code in RStudio for data analysis utilizing the Bioconductor package suite. In addition to technical skills, you will have the opportunity to refine your scientific writing, reading and communication abilities.

Mentor Information: Caitlin Ottaway is a second-year doctoral student in neuroscience in Lucia Peixoto’s lab at Washington State University Spokane. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in neuroscience and psychology from WSU under the WSU STARS accelerated degree program. During her undergraduate studies, Ottaway explored the development of inhibitory control during adolescence. Her current research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying sleep homeostasis, both in typical development and in models of autism. Using single-cell omic level techniques, she investigates how sleep and sleep deprivation impact the brain. Ottaway is also a recipient of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists scholarship.

Mentor: Jiyoun Lee
Mentor Role: Graduate Student
Principal Investigator: Xinyu Zhao
Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Location: Madison, WI
Lab Website: https://neuro.wisc.edu/staff/zhao-xinyu/

Project Title: To investigate how RACK1 regulates the development of human neurons

Project Description: This project focuses on investigating the brain enriched ribosomal scaffold protein, a receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1). RACK1 is a human-specific target of FMRP, a protein lost in fragile X syndrome (FXS). RAACK1 can rescue mitochondrial dysfunction and hyperexcitability of neurons derived from FXS patients. Despite these findings, questions remain: What are the functions of RACK1 human neurons? How does RACK1 regulate mitochondrial functions? RACK1 is known to interact with the ribosome. This project aims to answer these questions. Specifically, I will use human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neurons to unravel the mechanisms by which RACK1 regulates neuronal functions. To achieve this, I identify protein interactome of RACK1 in human neurons and investigate how these protein cofactors facilitate or modulate the functions of RACK1 in regulating neurodevelopment. The SURFiN fellow will be able to learn various techniques such as immunohistochemistry, qPCR, Western blot, DNA preparation and also earn basic knowledge in stem cells and neurodevelopment and cellular compartment functions.

Mentor Information: Jiyoun Lee is in her second year of her doctoral training in the neuroscience training program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biosystems and biomedical science and her master’s degree in biomedical science from Korea University, Seoul Campus, South Korea, where she investigated the role of proteins in neuronal morphogenesis and maturation. She was awarded multiple research scholarships from Korea University, as well as the Brain Korea 21 (BK21). Her research interest lies in understanding the molecular pathways that regulate neurodevelopment to uncover potential therapeutic strategies for neurodevelopmental conditions. As a member of Xinyu Zhao’s laboratory, she focuses on elucidating the mechanisms by which RACK1 regulates human neuronal functions.

Mentor Name: Yu Gao
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Scientist
Principal Investigator: Xinyu Zhao
Institution: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Location: Madison, WI
Lab Website: https://neuro.wisc.edu/staff/zhao-xinyu/

Project Title: Epigenetic regulation of neurodevelopment by methyl-CpG binding protein 1

Project Description: This project aims to investigate the regulatory mechanism by methyl-CpG binding protein 1 (MBD1), a gene associated with autism, and evaluate the roles of genes targeted by MBD1 in brain development. We will use several experimental models created in our laboratory, including MBD1 knockout mice, mouse lines with mutations found in human individuals with autism, and human pluripotent stem cell lines with human MBD1 mutations for this study. The SURFiN fellow can anticipate the following experiences: (1) actively participating in the mentor’s research and acquiring fundamental knowledge in areas such as transgenic mouse models and epigenetics; (2) learning techniques, including genotyping, gene manipulation (gene knockdown and activation), and neuron morphological analyses; (3) conducting sample preparations and data collections from MBD1 deficient neurons; (5) engaging in research discussions, attending research seminars/presentations and presenting findings at lab meetings; (6) contributing to manuscript(s) that we plan to submit in the coming year.

Mentor Information: Yu Gao is a research scientist of molecular neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received a doctoral degree in developmental biology specializing in epigenetic regulations of embryonic development from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark). In Xinyu Zhao’s laboratory, he investigates the genetic and epigenetic mechanism underlying brain development and plasticity. His research has unveiled the critical roles played by epigenetic regulators such as MeCP2 associated with Rett syndrome, and MBD1, linked to autism, in complex regulation of brain development. In addition, he is using single cell genetics to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal maturation during the prenatal development when neurons undergo significant changes in morphology, physiology and gene expression. His research has yielded eight first author or co-first author publications and 16 collaborative publications.

Mentor Name: Benjamin Schaar
Mentor Role: Doctoral Student
Principal Investigator: Manuel Zimmer
Institution: University of Vienna
Location: Vienna, Austria
Lab Website: https://neurodevbio.univie.ac.at/zimmer-research/

Project Title: Odor-induced neural activity and behavior in C. elegans

Project Description: In this project, we will explore the dynamics between the brain, body and environment in the nematode C. elegans, while it moves through a sensory-enriched environment. C. elegans’ navigation highly depends on its ability to sense chemical stimuli in the environment through chemosensory neurons. While it is one of the most studied model organisms and highly accessible for neuroscientists (302 neuron brain, completely mapped connectome), many details involved in the worm’s ability to sense and distinguish different chemical signals remain unknown.

Depending on the student’s progress during the internship, we will: (1) use state-of-the-art high-speed cameras to image the worm’s behavior as it crawls through an artificial agar arena enriched with a chemical stimulus and (2) image the worm’s whole brain while it moves through the same environment using our custom whole-brain freely moving method, which involves a confocal microscope for neuronal activity and a high-resolution behavior camera.

Both parts, (1) and (2), will require wet lab skills like maintaining and keeping the worms, making the arenas and using the imaging setups. Since we are using Python for data analysis, some prior programming knowledge is beneficial but not necessary.
It is fine if you don’t have a lot of prior experience in the required skills since it will be learning by doing, and there will be as much supervision as needed!

Mentor Information: Benjamin Schaar is a doctoral student in the Zimmer Lab, in the UBB, the University of Vienna’s new Bio-Center in the third district of Vienna. He studied molecular neuroscience at the University of Vienna and did his master’s thesis at the Medical University in the field of neuropharmacology. Current research interests include understanding the dynamics between the brain, the body and the environment in the nematode C. elegans during food chemotaxis.

Mentor Name: Itamar Lev
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Manuel Zimmer
Institution: University of Vienna
Location: Vienna, Austria
Lab Website: https://neurodevbio.univie.ac.at/zimmer-research/

Project Title: Analysis of C. elegans brain-wide responses to trapping by predatory fungus

Project Description: Large-scale neuronal recordings in diverse species repeatedly showed distributed motor-related signals across the brain. The role of these costly signals is not yet understood, and studying such distributed signals in ecologically relevant contexts is challenging. In the offered project, we will investigate these signals by conducting whole-brain imaging in the nematode C. elegans when it is trapped by its natural fungal predator Arthrobotrys oligospora. C. elegans increase their curving efforts and prolong their reversal escape attempts in response to trapping. These forward and reverse behaviors are known to be associated with brain-wide distributed activity. In this project, we will study how these brain-wide states are modulated and their role in the escape response of the worm.

Mentor Information: Itamar Lev is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Zimmer lab at the University of Vienna investigating C. elegans neuroscience. He completed his doctorate at Tel Aviv University, where he worked on transgenerational inheritance via heritable small-RNAs in C. elegans. Currently, he studies how distributed brain states convey feedback on behavior execution and how these behaviors are flexibly adjusted in varying environments. His research leverages novel and unique techniques such as functional whole-brain imaging in freely behaving animals. A special interest of his work is to study neuronal responses in natural, ecologically relevant settings, such as when the worms interact with their predator, a nematophagic fungus. His research is funded by the VIP2, EMBO and now HFSP postdoctoral fellowships.

Mentor: Megan Rowland
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Annie Ciernia
Institution: University of British Columbia
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Lab Website: https://ciernialab.med.ubc.ca/

Project Title: The role of autism-associated BAF variants in neurodevelopmental conditions

Project Description: Our main objective is to functionally characterize autism-associated variants in the BAF (Brg1 Associated Factor) nucleosome remodeling complex. The BAF complex is involved in regulating gene expression required for neuron development including the formation of dendritic branches and synaptic connections. In our lab, we are able to replace endogenous mouse BAF genes with human variants associated with autism. This project will focus on Brg1, one of the main enzymatic subunits of the BAF complex. Understanding how these autism-associated variants actually cause altered neuron development and function is the first major step towards novel therapeutic development. The SURFiN fellow can expect to: 1) fix and immunostain primary mouse neurons containing Brg1 variants to identify and label proteins in both the nucleus and dendrites of the neurons; 2) image neurons using the Echo Revolve Microscope; 3) perform Sholl analysis using ImageJ Sholl plugin to measure dendritic branching; 4) quantify the nuclear compared to extra nuclear signal for Brg1 and Brm; and 5) analyze data and create figures for publication.

Mentor Information: Megan Rowland is a postdoctoral researcher in Annie Ciernia’s lab at the University of British Columbia. She holds a bachelor’s in biology and psychology from Vancouver Island University and a doctorate in biochemistry and developmental biology from the University of Western Ontario. Rowland’s research focuses on understanding how perturbation of gene regulatory networks can lead to neurodevelopmental conditions. She is the recipient of the UBC Institute of Mental Health Marshall Fellowship, the Michael Smith Health Research BC Trainee Award and the Canadian Institute of Health Research Fellowship.

Mentor: Maren Wehrheim
Mentor Role: Visiting Scholar, Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Kohitij Kar
Institution: York University
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lab Website: https://vital-kolab.org

Project Title: Using AI to understand and modulate perception in autism

Project Description: In this project, we will explore how artificial neural networks (ANNs) can help us understand and even modify perceptual differences in autism. Our goal is to use AI models to predict how individuals with and without autism process facial expressions and objects in different contexts. The SURFiN fellow will work with state-of-the-art deep learning tools to analyze behavioral data and test how small image modifications can shift perception in controlled experiments.

No prior coding experience is required—students will gain hands-on skills in Python, machine learning and data analysis while working on real-world neuroscience applications. Tasks will include running simulations, visualizing model outputs and helping to design behavioral experiments based on AI-generated predictions. This work could have important implications for developing AI-assisted cognitive therapies.

The fellow will be mentored closely, with opportunities to learn fundamental research skills, including hypothesis testing, scientific communication and ethical considerations in AI and neuroscience. By the end of the project, they will have a deeper understanding of computational neuroscience and its potential to impact autism research.

Mentor Information: Maren Wehrheim is a postdoctoral fellow in Kohitij Kar’s lab at York University (2025-2027). She holds a master’s degree in computer science from Goethe University Frankfurt and a doctorate in computational neuroscience from the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies. Wehrheim’s research applies deep learning to model cognitive and perceptual processes. She is a Connected Minds Fellowship recipient at York University.

Mentor: Jose M. Cruz-Gamero
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Heike Rebholz
Institution: Institut de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences de Paris
Location: Paris, France
Lab Website: https://ipnp.paris5.inserm.fr/research/teams-and-projects/23-team-rebholz

Project Title: Synaptic alterations in mouse models of the Okur Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome

Project Description: In the team, we are studying a relatively newly described syndrome linked to autism, the Okur Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome (OCNDS), which is caused by missense variants in the gene CSNK2a1 encoding the kinase CK2a. All known mutations were shown to reduce kinase activity and thus affect the phosphorylation status of many proteins in neurons and glia cells where CK2 is expressed.

We have different mouse lines that model the human condition and are comparing these mice on several levels, from behavior, biochemistry, neuronal culture and imaging to cell-type specific proteomics.

Cruz-Gamero is particularly interested in synaptic alterations at the glutamatergic synapse in the hippocampus where he has found, for one of our mouse models, a delay in synapse maturation. He wants to compare cultivated neurons derived from our different OCNDS mouse lines, in basal and activated states by fluorescence microscopy. He images fixed but also live cells and their activation status using fluorescent activity reporters (GCaMPs). Cells will also undergo mass spectrometric and biochemical analysis, and the project will involve analysis of large mass spectrometry data sets.

Mentor Information: Jose M. Cruz-Gamero is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, France. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Malaga, Spain, and a master’s degree in neurosciences in Paris, France. During his doctorate in neurobiology at Université Paris Cité, France, he investigated the effect of de novo mutations in the CSNK2A1 gene, which encodes for protein kinase CK2, and is associated with a rare condition called Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome (OCNDS). His work focused on characterising a knock-in mouse line carrying the K198R variant, the most prevalent causing mutation, leading to the establishment of the first preclinical model of OCNDS. By using a combination of behavioural, cell morphological and biochemical approaches, he demonstrated CK2 crucial role in brain development and the impact of the K198R variant on synaptic function, resulting in memory and learning issues. His current project aims to compare new genetic mouse models carrying additional OCNDS-causing variants to understand the common mechanisms underlying OCNDS etiology.

Mentor: Caroline Haimerl
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Christian Machens
Institution: Fundação D. Anna de Sommer Champalimaud e Dr. Carlos Montez Champalimaud
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Lab Website: www.machenslab.org

Project Title: Tunable neural networks for goal-directed and context-dependent actions

Project Description: Humans and animals naturally juggle multiple goals and adapt to changing environments by coordinating their actions at different levels. For example, when going to work, we may plan our route using a map-like view of the world, avoid cars that we see getting too close and control our legs using complex muscle activations. How the brain organizes and adjusts these different levels to produce coherent behavior is still not well understood. In this project, we will build on models that efficiently represent sequences of actions and explore how they can be adjusted for specific goals and situations. We will test whether these models can adapt to different grid-based environments, varying in size, shape, including obstacles, and changes over time. The goal is to understand how groups of neurons in the brain represent these behaviors, both in terms of general principles and the specific ways neurons work together. The SURFiN fellow will gain hands-on experience training neural network models of the brain (including feedforward, recurrent and autoencoder networks), learn about how gain modulation helps shape neural activity and work within the framework of reinforcement learning.

Mentor Information: Caroline Haimerl is a postdoctoral fellow at the Champalimaud neuroscience program working with Christian Machens, Joe Paton and Daniel McNamee. She holds bachelor’s degrees in statistics and in psychology from the University of Vienna, and did her doctorate in computational neuroscience with Eero Simoncelli and Cristina Savin at New York University. Her research aims to understand the neural and cognitive mechanisms of flexible behavior, involving task-dependent sensory processing and multiscale action plans, and uses modular neural network models and reinforcement learning theories. Haimerl is a Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain Transition to Independence fellow.

Mentor: Gillian Forrester (Principal Investigator)
Co-Mentor: Hannah Rowan (Research Assistant)
Co-Mentor: Saber Sotoodeh (Postdoctoral Researcher)
Principal Investigator: Gillian Forrester
Institution: University of Sussex
Location: Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom
Lab Website: https://profiles.sussex.ac.uk/p170236-gillian-forrester

Project Title: Identifying early markers of autism in naturalistic motor behavior using high-frequency sampling

Project Description: The project’s primary objectives are as follows: 1) recruit up to 100 pregnant mothers (50 high-likelihood and 50 low-likelihood for autism); 2) collect weekly motor data in the participants’ homes from birth to eight months using wearable sensor technology; 3) collect bi-weekly social-communication developmental evaluations to 18 months; 4) test associations between motor and social-communication development.

Mentor Information: Gillian Forrester is a professor of comparative cognition at the University of Sussex. She is the director of the Comparative Cognition Group investigating the behaviour and brain organisation of human and non-human great apes, focusing on how cognitive abilities evolve and develop over time and across species. Forrester is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Authority and a former Daphne Jackson Trust research fellow. She is the founder and director of the Me, Human project through which she regularly engages in public outreach and science communication education and advocates for women and girls in STEM. Through the Me, Human project Forrester collaborates with the public by hosting talks, appearing at festivals and conducting live science demonstrations. She has featured on radio (BBC Radio 4, BBC Local); TV (BBC, CNN, Reuters, BBC South East); science podcasts (e.g. Level Up Human, BBC Crowd Science); has written articles published by: Discover Magazine, Psychology Today, Early Years Educator, Autism Parenting Magazine; and has had her research featured in The Washington Post, The Conversation, Discover Magazine and New Scientist.

Co-Mentor Information: Hannah Rowan is a research assistant currently managing the Baby Grow project within the Comparative Cognition Group of the University of Sussex psychology department. Primary responsibilities are recruitment and retention of families mainly using social media, in this longitudinal study examining the links between infant motor development and autism/ADHD diagnosis. Other aspects of her role include data collection, stock management and participant coordination.

Co-Mentor Information: Saber Sotoodeh is a postdoctoral researcher interested in human motor development and learning. He has been working with people with autism since 2010 in practical and research settings to help them be included in society and improve their quality of life. Saber uses behavioural, neurophysiological and tech in his research.

Mentor: Rianne Haartsen
Mentor Role: Postdoctoral Researcher
Principal Investigator: Emily Jones
Institution: Birkbeck, University of London
Location: London, United Kingdom
Lab Website: https://sites.google.com/view/bondcbcd

Project Title: IDEA: Investigating brain development using electroencephalography in autism and ADHD

Project Description: In this project, we will explore early brain development and discover how neural patterns help shape neurodevelopmental outcomes. The SURFiN fellow will get the opportunity to learn more about electroencephalography (EEG), a powerful neuroimaging technique suitable for measuring brain function across development. We will examine how variability in brain activity in infants and children relates to behavioural features of autism and/or ADHD at later age. Depending on your interest, we can tailor the project and look at sensory processing, social function, restricted and repetitive behaviours, attention mechanisms and parental measures.

By joining the BOND lab, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a range of studies, including the longitudinal study in siblings of children with autism, and developing cutting-edge paradigms combining real-time neuroimaging and machine learning for personalised assessments. You will engage in lab meetings where we discuss ongoing research and new ideas and attend inspiring research talks. You will be invited to other events at the lab to connect with other passionate researchers. As a SURFiN fellow at our lab, you will contribute to transformative research ongoing at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development.

Mentor Information: Rianne Haartsen is a postdoctoral researcher in Emily Jones’ BOND lab at the Centre for Brain and Development at Birkbeck University of London in the United Kingdom. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience from Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, and a doctorate in psychology from Birkbeck University of London in the United Kingdom. Rianne’s research focuses on functional brain development from infancy to adulthood and how variability developmental trajectories relate to neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism. She is involved in large studies with other researchers within and outside of the UK.