Projects

Molecular mechanisms of memory formation How AMPA receptors are delivered to the synapse

Long-term potentiation depends on increasing the number of AMPA receptors at the synapse, a job carried out by a molecular machine built from several proteins. We combine single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, computational structural biology, an in vitro fusion assay, and cell imaging to determine how that machine is arranged and how it is regulated.

Astrocyte dynamics in neuronal function Lipid transfer and reactive states

Astrocytes play an essential role in the development of the nervous system and in disease. They shape synapses and remodel their own membranes as circuits change. We study bridge-like lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs) and how astrocytes shift into reactive states that change the support they give neurons.

Improving biology education Generative AI and course-based research experiences

Assessing the impact of generative AI on science education, and designing and assessing course-based undergraduate research experiences that teach transferrable molecular biology skills. Students working on these projects learn to collect and analyze qualitative data.