Keran Ma

Keran Ma, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). Her research focuses on neuron-glia interactions and cellular dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), particularly examining aberrant brain oscillations and cognitive deficits.

• Education: Honors BSc in Toxicology, MSc in Physiology, and PhD in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology from the University of Toronto
• Postdoctoral training at Gladstone Institutes and UCSF

Research interests include:

• Neuronal network abnormalities in AD
• Microglia and astrocyte modulation of neuronal activity
• Role of genetic risk factors ApoE and TREM2
• Therapeutic strategies targeting neuron-glia interactions

She employs advanced tools such as in vivo electrophysiology, 2-photon imaging, machine learning, and RNA sequencing. Her lab investigates neuronal dysfunction in AD mouse models through optogenetics and pharmacological interventions.

Scientific awards include:

• NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (NIA)
• Rising STARs Award (UT System)

The Ma lab recruits motivated postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research assistants interested in AD pathophysiology and network activity restoration.