Priyanka Rao

Priyanka Rao is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, affiliated with the Amsterdam Neuroscience institute's Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms division. She specializes in molecular and cellular neurobiology, focusing on synaptic mechanisms underlying memory formation and consolidation.

Her research integrates proteomics, synaptic biology, and behavioral neuroscience to investigate fear conditioning, engram cell activity, and memory reconsolidation processes. Key topics include CREB signaling pathways, dentate gyrus function, and the structural basis of contextual memory retrieval.

• Received NWO-VENI Grant (2016) for innovative research initiatives
• Teaches courses in Behavioral Neurosciences, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Human Development

Recent work explores synaptic signatures of memory-reactivated engram cells and evaluates pharmacological interventions like propranolol in fear memory modulation. Her lab employs advanced transcriptomic profiling and molecular techniques to map neural circuit dynamics.