Find Academic Supervisors

Rui CostaView profile

Professor

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Movement Disorders
• +7 more

Rui Costa is a Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He previously served as Director and Chief Executive Officer of Columbia's Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute from 2017 to 2022. His research focuses on understanding brain mechanisms guiding innate and learned behaviors, particularly spontaneous movement and decision-making processes, with applications to movement disorders like Parkinson's disease. Education: Dr. Costa holds a DVM and PhD, though specific institutional details for his degrees are not provided in the texts. His doctoral training likely aligns with his current neuroscientific expertise. Research Interests: Dr. Costa investigates how the brain initiates, selects, and refines movements, studying basal ganglia circuits involved in both voluntary and habitual actions. His work connects these circuits to diverse disorders including autism, Tourette’s syndrome, Parkinson's, Huntington’s disease, and schizophrenia. He explores neuroimmune interactions, circadian rhythms' impact on gut immunity, and dopamine's role in behavioral control and navigation. Publications Trends: His recent work emphasizes corticospinal neuron connectivity, dopamine signaling in memory and behavior, and the neurobiology of habitual actions. Earlier studies investigated Notch signaling in long-term memory formation and molecular mechanisms underlying addiction behaviors. Scientific Awards: Member, National Academy of Medicine (2019) Early Career Scientist Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2012-2017) Ariëns Kappers Award (2017) Knighthood (Order of Sant'Iago da Espada, 2014) Elected EMBO Member (2014) Grants & Leadership: Principal Investigator for the NIH Brain Initiative Team-Research Circuit Program (2017-present). His leadership at the Zuckerman Institute advanced interdisciplinary research on brain science. Advising includes doctoral students in Neurobiology and Behavior programs. Labs/Teams: His lab studies basal ganglia and corticospinal circuits, with collaborations on neuroimmune and dopaminergic systems. Access his lab's work at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute .

Renata A. Batista-BritoView profile

Associate Professor

• Cortical development
• Inhibitory circuits
• Visual processing
• +1 more

Renata A. Batista-Brito is an Associate Professor in three departments at Albert Einstein College of Medicine: the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Department of Genetics, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her research focuses on cortical development, inhibitory circuits, visual processing, and neurodevelopmental disorders. She leads a lab investigating how postnatal developmental processes in inhibitory neurons shape sensory networks and contribute to disorders like autism and schizophrenia. Her work combines cell-type specific manipulations, in vivo electrophysiology, 2-photon imaging, and behavioral analysis. Recent findings highlight disruptions in inhibitory neuron activity as key mechanisms in neuropsychiatric conditions. She has published extensively in high-impact journals such as Neuron , Nature , and Cerebral Cortex . Her research program addresses two core hypotheses: 1) Postnatal interneuron activity instructs mature sensory processing, and 2) Dysfunction in inhibitory circuits underlies neurodevelopmental disorders. This work bridges fundamental neuroscience with translational goals, aiming to identify biomarkers for psychiatric diseases. Notable contributions include studies on VIP interneurons' role in cortical dysfunction (Neuron 2017), developmental interneuron diversity (Nature 2018), and arousal state effects on visual encoding (Neuron 2015). Her lab collaborates widely, using cutting-edge techniques to dissect neural circuit mechanisms.

Elizabeth EngleView profile

Professor

• Developmental Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Neurology
• +3 more

Elizabeth Engle is a Professor of Neurology and Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. At Boston Children's Hospital, she holds roles in the Departments of Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Medicine (Genetics), and is affiliated with the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research. Her research focuses on congenital disorders of eye and face movement, identifying genetic causes and molecular mechanisms underlying cranial motor neuron development. She has pioneered studies on disorders like CFEOM and Duane syndrome, leveraging mouse and zebrafish models. Education: B.A. from Middlebury College (1985), M.D. from Johns Hopkins (1985), followed by residencies in Pediatrics, Neuropathology, and Neurology. She trained under Louis Kunkel and Alan Beggs before establishing her lab in 1997. Research Interests: Cranial motor neuron development, genetic etiologies of congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders (CCDDs), and molecular pathways governing axon guidance. Her lab combines genomic sequencing, stem cell differentiation, and in vivo/in vitro models to study disorders such as CFEOM and Moebius syndrome. Recent work includes non-coding variant analysis and protein binding microarrays. Publications highlight advancements in genetic screening, zebrafish models, and cellular mechanisms of axon growth. Awards include the E. Mead Johnson Award and Sidney Carter Award, recognizing her contributions to pediatric research and neurology. Advising and Grants: Engle mentors students and researchers, though specific grant details are not specified. Her lab collaborates across institutions to address neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative mechanisms. Clinical work includes consulting on rare cranial nerve disorders. Labs/Teams: The Engle Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital, part of the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, focuses on translational research bridging genetics and clinical practice.

Takao HenschView profile

Professor

• Developmental Neuroscience
• Critical Period Plasticity
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• +1 more

Dr. Takao Hensch is a Professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Neurology. He investigates critical periods of brain development, examining how early experiences shape neural circuits and their vulnerability to disorders like autism and epilepsy. His work has revealed that inhibitory circuits determine the timing of these critical periods, with translational applications for neurodevelopmental disorders. He directs the NIMH Conte Center at Harvard and holds affiliations with Boston Children's Hospital's Kirby Neurobiology Center. Dr. Hensch earned his Ph.D. from UCSF, trained at Harvard and the University of Tokyo, and received the Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award, NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, and Japan's Order of the Rising Sun. His research employs molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience approaches. Recent work explores anesthesia effects on infant neurodevelopment, oxidative stress in traumatic brain injury, and gene therapies for epilepsy. Publications emphasize plasticity mechanisms, cortical circuit maturation, and therapeutic interventions. Dr. Hensch's lab studies neural circuit development across sensory systems and prefrontal cortex, collaborating globally through the ENIGMA Consortium to link genetic variation with brain structure.

Adam HantmanView profile

Associate Professor

• Neuroscience
• Motor Control
• Neural Circuits
• +3 more

Adam Hantman, PhD is an Associate Professor and Edward R. Perl Investigator at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, affiliated with the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology. His Hantman Lab focuses on understanding how neural circuits generate coordinated motor behaviors, particularly through the cortico-cerebellar loop's role in learned tasks like reaching and grasping. Research combines genetics, anatomy, physiology, and dynamical systems modeling to dissect neural network functions. Key research interests include motor control mechanisms, neural circuit dynamics, and the interplay between sensory input and motor output. The lab employs cutting-edge techniques such as viral vector engineering (AAV variants), advanced imaging (fMRI, Neuropixels probes), and computational modeling to study neural activity patterns. Awarded the Edward R. Perl Investigator title, Dr. Hantman’s work bridges molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience. Notable contributions include identifying cerebellar-thalamocortical pathways critical for movement initiation and revealing how cortico-cerebellar communication underpins dexterity. Labs/Teams: Hantman Lab at UNC Neuroscience Center actively explores neural circuit basis of skilled movements and pain modulation. Collaborations span neuroengineering (e.g., SORDINO fMRI technology) and molecular biology (genetic circuit mapping).

Ben JacobsView profile

Research Fellow

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Complex Trait Genetics
• Cross-Ancestral Genetics
• +2 more

Ben Jacobs is a Clinical Fellow and researcher at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, currently pursuing a PhD supported by the Medical Research Council and the MS Society. His research examines how genetic and environmental factors contribute to Multiple Sclerosis pathogenesis and complex trait genetics across diverse ancestral populations. His primary research interests focus on unravelling the genetic architecture of Multiple Sclerosis through cross-ancestral studies, neuroinflammation pathways, and polygenic risk modeling. The ADAMS study—his current PhD project—investigates ancestral variations in MS genetic determinants using advanced genomic approaches. Recent publications demonstrate consistent themes in genetic epidemiology, including genome-wide association studies of neuroimmunological disorders, polygenic risk score applications in metabolic diseases, and ancestral diversity in disease susceptibility. Methodological innovations in Mendelian randomization and single-cell analysis feature prominently across his work. Dr. Jacobs maintains active collaborations through the UK MS Register and leverages large-scale biobank data to explore gene-environment interactions in neurological and metabolic conditions.

Julie H. SimpsonView profile

Associate Professor

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• +5 more

Julie H. Simpson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She leads the Simpson Lab, which investigates neural circuits governing motor sequence control using Drosophila as a model system. Her work focuses on understanding how the nervous system organizes complex behaviors like grooming, integrating genetic, optogenetic, and computational approaches. Education: AB in Molecular Biology from Princeton University, PhD in Neurobiology from UC Berkeley, postdoctoral research at UW-Madison and the Janelia Research Campus. Joined UCSB in 2015. Research emphasizes dissecting neuronal circuits using genetic screens, optogenetics, and machine vision. Key projects include studying command neurons (e.g., Mago-no-te), leg projection neurons (LegPN), and sensory integration mechanisms. The lab employs 3D reconstruction tools like Neuroglancer and collaborates on connectome projects. Notable achievements include an NSF CAREER Award for motor sequence research. Active in training undergraduates and graduate students through hands-on research programs, with opportunities in neuroanatomy, microscopy, and computational neuroscience. Labs and affiliations: Principal Investigator at Simpson Lab, affiliated with UCSB Neuroscience and MCDB. Collaborates with institutions like KITP and participates in systems biology initiatives.

AditiView profile

Assistant Professor

• Neuroinflammation
• Infectious Disease Pathogenesis
• Immune Signaling Mechanisms
• +3 more

Aditi is an Assistant Professor (N-T Track Research) in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Her research focuses on neuroinflammation, immune signaling mechanisms, and genome integrity in infectious diseases. She has contributed to studies on SARS-CoV-2 variants, stress granule dynamics, and cerebral malaria pathogenesis. Research Interests: Neuroinflammation and viral pathogenesis Innate immune responses in neurological disorders Genome stability in nervous system diseases Collaborations: Active in global health research networks, particularly in neuroimmunology and infectious disease studies.

Ran ChenView profile

Assistant Professor

• Reinforcement Learning
• Data-driven Decision-making
• Optimization
• +3 more

Ran Chen is an Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science at Washington University in St. Louis. She holds a Ph.D. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. in Pure and Applied Mathematics from Tsinghua University. Prior to her current position, she was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT’s Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems. Her research focuses on reinforcement learning , data-driven decision-making , optimization , and statistical machine learning , with applications in healthcare and revenue management. Key areas include high-dimensional and nonparametric statistics, interpretable models for business decisions, and algorithmic frameworks balancing statistical accuracy and computational efficiency. Her work spans theoretical, methodological, and applied contributions, such as doubly high-dimensional contextual bandits for retail optimization, personalized reinforcement learning frameworks, and novel Poisson-MNL models for dynamic customer arrivals. She has presented her research at institutions like Harvard, UC Davis, and the INFORMS Business Analytics Conference. Teaching experience includes courses on Python for data science, forecasting methods, and introductory statistics at the University of Pennsylvania. She has advised students in optimization and machine learning contexts but no named advisees are listed in the provided text. Notable publications include advancements in convex function estimation, low-rank matrix models for bandits, and supervised centrality estimation in networks. Her research emphasizes practical applications while maintaining rigorous statistical foundations.

• C. elegans genetics
• Microbiome research
• Drug discovery
• +3 more

Lesley MacNeil is an Associate Professor at McMaster University in the Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, with significant contributions to microbiome research and drug discovery using Caenorhabditis elegans models. Her work bridges molecular genetics with biomedical applications through diverse projects across infectious diseases, neurodegeneration, and metabolic interactions. Research Areas Microbiome-gut-brain axis Computational drug discovery methods Gene regulatory network dynamics Host-pathogen interactions Notable Collaborators Lori Burrows (Microbiology) Michael Surette (Microbiome) Gerard Wright (Antimicrobials) Her 2024-2025 publications demonstrate cutting-edge applications of machine learning to nematode image analysis for antiparasitic screening, while 2023 works explore next-generation probiotics and Alzheimer's disease mechanisms. Current projects include SHC-3 signaling in insulin pathways and Hyperpiliation effects on bacterial virulence.

Alison L. BarthView profile

Professor

• Neuroscience
• Neural Circuits
• Synaptic Plasticity
• +6 more

Alison L. Barth is the Maxwell H. and Gloria C. Connan Professor in the Life Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Biological Sciences, Mellon College of Science. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on how sensory experience shapes neural circuits in the cerebral cortex, particularly in mice. Key projects include studying synaptic plasticity mechanisms, developing fluorescence-based synapse analysis tools, and exploring neural network design principles for AI applications. Her lab employs advanced techniques like electrophysiology, electron microscopy, and computational modeling. Recent achievements include election as an AAAS Fellow (2024) and contributions to understanding PV interneuron roles, thalamocortical plasticity, and high-throughput connectomics. Ongoing work addresses learning algorithms, disease models (Alzheimer's/Parkinson's), and collaborative engineering initiatives for neural-inspired technologies. Publications span neuroscience, computational biology, and neuroengineering, with a focus on cortical circuits, synaptic mechanisms, and translational applications.

Manolis KellisView profile

Professor

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning Applications
• Genomics
• +7 more

Manolis Kellis is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, affiliated with the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He leads research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, genomics, and computational biology, with a focus on healthcare applications. His work integrates machine learning, single-cell genomics, and systems biology to address complex diseases like Alzheimer’s and psychiatric disorders. Kellis is also involved in large-scale genomic projects such as GenCODE and ENCODE, advancing our understanding of gene regulation and disease mechanisms. His lab develops innovative tools for data analysis, including multimodal foundation models like Procyon and TDC-2. Research Interests: AI-driven solutions for precision medicine and healthcare Single-cell and spatial genomics for disease dissection Computational methods for gene regulation and epigenomics Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, ALS) and immune system interactions Machine learning frameworks for biomedical data integration Recent work highlights include multisensory gamma stimulation therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, epigenomic studies of psychiatric disorders, and foundational genomic resources such as ape genome sequencing. His research emphasizes translational impact, bridging computational innovation with clinical and biological insights.

Gloria ChoiView profile

Associate Professor

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Neuroimmunology
• Brain Circuits
• +5 more

Gloria Choi is the Mark Hyman Jr CD Associate Professor in the Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and an Investigator at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. She specializes in neuroimmunology, focusing on how immune mechanisms influence neurodevelopment and behavior. Her research integrates molecular biology, neuroscience, and clinical insights to study maternal-fetal immunity, gut-brain interactions, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Choi earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a Ph.D. from Caltech under David Anderson, and completed postdoctoral research in Richard Axel’s lab at Columbia University. Her work bridges basic science and translational research, addressing topics such as cytokine signaling in the brain, placental immunity, and the role of the microbiome in neurodevelopmental outcomes. Her research interests span neuroimmunology, maternal-fetal interactions, and the molecular underpinnings of social and emotional behaviors. Notably, she investigates how maternal inflammation and gut microbiota influence fetal brain development, contributing to conditions like autism. Recent work highlights cytokines’ direct roles in modulating neural circuits and the bidirectional effects of immune responses on anxiety and social engagement. Choi’s publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, including brain-wide immune mapping and neurotechnology for studying neural activity. While no scientific awards are listed, her contributions to understanding neuroimmune dynamics have advanced fields like developmental neuroscience and psychiatric research. Her lab at MIT and the Picower Institute focuses on unraveling the interplay between immune systems and neural circuits, with implications for treating neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. She advises graduate students in MIT’s Brain and Cognitive Sciences program, though specific advisees are not listed here.

Robert DesimoneView profile

Professor

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Neural Synchronization
• +5 more

Robert Desimone is the Director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Doris and Don Berkey Professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. He previously served as Director of the Intramural Research Program at the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), leading the world's largest mental health research center. His research focuses on neural mechanisms underlying visual attention, working memory, and cognitive control, with a particular emphasis on primate studies. Desimone is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has received prestigious awards including the Troland Prize and the Golden Brain Award. His academic career includes a Ph.D. and extensive leadership roles in neuroscience. He directs the McGovern Institute, fostering interdisciplinary research in brain science. Key research interests include neural synchrony, cortical organization, and translational studies of brain disorders. Recent work explores functional architecture during naturalistic stimuli and high-throughput behavioral analysis in marmosets. Publications highlight attention mechanisms, neuronal oscillations, and cortical connectivity. Desimone advocates for open science and publishes institutional reports to guide research strategies. His work bridges basic neuroscience with clinical applications, emphasizing the primate model for understanding human cognition and disorders. Awards: Troland Prize (202?), Golden Brain Award (202?), National Academy of Sciences membership. Leadership Roles: Director, McGovern Institute (2004–present); Director, NIMH Intramural Program (prior to 2004). Critical Research Themes: Visual attention, working memory, primate neurophysiology, neural oscillations.

Danny NedialkovaView profile

Professor

• Molecular Cell Biology
• Protein Biogenesis
• Translation Regulation
• +3 more

Danny Nedialkova holds dual positions as Professor for Biochemistry of Gene Expression at Technische Universität München (TUM) and Max Planck Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. Her research focuses on understanding proteostasis mechanisms in metazoan cells, particularly how distinct cell proteomes are established and maintained. She employs genome-wide assays and stem cell models to investigate protein biogenesis, translation regulation, and systems biology. Key contributions include discoveries on tRNA modifications, ribosome elongation rates, and quality control systems. Education: PhD in Molecular Virology (Leiden University Medical Center, 2010), B.Sc. in Biotechnology (Università degli Studi di Perugia, 2004). Awards include the EMBO Young Investigator Award (2021) and ERC Starting Grant (2018). Funding includes grants from the European Research Council and Max Planck Society. Her lab explores cell-type specific vulnerabilities to proteome damage, leveraging CRISPRi screens and mim-tRNAseq profiling. Collaborative projects address translational control, mitochondrial DNA repair, and neuronal migration. Publicly accessible at https://www.biochem.mpg.de/nedialkova .