Daria Shcherbakova

Daria Shcherbakova is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Her research focuses on developing advanced genetically encoded tools for neuroscience, with a particular emphasis on near-infrared fluorescent proteins and optogenetic technologies. She leads efforts to engineer proteins using directed molecular evolution, combining rational design with screening strategies to enhance imaging capabilities for large-scale and deep-tissue studies.

Research Interests:

• Protein engineering for optogenetic and imaging applications
• Development of near-infrared fluorescent proteins for multiscale imaging
• Optimization of bacterial phytochrome-derived systems
• Fluorescent protein-based biosensors

Key Contributions:

Dr. Shcherbakova has pioneered the design of monomeric near-infrared fluorescent proteins, enabling multicolor imaging across biological scales. Her work includes engineering photochromic proteins for photoacoustic imaging and developing FRET-based systems for studying Rho GTPase signaling. She frequently collaborates on structural and biochemical studies to improve protein brightness and spectral diversity.

Advising & Grants:

While no specific advisees are listed, her research involves interdisciplinary teams focused on protein engineering and biomedical imaging. Funding sources are not explicitly stated in the provided text.

Labs & Teams:

Her work is integrated into the Einstein College of Medicine's research infrastructure, likely involving collaborations with structural biologists, neuroscientists, and bioengineers.