معرفی
Dorothy P. Schafer, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at UMass Chan Medical School, with additional appointments in the Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute and the NeuroNexus Institute. She is a leading expert in microglial biology and its role in neural circuit development, plasticity, and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Education:
- BA in Neuroscience, Mount Holyoke College (2001)
- PhD in Neuroscience, University of Connecticut (2008)
Research Focus: Dr. Schafer investigates how microglia regulate synaptic connectivity through mechanisms like phagocytosis, cytokine signaling, and immune-neural interactions. Her lab employs 2-photon live imaging, spatial transcriptomics, and molecular genetics to study disorders including autism, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Key Research Themes:
- Microglial response to neural activity
- Synaptic pruning in health and disease
- Neuroinflammatory propagation
- Microglia-vascular interactions
- Complement-dependent synaptic elimination
- Human-derived microglia models for disease
Scientific Awards:
- 2024 Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research I
- 2024 UPenn Mahoney Institute Rising Star Award
- 2019 UMMS Faculty Award for Research Mentoring
- 2016-2018 NIMH K99/R00 Career Transition Award
- 2017-2019 NARSAD Young Investigator Grant
- Multiple honors for teaching excellence and graduate work
Lab Members: Includes Travis Faust (Instructor), postdocs Tsuyoshi Kiniwa, Becca Beiter, Pat Sheehan, Julen Goicolea Egia, and graduate students Chun-Wei Chen, Jacob Stillman, Yi-Han Lee, Echo Xiao, Melanie Barbini, Anna Aristarkhova.
