Jayshree Samanta

Jayshree Samanta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine. Her laboratory focuses on myelin regeneration through neural stem cells in the adult brain, targeting neurological diseases like Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s. She leads the Samanta Lab, which recently relocated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison to UGA in 2023.

Dr. Samanta holds an MBBS from Grant Medical College (1997) and a PhD in Neuroscience from Northwestern University (2006). She completed postdoctoral training at New York University. Her research expertise spans neuroscience, neuroanatomy, and cell biology, with affiliations to the Regenerative Bioscience Center and Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research.

Her lab’s research interests center on molecular mechanisms driving neural stem cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation into oligodendrocytes for remyelination. Recent studies include identifying druggable targets like Gli1 and Gpnmb in signaling pathways. Key contributions include work on the Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome and cuprizone mouse models.

Team Myelin includes advisees such as Drew Cribbs, Isaac Moore, and Elizabeth Clawson (PhD 2024). The lab won the 2024 UGA Freezer Challenge for sustainability efforts and showcased research at high school outreach events. Dr. Samanta’s work bridges basic science and translational medicine, aiming to develop therapies for demyelinating diseases.