Sara Prescott

Sara Prescott is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an Investigator at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. Her research focuses on understanding neural circuits and genetic mechanisms underlying sensory pathways, developmental processes, and evolutionary biology. She holds a joint faculty appointment in MIT's School of Science, contributing to interdisciplinary collaborations across neuroscience and molecular biology.

Her work explores topics such as how sensory systems detect and respond to internal and external stimuli, including mechanisms of nausea, influenza-induced sickness behaviors, and arterial pressure regulation. Prescott also investigates genetic variation in enhancer regions, particularly in neural crest cells, to uncover evolutionary and developmental principles. She develops analytical tools like FaceBase to advance craniofacial research through FAIR data standards.

Prescott's research straddles molecular, cellular, and systems-level biology, with implications for understanding both normal physiological processes and disease mechanisms. Her work frequently integrates experimental and computational approaches to dissect complex biological systems.