Sayan Nandi

Dr. Sayan Nandi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy at Howard University College of Medicine. He holds a PhD in Developmental and Molecular Biology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM) and completed postdoctoral training at Columbia University and AECOM. His research focuses on microglial-neuronal interactions in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism and schizophrenia, with a focus on the Iba1 protein's role in synaptic function and inflammation. He co-directs the medical course Structure and Function 2, which covers nervous system development and function.

Education:

• B.S. Physiology, Presidency College, Kolkata
• M.S. Biotechnology, GCGEB, India
• M.S. Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Ph.D. Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Research Interests: Microglial biology, neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, neurodevelopmental disorders, stroke recovery, and genetically-engineered mouse models. His lab investigates how microglia influence neural circuit remodeling and contribute to diseases like schizophrenia and autism, with recent work highlighting Iba1's role in synaptic pruning and behavior.

Grants & Awards:

• NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2022)
• NIH R21 grants (NIMH, NINDS) - Co-PI and PI roles
• XSEED Award (Deerfield) for neurodegeneration research

Labs & Teams: The Nandi Lab at Howard University studies microglial function in health and disease, with expertise in super-resolution microscopy, mouse genetic models, and in vivo manipulation techniques. Collaborators include Prof. Nicholas Sibinga (Einstein) on stroke and inflammation projects.