Our collaborative study with the Crabtree lab is the cover article of the March 2021 issue of Genes & Development!
The overarching goal of our research program is to identify and characterize cellular and molecular processes, driven by changes in electrical activity and calcium signaling, that underlie the specification of distinct types of neural cells during normal and dysfunctional development of the mammalian brain.
Requisite cheesy teamwork phrase highlighting our collective awesomeness.. :)
Follow along for all the exciting developments in our lab -- new lab members, grants, and papers, oh my!!
In the Panagiotakos lab, we study how electrical activity and calcium signaling regulate the generation of distinct types of neurons during normal development of the mammalian brain, with an eye towards understanding mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. We employ a variety of approaches to explore how immature, undifferentiated neural progenitor cells integrate intrinsic and extrinsic signals to commit to specific neural fates, such as the different types of excitatory cells inhabiting the cerebral cortex. We are also interested in understanding how activity-regulated developmental mechanisms may be reactivated in the context of adult neurological disorders and the development of brain tumors.
"How you get back up after a tough blow defines who you are."
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No Matter. Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better." -Samuel BeckettMy research interests stem from a curiosity about how undifferentiated progenitor cells integrate intrinsic and extrinsic developmental signals to generate the diversity of cell types in the brain. My early research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where I performed in vivo and behavioral studies investigating the specification and transplantation of pluripotent stem cell derivatives into the normal and diseased brain, formed the basis for my long-standing fascination with the mechanisms by which cells decide their fate. Using this background as a springboard, my doctoral studies at Stanford University explored the function of calcium signals through a channel implicated in neuropsychiatric disease on the differentiation of specific neuronal subtypes in the developing mouse cortex and in human stem cell-derived neurons. Based on this work, I was selected to start my lab at UCSF as a Sandler Faculty Fellow in November of 2013. Since arriving at UCSF in late 2014, I have put together a research team that is integrating various complementary approaches to investigate the role of electrical activity, calcium signaling and ion channel diversity in sculpting forebrain development and evolution, with an eye towards elucidating how these mechanisms are altered to give rise to neurodevelopmental disorders and to drive neurodegenerative processes and brain tumor formation. When I am not in the lab, I enjoy long hikes with adorable dogs named Ellie, cooking, gardening, learning languages, and listening to podcasts.
“There is no substitute for hard work.” -Thomas Edison
I graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies and Molecular and Cell Biology. While there, I first became excited by laboratory science as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Gabor Somorjai’s physical chemistry lab, where I studied the activity of novel nanoparticle catalysts. After I graduated, I became a research technician at the Gladstone Institutes in the Finkbeiner lab, where I investigated the biology that underlies amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. My work there motivated me to pursue a Master’s in Stem Cell Biology at the University of Southern California. There I worked in Dr. Leslie Weiner’s lab to probe the biology that goes awry in patients with multiple sclerosis. I am thrilled to be working towards a PhD in the Panagiotakos lab, where I have become interested in calcium regulation in the developing cortex. When I’m not at the bench, I enjoy playing the piano and attending the theater.
“You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, not look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books. You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me, you shall listen to all sides and filter them from yourself.” -Walt Whitman
I graduated from the University of San Francisco with my bachelor’s in biology. As an undergrad, I studied alcohol addiction circuits and mechanisms at the Hopf Lab at UCSF Mission Bay. I now join the Panagiotakos lab as a junior specialist where I continue to develop my interests in neurology and learn more about developmental biology. Outside of lab, I enjoy a myriad of activities including playing soccer (big Barcelona fan), going surfing, traveling, and am always open to trying new things or places. I’m also an avid fan of musicals (Les Miserables and Hamilton are my favorites)!
“Heroes come and go, but legends are forever.” -Kobe
I was made in China but exported to America to study in middle school. Then I moved from Indiana to California, where I attended UC Berkeley for undergraduate studies with the focus of molecular and cell biology - neurobiology. At Berkeley, I pursued my interest in Neuroscience with Dr. Ehud Isacoff by investigating the significance of experience in brain circuitry and behavior in zebrafish larval prey capture. I also studied neuroanatomy and neurodevelopment of pediatric epilepsy using zebrafish models with Dr. Scott Baraban. Prior to joining the OCS PhD program, I worked in the Schneider Lab at UCSF, studying the molecular and cellular processes that give rise to mandibular size and shape. I have a keen interest in the mechanisms that govern craniofacial development and its intricate connections with brain development with the goal of finding potential clinical treatments for congenital defects. Outside of school and work, I enjoy a good pot of tea with friends, speed-dialing Kanye, and brushing my teeth.
"Do better."
"Is that a treat you've got there?"
Current position: Resident
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(UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior)
Current position: Doctoral Student & NSF GRFP Fellow
(Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Microbe-Host Interactions Graduate Program)
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Current position: Doctoral Student
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Current position: Research Associate
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