Trainee Spotlight 2024

Much like how discoveries are unpredictable, my fascination with neuroscience was unexpectedly kindled while studying for the National Academy of Sports Medicine certification exam. What began as a passion to assist individuals’ recovery from traumatic injuries evolved into a fortuitous and profound interest in the nervous system. To further explore my interests, I spent my senior undergraduate and two post-baccalaureate years researching neurodegenerative diseases under the joint mentorship of Dr. Gary Bassell and Dr. Zachary McEachin. Furthermore, through shadowing Dr. Jonathan Glass at the Emory ALS Center, I witnessed firsthand how these conditions can severely affect patients’ lives and lead to rapid deterioration, bridging the unfortunate gap between research and real-life consequences. I presented my research at the Society for Neuroscience and the International Research Conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases and published my research as a first-author paper (Chung et al., 2023 Acta Neuropathol). I am continuing my research on ALS in the McEachin lab as a Neuroscience PhD student, which recently led to a second-author publication in Cell (McEachin et al. 2025 Cell). Through my PhD, I aspire to deepen my understanding of the nervous system, explore the complexities of neurodegenerative diseases, and grow as an independent scientist. I appreciate the continued support and guidance I have received throughout my academic journey, as my mentors have been instrumental in shaping my scientific foundation and research skills. Their mentorship has provided me with the tools and perspective necessary to grow, not only as a scientist, but also as a person of integrity and empathy.

My interest in science and technology began when I applied to a specialized high school to avoid a challenging environment, but it was in college that my passion for discovery truly emerged. I graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in biology as the first NASA-funded student researcher from Bowie State University, a public historically black university (HBCU). I went on to complete a master’s in biotechnology at Johns Hopkins University, concentrating in regenerative and stem cell technologies, while concurrently working full-time as a technician at the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Dr. Joan Lunney. My work at the USDA resulted in a co-authored review (Lunney et al 2021, Sci Transl Med) and a first-author manuscript (Hailstock et al. 2024, Cytokine). I was recruited to Emory as a Centennial Scholar within the Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology (BCDB) Graduate Program, where I was supported by a T32 prior to receiving three independent fellowships: NIH Diversity Supplement, NIH NINDS NRSA F31, and the HHMI Gilliam Fellowship. My early graduate work resulted in co-authorship in Development (Lee et al., 2024) and a first-author methods paper (Hailstock et al. 2023 Curr Protoc). As a graduate student in the Lerit lab, my thesis project entails characterizing a genetically tractable model of a conserved RNA-binding protein linked to microcephaly (Hailstock et al. 2025 bioRxiv). I presented this work at national and international meetings. Outside of research, I am deeply committed to DEI efforts as a former BCDB DEI Policy Chair, EDGE ambassador, recent Edward T. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society inductee, and Emory undergraduate biology lab instructor. As I wrap up my dissertation, I aspire to marry my STEM expertise, engagement in societal issues, and community outreach into an impactful career in science policy.

My interest in biological sciences began at an early age. As the sibling of two sisters with intellectual disability, I was fascinated by the delicate biology that shapes our everyday lives. My excitement for the biological sciences led me to pursue a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of South Carolina-Columbia. During my time as an undergraduate student, I worked in the lab of Dr. Mythreye Karthikeyan studying molecular mechanisms underlying ovarian cancer cell invasion and metastasis. I received a Magellan grant that funded my research and subsequently co-authored a review. My passion for bench science flourished, and I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Biochemistry Cell and Developmental Biology at Emory University. In 2021, I joined the labs of Drs. Anita Corbett and Ken Moberg studying the role of a conserved RNA binding protein, Nab2/ZC3H14, in neurodevelopmental disease. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model, we uncovered a role for Nab2 in the regulation of m6A levels on target RNAs to govern axon pathfinding and dendritic morphology. This work led to several first author publications (Jalloh and Lancaster et al., 2023 eLife and Lancaster et al. 2024 Mol Biol Cell), including a review (Lancaster et al. 2025 Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA), and numerous presentations. My thesis work was supported by a National Research Service Award Institution Research Training Grant (T32) and a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31). In addition to my academic endeavors, I am also passionate about early graduate education. I served as a tutor and mentor for first- and second-year graduate students, and I authored a perspective about selecting a biomedical Ph.D. program (Lancaster et al., 2022 Curr Protoc). I defended my thesis in August 2024 and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to start a job at a biotech company called Teiko.bio where I work with a team of scientists performing immunophenotyping analysis for early-stage clinical trials. As my career develops, I hope to continue to use my passion and expertise to advance drug development efforts to help those in need

I came to Emory in 2011 to start a PhD in the Neuroscience Graduate Program and left in 2024 to start my independent lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech. I did my PhD thesis in Dr. Randy Hall’s lab in the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology studying a class of brain expressed G Protein-Coupled Receptors. The latter half of my dissertation focused on a mutation in one of these receptors that had been found in an individual suffering from neurodegenerative symptoms. Studying this variant quickly led us to several fundamental new insights as to how this receptor engages in signaling pathways and is regulated.

These findings sparked my interest in neurogenetics and led me to pursue postdoctoral training in the Department of Cell Biology with Dr. Gary Bassell and Dr. Jennifer Mulle in the Department of Human Genetics. I investigated the neurobiology of a copy number variant called 3q29 deletion, which is the strongest known genetic risk factor for schizophrenia. I cultured and differentiated induced-pluripotent stem cells from individuals with 3q29 deletion and neurotypical controls. These studies were supported by a NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein national research service award fellowship (F32) from the National Institute of Mental Health. Our results indicated that 3q29 deletion disrupts bioenergetics in developing neural cells (Rutkowski et al. 2021 Mol Psychiatry; Sefik et al. 2021 Transl Psychiatry; Pollak et al. 2022 Transl Psychiatry; and Purcell et al. 2023 Sci Adv). These findings led us to hypothesize that 3q29 deletion may have similar effects in the developing nervous system as another copy number variant that confers high risk for schizophrenia, called 22q11 deletion. This project was supported by a collaboration with Dr. Victor Faundez and funded by a Young Investigator Grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and a Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) from the National Institute of Mental Health. I am very grateful to mentors and colleagues in the Department of Cell Biology for creating an outstanding training environment and helping me launch my independent research career.

My passion in neuroscience began in high school when I lost a loved one to mental illness. However, it was not until I left for college where I could act on my interests in neuroscience research. As a first-generation student at the California State University of Long Beach (CSULB), I was awarded the NIH initiative Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) grant, which led to multiple first-author presentations, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to STEM careers. As an Amgen Scholar, I worked in Dr. Jane Taylor’s lab in the Molecular Psychiatry Department at Yale University studying animal models of schizophrenia. This experience reinforced my desire to explore the intersection of cellular and translational neuroscience research.

I entered Emory’s Neuroscience PhD program in 2020 and joined the Bassell lab to investigate mitochondria in the schizophrenia-associated 22q11.2 deletion using neural stem cell models. My project utilizes developing neural cell types and cortical organoids with 22q11.2 deletion to investigate omics, biochemistry, and functional phenotypes. This work is supported by a National Institutes of Mental Health (R36) grant and resulted in two first-author presentations at international conferences. I also received the Society of Biological Psychiatry Early Investigator Award, Kun Lin Memorial Scholarship, and the 22q11.2 Deletion Society Junior Investigator Poster Award. Apart from my scientific research, I am also passionate about creating and supporting spaces for historically marginalized communities in STEM. I served on the Neuroscience DEI Committee since 2022, focused on the development of multiple initiatives for professional and career development, networking opportunities, and building community within our graduate program.

I came to Emory College from Taipei, Taiwan to complete my undergraduate studies double majoring in Biology and Chemistry. I spent over three years conducting research under the mentorship of Dr. Lindsey Seldin applying transgenic mouse models to evaluate both canonical and noncanonical functions of inflammasome proteins during skin tumorigenesis. Some of this work was supported by an independent Grant in Aid of Research from Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, and presented at the 2023 American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting. My honors thesis research in the Seldin lab was awarded Highest Honors and resulted in multiple co-first author manuscripts (Wang*, Shu*, and Seldin 2024 Am J Physiol Cell Physiol; and Patel*, Shu*, Wang*, et al. 2025 bioRxiv). Since graduating Emory, I entered the Chemistry PhD program at Caltech, which integrates cell biology, chemical synthesis, and pharmacology. Outside the lab, I enjoy playing guitar, trying new cuisines, and searching for specialty coffee shops.

My journey into neuroscience started at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where I had my first scientific research exposure as part of the Science and Technology Honors Program. My thesis work in the Wilson lab resulted in a first-author publication (Tian et al. 2021 J Neurochem, as well as multiple co-authorships (Vaden et al. 2019 J Neurochem and McLean et al. 2022 J Neurosci). After graduating with a B.S. in Neuroscience, I entered Emory’s MD/PhD program, where I was inducted to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and Gold Humanism Honor Society before joining the lab of Dr. Jill Ward for my PhD thesis research.

In the Ward lab, I contributed to collaborative projects (Wariyar et al. 2022 Exp Neurol and Grlickova-Duzevik et al. 2023 J Comp Neurol) while developing my thesis project focused on the effects of a clinically-relevant electrical stimulation paradigm on the regeneration of sympathetic axons. My Ph.D. work resulted in several first-author publications (Tian and Ward 2023 bioRxiv; Tian and Ward 2024 J Vis Exp; Tian et al. 2024 Neurotrauma Rep Tian et al. 2025 Neurobiol Dis; and Tian et al. 2025 Neurorehabil Neural Repair). In recognition of my work, I was awarded several travel grants, as well as the NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award, Hardesty Award for Best Poster at the Plastic Surgery Research Council, Best Poster at the American Society for Peripheral Nerve, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Review Scholarship, and an Early Scientific Achievement Award from the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Throughout my training, I served leadership roles in the Graduates in Neuroscience (GIN group, organizing the Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS) from 2018-2024; as a peer mentor for the Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Neurology M3 clerkships; and was a teaching assistant for several courses: M1 Human Anatomy, M1 Neural Function, and M2 Neuroanatomy Lab.

As an aspiring reconstructive plastic surgeon with an interest in nerve repair, I am excited to see what the future holds as I continue my journey as a budding physician-scientist!