Neurosciences Postdoctoral Scholars, Interdisciplinary Track

Selin Jessa is a computational biologist interested in the genetic regulation underpinning brain development, and how these processes are perturbed in disease. As a postdoctoral fellow in the labs of Dr. William Greenleaf and Dr. Anshul Kundaje, she is applying deep learning methods to large-scale datasets single-cell transcriptomic and epigenetic datasets in the context of normal fetal development, as well as neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, to study the logic of cis and trans gene regulation.

Zihui Zhang is a neuroscientist and engineer interested in using optical methods to study neural circuits. As a postdoctoral fellow with Professor Robert Malenka and Professor Neir Eshel, she investigates how serotonin and dopamine modulate downstream neurons to regulate reward-seeking and aggression. She obtained her PhD at University College London, developing techniques for closed-loop manipulation of individual neurons in vivo using holograms. She further applied these tools to discover how neurons in the primary sensory cortex are engaged in sensory perception and decision making.

Blake is a postdoctoral scholar working with Professor Anne Brunet in the Department of Genetics. Blake received his PhD in Neuroscience from Princeton University where he worked with Professor Elizabeth Gould studying the interaction between early life experience, hippocampal plasticity, and emotional regulation. In his postdoctoral work, Blake is bridging concepts across neuroscience, molecular biology, and embryology in an attempt to reduce miscarriage rates and extend reproductive longevity.