I am a late-stage Ph.D. student in Biomedical Sciences, thirsty for additional contacts in the fields of neuropsychopharmacology and the neurobiology of disease. The timing of my graduate work within the COVID-19 pandemic significantly limited my ability to network and make contacts with neuroscientists outside of my home institution. That said, I've built an extensive research background, including a master's degree in biological sciences, research experience in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology and neuroscience, participation in several research conferences, foundational teaching experience, and authorship or co-authorship of several peer-reviewed scientific papers prior to my graduate academic journey. I also recognize, plainly, that I still need help with networking.
With a passion for STEM education and advocacy, I actively engage in efforts to improve access to this career path for people from less-traditional social, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. I remain confident that my persistence and focus will support a successful career as a neuroscientist. That said, I still need additional academic exposure, guidance, and practical education around funding opportunities for trainees.
My thesis project focuses on the neurodevelopmental basis of brain disorders, with an emphasis on gene-environment interactions and susceptibility to mental health diseases. Specifically, my dissertation examines the effect of neuron-subtype-specific loss of dopamine D1 receptors during a critical period of brain development in mice. The fundamental finding is that these conditional knockout mice exhibit strong antidepressant-like effects and reductions in stress hormones, likely through downregulation of an important neurexin molecule. These data suggest a previously unidentified mechanism to potentially exploit in the treatment of mood disorders. I expect this work to result in two to three primary manuscripts for publication — the first is currently in preparation.
So far, I've been PhD-ing quite alright. I'm involved in graduate student advocacy and leadership on campus, with the main goal of protecting a healthy and productive academic environment for graduate students. I am an executive member of the Congress of Graduate Students (COGS), and I've participated in multiple panel discussions geared toward minorities in STEM, both on and off campus.
This blog was created to provide a space for myself and others to find additional opportunities for scholarly contribution, networking, and scientific exposure. I hope this platform will pave the way toward more competitive postdoctoral positions and other scholarly experiences that will, in turn, expand future opportunities and skills as a future principal investigator.