People
Emily Sylwestrak, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biology, Institute of Neuroscience (she/her)
Dr. Sylwestrak received her bachelor's degree in biology in 2006 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she worked with Dr. Lee Cox to examine the electrophysiological properties of subtypes of thalamic neurons. She completed her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego in 2011 in the lab of Dr. Anirvan Ghosh. As a graduate student, she studied the role of a class of cell surface molecules, leucine-rich repeat-containing proteins, in controlling synapse formation in the hippocampus. In work published with Dr. Ghosh, she identified that the LRR protein Elfn1 is critical for established target-cell specificity in the hippocampus, a phenomenon whereby neurons can tailor the properties of a presynaptic terminal to the cell type identity of the postsynaptic target neuron. She continued working on the molecular control of synapse function at F. Hoffmann-La Roche in Basel with Dr. Ghosh and Dr. Peter Scheiffele before joining the Deisseroth Lab at Stanford in 2014. As a postdoc, she has developed protocols for labeling RNA in intact, transparent tissues, to merge molecular information with three-dimensional structural information. Her more recent work focuses on understanding how heterogenous, molecularly-defined neuronal populations work together to drive behavior, finding that different habenular cell types encode predictive or resultant aspects of motivated behavior, suggesting that habenular dysfunction may contribute to altered reward processing in neuropsychiatric disorders. She started her lab at the University of Oregon in Spring 2019.
Alexandra McCoy
Postdoc
Alex received her bachelor's degree in 2018 from Western Washington University, where she worked with Dr. Jeff Grimm studying sex differences in the reinforcing effects of sucrose. She completed her Ph.D. in Integrated Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. As a graduate student, her thesis focused on novel treatments for psychiatric disorders. She discovered that targeting GABA-A receptors that contain α5 subunit can produce antipsychotic-like effects in a rodent model of stress-induced psychosis. In collaboration with DAMONA pharmaceuticals, she found that a novel drug designed to target α5 GABA-A receptors can also produce antipsychotic-like effects, spurring commercial interest in further developing this compound for the treatment of schizophrenia. In her role as a post-doctoral fellow, she is interested in studying the role of the lateral habenula in stress-induced cognitive dysfunction. Outside of the lab, Alex loves to get outside and hike or play volleyball.
Vincent Moore
Research Assistant
Vincent is a recent graduate from the University of Oregon with degrees in neuroscience and biology. Previously, he worked with the Biology of the Built Environment (BioBE) lab exploring the intersection of microbiology and architecture, particularly the rate of SARS-CoV-2 viral load generation in indoor settings. He is excited to follow his passion for neuroscience under Dr. Sylwestrak and cultivate a tool set to aid in the understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders
Tharusha Seagoe
Undergraduate Researcher
Tharusha is an undergraduate studying human physiology and chemistry at the University of Oregon. She joined the Sylwestrak lab in winter term of her first year, and she is eager to learn about some of the specific anatomy and physiology involved in neuropsychiatric disorders like depression. Outside of lab, Tharusha loves henna art and board games.
Kana Suzuki
Graduate Student
Kana received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she worked under Dr. Cherie Briggs investigating genetic drivers of host susceptibility and pathogen virulence in the chytrid-frog system. She is now a Ph.D. student in the Institute of Neuroscience working in the Sylwestrak lab, studying how specific cell types in the habenula contribute to reward-related behaviors. Outside of the lab, Kana enjoys rock climbing and making stop motion videos.
Lab Alumni
Leah Blankenship
Undergraduate Researcher
Leah is an undergraduate student at the University of Oregon studying neuroscience, psychology, and biochemistry. She has previously worked in Dr. Phil Fisher's Stress Neurobiology and Prevention (SNAP) Lab in the Psychology department, and now she is excited to dive into the biology of the brain and the techniques to study it under Dr. Sylwestrak.
Isabella Salinas
Graduate Student
Isabella received their B.S. from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. While their research experience started in Dr. Marshal McCue's laboratory studying the metabolic rates of praying mantises, they became interested in neuroscience through various summer internships. Now, they are a Ph.D. student in the Institute of Neuroscience doing research in the Sylwestrak lab, where they will expand their knowledge on the neural circuitry of the habenula. While not in the lab, you can find Isabella playing ultimate frisbee, walking their dog Tobi, or biking around Eugene.
Mindy Tran
Undergraduate Researcher
Mindy is an undergraduate at the University of Oregon and Clark Honors College, where she is studying molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. After previously working as a lab assistant in the Diana Libuda Lab, Mindy is shifting her focus to pursue a more neuroscience-based research experience. With this, she hopes to learn more about what drives neuropsychiatric disorders like addiction and depression. Mindy also loves to cook, bake, and perform with the White Lotus lion dancing team.
Blake Holcomb
Research Assistant
Blake graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelors degree in biology, where he worked under Dr. Matt Smear to examine how populations of olfactory neurons respond to odor concentration change. He is excited to expand his skill set under Dr. Sylwestrak, and combine his background in neuroscience with his interest in molecular biology. After working in the Sylwestrak Lab, he joined a Ph.D. program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.