Category: Uncategorized (Page 1 of 2)

PhD student Tracy Warren’s new paper dissecting the genetic profiles of endophenotypes in psychotic disorders is out now in Molecular Psychiatry! This study, done in collaboration with Dr. Pak Sham at the University of Hong Kong and Dr. Cam Carter at UC Davis and UC Irvine, uses pathway polygenic risk scores to dissect the convergent pathways taken toward psychiatric symptoms in 205 human subjects with a psychotic disorder and 115 controls. Major findings include associations of glutamatergic and GABAergic deficits with negative symptoms and cognitive control abnormalities, as well as associations of dopaminergic deficits with improved likelihood of response to antipsychotic medications.

Read the official paper in Molecular Psychiatry or the news item published by the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences today!

Stephanie, Nicolas, and Ethan presented their work and attended talks at the Molecular Psychiatry conference in Kona, Hawaii (March 2024).

Ethan, Isak Aarrestad (Kim Lab/Olson Lab), and Hongru Hu (Quon Lab) pitched their project idea, submitted a grant proposal, and won funding to seed an interdisciplinary and collaborative project. We are excited to see how this project develops and spurs collaboration across labs!

We are thrilled to announce two  of our exceptional undergraduate researchers are part of the Advancing Diversity in Neuroscience Research (ADNR) Program this year. At the Nord lab, we believe in fostering an inclusive and diverse community of aspiring neuroscientists. It is within our mission to inspire and support students from all backgrounds to pursue advanced degrees and research careers in neuroscience.
This year, we proudly recognize two outstanding scholars from our lab who have been selected into the prestigious ADNR Program. Melissa Corea, who has been an integral part of our lab since her freshman year, has been selected for this program in her Junior year and will embark on this enriching journey throughout the summer of 2023 and continue her training throughout 2023-2024 academic year.
Darlene Rahbarian, an ADNR honors awardee since 2022, has continued to excel as a senior ADNR student, dedicating herself to advancing the frontiers of our research. Both Melissa and Darlene are instrumental in our ongoing investigation of the Chd8 gene function within the mouse brain. Working under the expert guidance of our Research Scientist, Dr. Cesar P Canales, their individual projects have made significant contributions to critical areas of our studies.
The ADNR Program not only recognizes the talent and dedication of these exceptional students but also provides them with invaluable opportunities to hone their skills and expand their knowledge in the field of neuroscience. By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, in our lab we aim to empower aspiring scientists like Darlene and Melissa to make meaningful contributions to the understanding of the brain and neurological disorders. We are immensely proud and grateful to have Melissa and Darlene as part of our research team. Their passion, drive, and dedication serve as an inspiration to us all, and we eagerly anticipate the groundbreaking discoveries they will make in the future.
As we continue to advance diversity and excellence in neuroscience research, we invite everyone to join us in celebrating the achievements of these remarkable students and supporting their journey towards a brighter and more inclusive scientific community

2nd year Neuroscience PhD candidate Nicolas Seban was awarded the Learning, Memory, and Plasticity (LaMP) T32 fellowship to continue his work in identifying cell-type specific pathology associated with ASD-associated de novo mutations, leveraging using single-cell multiomic methods in a murine model. Congrats!!

Ethan Fenton, 2nd year Neuroscience PhD student in the Nord lab, traveled to UCSF to learn some genomics techniques from Dr. Susan Lindtner from the lab of Dr. John Rubenstein. A huge thank you to Susan, knowledge exchange across universities and labs is an excellent way to lift everyone up and an important part of learning the field!

With a wide range of topics such as human diseases, anthropology, and genetic engineering, and development employing various methods of investigation such as molecular biology, genome sequencing, artificial intelligence based analysis methods, the Human Genetics Focus Group brings together diverse teams. Sharing your work here is a great way to get expert insight from multiple perspectives and spur creativity!

Melissa Corea is a second-year undergrad in the Nord Lab, majoring in Genetics and Genomics, who has recently been accepted as a scholar in the NSF LSAMP/California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) Program. This program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented students pursuing research in STEM fields by working on faculty-sponsored research projects. As a first-gen, Latina student, Melissa is thrilled to have the resources and support of this program behind her in continuing her undergraduate research experience and in preparing for graduate school.

“I am very grateful to have been admitted into the program and I’m excited to continue my research experience with the Nord Lab”! – Congratulations Melissa!

For over 20 years, the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Scientists (ABRCMS) has been the go-to conference for underrepresented community college, undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This year, our postbac PREP scholar Kiya Jackson, along with undergraduate researchers Darlene Rahbarian and Luis Farrach, represented the Nord Lab by participating in the conference that took place from November 9-12, in Anaheim, CA. They presented posters with their contributions to the ongoing Disease Modeling and Enhancer Biology projects in our lab. “I really enjoyed my experience at ABRCMS because I was able to gain a better sense of self belonging in the field of science and learned a lot from other research-oriented students” said Dalene Rahbarian. “My favorite part about attending ABRCMS was networking with scientists from diverse fields and stages of their scientific careers. This was also my third in-person conference after a couple years of virtual events. I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact and present my research” commented Kiya Jackson. Well done Nord lab trainees!