Undergraduates and Post-Bacs
Siddhi Gavkar - undergraduate researcher - cellular neuroscience
Siddhi Gavkar is an undergraduate researcher in the Blakely Lab majoring in cellular neuroscience at the Wilkes Honors College. Dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter influencing motivation, movement, and memory. Her research in the lab focuses on understanding the impact that genetic mutation in the dopamine system, specifically the dopamine transporter (DAT), has on the development and manifestation of neuropsychiatric disorders such as ASD, ADHD, and BPD. To pursue this, she is utilizing techniques such as light-sheet and confocal microscopy to elucidate how clinically relevant genetic mutations in DAT can influence these disorders and change neuronal activation and serotonergic innervation. Outside of research and academia, Siddhi enjoys going to the gym, meditating, and reading.
Tristan Wells - post-bac researcher - neuroscience
Tristan Wells is a post-bac earning a second degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from the FAU College of Science. His research in the Blakely lab focuses on the physiological and behavioral consequences of genetic variation in the dopamine transporter (DAT) gene (SLC6A3). Dopamine plays an important role in motor control, motivation, attention, response to novelty, reward, and cognition, and mutations in the SLC6A3 gene have been linked to several neuropsychiatric disorders. Amongst the mutations identified, the Ala559Val substitution has been shown to trigger anomalous dopamine efflux, perturbing dopamine homeostasis and behavior in DAT Val559 mice. Tristan's project seeks to test if early intervention with clinically efficacious therapies modifies the trajectory of phenotypes, including aberrant dopamine release, cognitive function and sociability, in mice harboring this mutation. To do this, he will record changes in dopamine in the brain utilizing genetically encoded dopamine sensors and in vivo fiber photometry in awake, behaving mice.
Erin Bell, undergraduate
Erin Bell is an undergraduate researcher perusing a degree in Cellular Neuroscience at FAU Wilkes Honors College. Copper is an essential trace mineral in the body in combating against oxidative stress and inflammation, acting as a cofactor across several biochemical pathways. Because the gene MBLAC1 has recently been identified as a risk factor for abnormal copper homeostasis, further research into the gene and its subsequent influence on copper homeostasis and neuronal health is of interest. Her research in the Blakely Lab focuses on the physiological role of the gene MBLAC1— particularly looking at how the gene influences active microglial expression and activation in relation to neuroinflammation, utilizing techniques such as immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy.
Ahmarne Hammett, undergraduate
Ahmarne Hammett is an undergraduate student at the FAU Wilkes Honors College, majoring in Cellular Neuroscience with a minor in Interdisciplinary Ethics. Within the Blakely Lab, she assists with worm preparation, whether it be NGM agar plates or simply seeding these plates with E.coli bacteria. Alongside this, she assists with experiments and follow through with any protocols needed by her supervisor, Dr. Zaka Asif, such as performing bleach synchronization or preparing L4 worms for microscopic studies.
