Research Focus The primary research goal of my lab is to study the fundamental mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression with an emphasis on RNA processing factors mutated in complex brain disorders. Specifically, we are interested in the post-transcriptional activities of the RNA-regulatory RNA exosome complex in human neurodevelopment and disease. In my lab, we have taken the strategy of coupling in vivo Drosophila genetics with in vitro human iPSC-derived brain organoid models to understand how defects in subunits of the ubiquitous and essential RNA exosome complex cause tissue-specific consequences.
Honors and Awards• Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow in Neuroscience 2023-2025 • 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America, Cell Press CrossTalk (February 2020) • Excellence in Human Genetics Award, American Society of Human Genetics (October 2019) • Keystone Symposia Fellow Award (2019) • Jr. RNA Scientist Highlight, RNA Society (2019) • Rising Star in Biomedical, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, MA (2018) • FASEB: Post-transcriptional regulation and RNA Decay Meeting Travel Award, Scottsdale, AZ (2018) • Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017- 2020) • Burroughs Wellcome, Postdoctoral Career Development Award (2017-2020) • NIH Institutional Research and Career
Development Award (IRACDA) – Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching (FIRST) Postdoctoral Fellow (2016-2019)