The Broihier Laboratory

Heather Broihier

Hometown: Cleveland Heights, OH

Education: University of Chicago, B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, Postdoc.

We are interested in how circuits form during development and how they are modified by experience. We take a combination of approaches to shed light on these questions including genetics, genome engineering, high-resolution imaging, electrophysiology and behavior.

Hobbies: Traveling with my family, reading biographies, and attending Cleveland Orchestra concerts.

In another life, I would be a Professional oboist.

Walk-up song: Superfly by Curtis Mayfield.

Marina Bostelman, PhD Student

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Education: Hillsdale College, B.S.

Project: My project is focused on the fundamental question of how synapses form and are maintained as a neuron develops over time. I am addressing this question by studying the extracellular voltage-gated calcium channel subunit a2d and its roles in these processes.

Hobbies: Reading, baseball analytics, baking.

In another life, I would be a pharmacist or a canon lawyer.

Walk-up song: Cleveland Rocks by the Presidents of the United States of America.

Jerrik Rydbom, PhD Student

Hometown: Blairsville, PA

Education: Washington & Jefferson College, B.A.

Project: I am working on characterizing the role of a novel insulin/insulin-like growth factor binding protein (Crimpy) in central brain development, function, and behavior. Specifically, I am focused on uncovering the role of Crimpy in a small subset of neurosecretory cells in the central brain to regulate developmental axon morphogenesis and pruning, as well as sleep behavior.

Hobbies: Lifting/working out, sports, music.

In another life, I would be an athletic trainer or a neurosurgeon.

Walk-up song: Stay Fly by Three 6 Mafia.

Lauren Fennema, PhD Student

Hometown: Williamston, MI

Education: Grand Valley State University, B.S.

Project: I am currently studying the role of the extracellular voltage-gated calcium channel subunit a2d as a novel Wallenda/DLK inhibitor.

Hobbies: Baking, playing Catan, spending time with family and friends.

In another life, I would be a baker.

Walk-up song: See Through by The Band Camino

Hans Leier, MD/PhD Student

Hometown: North Hollywood, CA

Education: Reed College, B.A.

Project: I study how glia interact with neural circuits to influence physiology and behavior. I’m particularly interested in glial regulation of synaptic plasticity during critical periods for learning.

Hobbies: Teaching, reading, and college football.

In another life, I would be an English teacher.

Walk-up song: High Hopes by Pan!c at the Disco

Alexander Foden, MD/PhD Student

Hometown: Miami, FL

Education: University of California Irvine, B.S.

Project: My current projects are focused on elucidating glial roles and neuron-to-glia communication during an olfactory critical period of Drosophila brain development.

Hobbies: Traveling/vacationing, cooking, gardening, watching sports, and spending quality time with family and friends.

In another life, I would be a full-time surfer.

Walk-up song: MOJABI GHOST by Bad Bunny and Tainy

Ishan Vig

Hometown: Sammamish, Washington

Project: I am working on characterizing the role of a novel insulin/insulin-like growth factor binding protein (Crimpy) in central brain development, function, and behavior. Specifically, I am focused on uncovering the role of Crimpy in a small subset of neurosecretory cells in the central brain to regulate developmental axon morphogenesis and pruning, as well as sleep behavior.

Hobbies: Soccer, Photography/Film production, video games, architecture, and fashion design.

In another life, I would be a Cinematographer.

Walk-up song: Lose Yourself by Eminem

Andrea Maldonado

Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico

Hobbies: Painting, journaling, world flag and map games

In another life, I would be a drummer.

Walk-up song: Applause by Lady Gaga.

Akash Dada

Hometown: Clarksville, MD

Project: I am working on characterizing the role of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein Crimpy on regulating insulin signaling in the brain.

Hobbies: Basketball, being outdoors, traveling.

In another life, I would be a food critic.

Walk-up song: Telephone Calls by A$AP Mob.

Pam Vanderzalm

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Education: Washington University in St. Louis B.S., University of California Berkeley, Ph.D., University of Chicago, Postdoc.

Project: I’m interested in growth control generally—how do tissues know when they’ve reached the “correct” size? Right now I’m interested in how connections between neurons and their targets reach the appropriate strength, and am studying how inhibition of BMP signaling during synapse development mediates this.

Hobbies: I am an official for US Figure Skating (Judge and Technical Controller) so you can often find me at rinks around the country if I’m not at work or with my family.

In another life, I would be a lawyer since I enjoy argument. At least my parents always told me I should become one!

Walk-up song: She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby.

Luigi

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Project: Luigi’s project is to define the role of caffeination in the success of Neuroscience research.

Hobbies: trying out new beans!

In another life, I would be a barista.

Felipe (Flip)

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Project: Flip’s project is to supervise the graduate students!

Hobbies: Enjoying espresso from my boi Luigi, taking in the views of the lab and the views from my window, and keeping all of my fly stocks in good spirits!

In another life, I would be a PhD student like all of my friends.

Dan Jindal (2018-2023)

Dan spearheaded the study of glial-mediated synapse pruning in the lab. He is an MD/PhD student and has since returned to medical school at Case Western Reserve University.

Kelsey Herrmann (2016-2021)

Kelsey pioneered CRISPR/Cas9-mediated approaches in the lab to elucidate the signaling requirements for dSARM in injury-induced axon degeneration and developmental glial phagocytosis. She is now a senior scientist at Miromatrix Medical.

Kendall Hoover (2013-2019)

Kendall launched our lab’s ongoing work on the voltage-gated calcium channel subunit alpha2delta. She was the recipient of a predoctoral NRSA fellowship from the NIH and is currently a senior analyst in data science & analytics at TransUnion Company.

Colleen McLaughlin (2012-2018)

Colleen defined a dSARM-mediated Toll-6 innate immune signaling pathway in glial phagocytosis. She was awarded the 2019 Doctoral Excellence award in Neurosciences and is currently an HHMI postdoctoral fellow in Liqun Luo’s laboratory at Stanford.

James Sears (2010-2016)

Jim extended the lab’s previous work on FoxO regulation of axonal microtubules, demonstrating that FoxO is also required for microtubule organization and dynamics in dendrites. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Kendal Broadie’s laboratory at Vanderbilt University and is currently a senior research assistant professor in the Broadie lab.

Rebecca James (2008-2013)

Becca pioneered our lab’s ongoing work on Crimpy and defined its role in BMP signaling. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Alex Kolodkin’s laboratory at Johns Hopkins University and is now a senior scientist at Eikonizo Therapeutics.

Inna Nechipurenko (2006-2012)

Inna discovered a novel function for the transcription factor FoxO in neurons to limit microtubule stability at the neuromuscular junction. For this work, she was awarded the 2012 Arthur Hughes Doctoral Excellence Award in Developmental Biology. Inna completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Piali Sengupta’s laboratory at Brandeis University and is currently an Assistant Professor on the tenure track at Worchester Polytechnic Institute.

Yi-Lan Weng (2006-2011)

Yi-Lan identified and characterized the role of a CASK-interacting protein in developmental motor axon pathfinding and regeneration. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the G.-L. Ming/H.J. Song laboratory at Johns Hopkins University and is currently an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery on the tenure track at Academic Institute at Houston Methodist and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Crystal Miller (2005-2010)

Crystal defined the role of matrix metalloproteinases in developmental motor axon dynamics. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Bruce Lamb’s laboratory at the Cleveland Clinic and went on to be the Director of Research at Hathaway Brown School in Cleveland. She is now an administrative manager at Todd Mann Management Group.