2007-present: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Research Fellowship
2005-present: Postdoctoral Fellow, NYU School of Medicine
2001-2005: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Studentship
1999-2005: PhD, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. "A Secreted Factor-Based Mechanism for Olfactory Ensheathing Cell-Mediated Neurite Outgrowth"

Scientific Interests

I am interested in mechanisms controlling neuronal lineage specification and emergent neuronal subclass heterogeneity - more specifically, cortical interneuron heterogeneity. To this end, I am developing a model system whereby embryonic stem cells are transcriptionally specified to become cortical interneurons, and other neuronal lineages originating from the medial ganglionic eminence.

To validate this method, I am currently transplanting differentiated ES cells by ultrasound backscatter microscopy in utero and assessing their phenotype postnatally in vivo. With the ability to generate large numbers of transplantable inhibitory interneurons, we plan to assess their efficacy in mouse disease models, such as epilepsy. In parallel, we aim to use this model system for biochemical studies and as a vehicle to assess candidate factors affecting early fate decisions in the ventral telencephalon.