Christiane V
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
Expertise
Developmental Neuroscience, Retinal Development, Visual Neuroscience
Bio
Christiane is a graduate student at the University of Berkeley, California studying spontaneous activity in the developing visual system. She is very interested in how spontaneous activity in the retina of embryonic mice is generated. She aims to use her skills in calcium imaging and data analysis to advance the field's current understanding of the generation mechanism and spatiotemporal properties of spontaneous activity in the embryonic mouse retina. Christiane is really fascinated by spontaneous activity in the developing sensory system because of its implications in the proper organization and refinement of the systems from which they originate. Gaining a deep understanding of how this activity is generated throughout development will enable greater advancement in the field of developmental neuroscience. This, in turn, could be used to inform biomedical research on neurodevelopmental disorders. When she is not working in lab Christiane enjoys doing anything that enables her to explore her creative nature. She has been writing poetry since the 6th grade and this is one of her favorite pass times, especially when she is extra busy and her mind is buzzing with all things science. Poetry provides her mind with a much needed retreat from all the science. In addition to being a poetry enthusiast, Christiane also enjoys anything that has to do with food, whether it be watching a cooking/baking show, going to the grocery store, exploring hidden gems in her neighborhood, or rolling up her sleeves and putting her apron on to throw down in the kitchen, she's there! A true foodie.Project ideas
Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.
The physiology of a neuron
In this project you will get intimate with the basic unit of the nervous system, the neuron. This simple yet intricate cell has a lot of going on and as neuroscientists aiming to understand the complex nervous system, we must first master the inner working of a neuron. You will work on writing a basic review on neurophysiology, covering the anatomy of a neuron, the electrochemical properties of a neuron, the mechanism for action potential generation, and the basic mode of communication between neurons. To write this review, you will need to read historical research articles covering the discovery of each aspect of the neuron's physiology.
Coding skills
Matlab, JavaScript for ImageJ macrosLanguages I know
French Fluent, English FluentTeaching experience
High School: - Provided a group of four 9th grade students with weekly tutoring sessions on biological sciences Undergrad: - Facilitated a literacy program with a group of 12 teenagers working as a PASE Teaching fellow at St. Ann's Episcopal Church in the Bronx. Mediated seminars on the works of Maya Angelou, to aid students’ reading comprehension, rhetoric analysis, and public speaking skills - Tutored a group of two elementary and middle school students on grammar and literature at the Boys and Girl's Club in Syracuse, NY. - Oversaw the mentorship of a group of six first year minority students who expressed an interest in the sciences as a WellsLink mentor at Syracuse University. Facilitated group discussions on topics regarding social identities and the sciences. Organized weekly individual meetings with each student to access their progress. Provided all students with academic, social and emotional support. Graduate School: - Oversaw two undergraduate neuroscience courses as a graduate student instructor, at the University of California, Berkeley. One class in cellular and molecular neuroscience and the other in systems neuroscience. Each class had over 50 students I supervised and instructed. - Oversaw the instruction and mentorship of new graduate students. - Worked as a mentor and program coordinator for the Bridges to Baccalaureate program. I created a virtual research plan for the 4 undergraduate students I mentored. Worked with two other program coordinators to develop a virtual program for the summer of 2020 and 2021.Credentials
Education
Syracuse University
BS Bachelor of Science (2017)
Biology with a concentration in NeuroscienceUniversity of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Neuroscience