Jessica A
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at College de France
Expertise
Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Epigenetics, Epigenomics, Genomics, Genetics, RNA Biology, Gene Regulation, Neural Plasticity, Neurobiology, Transcriptomics, DNA Methylation, Chromatin Biology, Non-coding RNA, Next-Generation Sequencing
Bio
I am a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and a molecular biologist by training, with extensive expertise in neuroscience, epigenetics, epigenomics, and genomics. I earned my B.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Padova, Italy, and my Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Collège de France in Paris. My research combines molecular biology, epigenetic and genomic approaches, and sequencing technologies to investigate how gene regulation influences brain function, neural plasticity, and behavior. I am passionate about understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the brain and helping students turn their curiosity into meaningful research questions. Outside of science, I enjoy running, cycling, playing piano, and sewing. I love learning new things and exploring different areas of science, and I enjoy sharing my curiosity and enthusiasm with others. As a mentor, I hope to help students develop their critical thinking, research, and scientific communication skills while discovering the aspects of science that excite them most.Project ideas
The Epigenetic Brain: How Environment and Experience Shape Neural Plasticity
Our experiences can change the way the brain functions, but how do these changes occur at the molecular level? In this project, you will explore how epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling regulate gene expression during neural plasticity. You could investigate how learning, sensory experience, environmental enrichment, or stress influences epigenetic regulation in a specific brain region or neuronal population. Depending on your interests, the project could culminate in a focused literature review and research paper, a research proposal outlining a testable hypothesis and experimental approach, or an analysis of publicly available genomic datasets. Keywords: neuroscience, epigenetics, epigenomics, neural plasticity, neurobiology, DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, gene regulation, learning, memory, brain development, genomics.
How Does Stress Change the Brain? Exploring the Epigenetics of Stress and Mental Health
Stress and traumatic experiences can have long-lasting effects on the brain and behavior, but what happens at the molecular level? In this project, you will investigate how chronic stress or traumatic experiences can influence epigenetic regulation and gene expression in the brain. You could focus on a specific condition such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, or stress-related changes in learning and memory, and examine evidence for changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, or non-coding RNA. The project could culminate in a scientific literature review and research paper, a research proposal for investigating an epigenetic mechanism, or an analysis and comparison of findings from publicly available datasets. Keywords: neuroscience, epigenetics, stress, trauma, mental health, PTSD, depression, anxiety, DNA methylation, gene expression, non-coding RNA, neurobiology, brain function.
From Genes to Brain Disease: How Epigenetic Dysregulation Contributes to Neurodegeneration
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease arise from complex interactions between genetics, aging, environment, and changes in brain cells. In this project, you will investigate how alterations in epigenetic regulation and gene expression may contribute to neurodegeneration. You could choose one disease and explore changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility, or non-coding RNA regulation in affected brain regions. The project could result in a focused literature review comparing findings across studies, an analysis of publicly available genomic or transcriptomic datasets, or a research proposal exploring whether an epigenetic mechanism could serve as a potential biomarker or therapeutic target. Keywords: neuroscience, neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epigenetics, epigenomics, DNA methylation, chromatin, gene regulation, non-coding RNA, transcriptomics, genomics, biomarkers, therapeutics.
From DNA to RNA: How Epigenetic Regulation Controls Gene Expression
How does a cell decide which genes to turn on or off? In this project, you will explore how epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression and how these processes influence neuronal function. You could investigate the relationship between DNA methylation, chromatin structure, transcription, and RNA production, with a particular focus on RNA biology and non-coding RNAs in the brain. Depending on your interests, the project could focus on a specific biological process, brain region, or neurological condition and could culminate in a focused literature review, scientific research paper, or research proposal describing a hypothesis and experimental approach. Keywords: epigenetics, epigenomics, gene regulation, gene expression, molecular biology, RNA biology, non-coding RNA, transcription, DNA methylation, chromatin, neuroscience, neurobiology, experimental design.
