Faculty
Neil Dani
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Dr. Dani graduated from the University of Rochester with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry followed by a Master’s degree at New York Medical College. He earned his Ph.D. degree from Vanderbilt University and carried out dissertation research on extracellular signal transduction in the laboratory of Dr. Kendal Broadie. To further investigate how extracellular signals impact mammalian brain development and function, he joined the laboratory of Dr. Maria Lehtinen at Boston Children’s Hospital. As a postdoctoral researcher and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, he focused on the choroid plexus, which is a key source of extracellular signals in the developing brain that also functions as a brain barrier throughout life. Dr. Dani and collaborators have generated the first cell atlas of the choroid plexus in the mouse brain and have innovated live imaging tools to visualize its function in real time. As an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt University, he will continue research on the choroid plexus to investigate its roles in development, brain function and contributions to neurological disease.
In his free time he enjoys music, percussion drumming, history of science, podcasts on a variety of subjects, and dabbling in computers.
Staff
Alexander Brand
2024 VUSRP Summer Research Scholar, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Alex graduated high school in Roebuck, South Carolina. He is currently sophomore at Vanderbilt majoring in molecular and cellular biology. Previously, he worked as an undergraduate researcher studying shared mammalian traits accounting for phylogeny using R and Python packages. He has plans to one day enter the medical field and in his free time outside of the classroom, he enjoys sports and spending time with friends and family.
Martina Gergis
2024 Aspirnaut Scholar, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
My name is Martina Gergis. I am was born in Egypt, but I was raised in Nashville, TN. I speak fluent Arabic. I am a Questbridge (Full-Ride Scholarship) student at Davidson College in North Carolina. I am a rising junior with a Biology major and Neuroscience concentration on the pre-medical track. I am the president of the neuroscience club at Davidson, and also a member of the Pre-Med Society. I love being part of neuroscience research, and I aspire to one day become a neurosurgeon.
Megan Keating
Research Assistant, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Megan graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Cell Science and is pursuing a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences from Vanderbilt University. As an undergraduate, she worked in the Phlips Lab and studied the growth patterns of algae and other microorganisms within bodies of water in the state of Florida. In the Dani lab, she investigates choroid plexus roles in disease. Her future plans are to enroll in medical school. Outside of science, she enjoys writing music and baking.
Chloe Koo
2024 VUSRP Summer Research Scholar, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Chloe graduated high school from Suwanee, Georgia. She is currently a sophomore pursuing a major in Medicine, Health and Society with a minor in Data Science. As an undergraduate research assistant, she is exploring the role of the choroid plexus in health and disease. In her free time, she loves traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Carson Oakes
2024 MARC Research Scholar, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Carson graduated high school in Glasgow, Kentucky. He is currently a sophomore at Vanderbilt studying Medicine, Health, and Society. In the Dani lab, he is exploring the choroid plexus and its relation to several diseases. In his spare time, he enjoys working out and watching hockey. One day he wants to visit all of America’s national parks.
Nayla Ramos
2024 Aspirnaut Scholar, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Nayla is a rising senior at Plano Senior High School with plans to major in neuroscience and enroll in medical school after graduation. Currently, she is gaining valuable experience as a high school research intern. In her free time, Nayla enjoys reading and drawing.
Victoria Sarkisian
Graduate Student, Cell and Developmental Biology
Victoria graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. During her time at CSULB, she was a researcher in the Slowinska lab, where she worked on optimizing the use of thermo-responsive collagen-based nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery applications. She is currently a PhD student in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, with an interest in studying the role of the choroid plexus in neurological disease. She is also interested in exploring the role of the choroid plexus at a systemic level as it relates to processes that are essential for general wellness; her goal is to contribute to practical and applicable research findings with a focus on enhancing human health and longevity. In her free time, she enjoys baking, learning new instruments, and is an avid MMA and basketball fan.