northwestern university research labs

Research Labs

This page lists Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology research groups by principal investigator. Learn about the broader goals for study within the research groups as well as details on individual faculty labs and teams.

  Awatramani Lab Dr. Awatramani’s lab investigates dopamine neurogenesis and subtypes as well as the role of microRNAs in Schwann cell (SC) differentiation.

Research description.

Topic 1. Mechanisms underlying dopamine neurogenesis The floor plate, the ventral organizing center in the embryonic neural tube, patterns the neural tube by secreting the potent morphogen Shh. Using genetic fate mapping, we have recently shown that the midbrain floor plate, unlike the hindbrain and spinal cord floor plate, is neurogenic and is the source of midbrain dopamine neurons (Joksimovic, et al, 2009 Nature Neuroscience , Joksimovic et al. 2009 PNAS ). We are interested in understanding pathways that are involved in floor plate neurogenesis and production of dopamine neurons. We have shown that Wnt signaling is critical for the establishment of the dopamine progenitor pool and that miRNAs may modulate the dosage and timing of the Wnt pathway (Anderegg et al, PloS Genetics 2013).

Topic 2. Deconstructing Dopaminergic Diversity The neurotransmitter dopamine, produced mainly by midbrain dopaminergic neurons, influences a spectrum of behaviors including motor, learning, reward, motivation and cognition. In accordance with its diverse functions, dopaminergic dysfunction is implicated in a range of disorders affecting millions of people, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), schizophrenia, addiction and depression. How a small group of neurons underpins a gamut of key behaviors and diseases remains enigmatic. We postulated that there must exist several molecularly distinct dopaminergic neuron populations that, in part, can account for the plethora of dopaminergic functions and disorders. We are currently working to test this hypothesis and define dopamine neuron subtypes.

Topic 3. MicroRNAs in Schwann cell (SC) differentiation MicroRNAs, by modulating gene expression, have been implicated as regulators of various cellular and physiological processes including differentiation, proliferation and cancer. We have studied the role of microRNAs in Schwann cell (SC) differentiation by conditional removal of the microRNA processing enzyme, Dicer1 (Yun et al, 2010, J Neurosci ) . We reveal that mice lacking Dicer1 in SC (Dicer1 cKO) display a severe neurological phenotype resembling congenital hypomyelination. SC lacking Dicer1 are stalled in differentiation at the promyelinating state and fail to myelinate axons. We are beginning to determine the molecular basis of this phenotype. Understanding this will be important not only for congenital hypomyelination, but also for peripheral nerve regeneration and SC cancers.

For more information, please see Dr. Awatramani's faculty profile .

Publications

View Dr. Awatramani's complete list of publications in PubMed .

Rajeshwar Awatramani, PhD  at 312-503-0690

  Batra Lab Dr. Batra's lab is focused on his research interests in neurology, including brain injury, neuroinflammation, stroke and vascular biology.

Visit Dr. Batra's faculty profile for more information

  Bonakdarpour Lab Dr. Bonakdarpour’s lab uses multimodal neuroimaging to study the underlying neural mechanisms of language impairment (aphasia) and impairment in other areas of cognition.

For more information about the Bonakdarpour Lab, please visit the  Bonakdarpour Laboratory website .

Twitter: @bbonakda

  Braga Lab Dr. Braga’s lab investigates the relationship between neural activity within brain networks and cognitive functions.

The Braga Lab is investigating the relationship between neural activity within large-scale brain networks and cognitive functions that are advanced in humans, such as the use of language or thinking about the past or future. These functions are localized to associative regions of the brain that have disproportionately expanded in recent hominin evolution and are separated from information processing hierarchies devoted to any single sensory modality. By mapping brain networks in association areas with precision within individual volunteers using functional MRI, and measuring neural population activity using intracranial techniques, we can characterize brain networks at high spatial and temporal resolution and make insights into their specialization and function. A major focus of the lab is to study the nature of cross-network interactions and the role these play in different cognitive processes.

For lab information and more, visit   Dr. Braga's faculty profile   or the   Braga Lab website .

[email protected]

Twitter: @RodBraga

  Piso Lab Dr. Caraveo Piso’s lab studies the role of Ca 2+ signaling in synucleinopathies using diverse model systems from yeast to human neurons.

We are focused on a group of neurodegenerative diseases collectively known as synucleinopathies, characterized by the aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn). These include Parkinson's Disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies and Multiple Systems Atrophy among others. We use diverse systems that span from yeast to mammalian models to study these diseases. In particular, we are interested in the role Ca 2+ signaling plays in the toxicity caused by α-syn and to delineate basic mechanisms of Ca 2+ signaling relevant to neuronal physiology.

For more information, visit  Dr. Caraveo Piso's faculty profile or the  Caraveo Piso Lab website .

Please see Dr. Caraveo Piso's publications on PubMed .

Contact Information

Gabriela Caraveo Piso, PhD

Assistant Professor in Neurology

Ward 10-150

312-503-4492

  Carvill Lab Dr. Carvill’s lab studies the genetic causes and pathogenic mechanisms that underlie epilepsy.

The primary goal of our research is to use gene discovery and molecular biology approaches to identify new treatments for epilepsy. We aim to 1) identify the genetic causes of epilepsy, 2) use stem cell models to understand how genetic mutations can cause epilepsy, 3) develop and test new therapeutics for this condition. Our work is based on the promise of precision medicine where knowledge of an individual’s genetic makeup shapes a personalized approach to care and management of epilepsy.

Current Projects:

• Next generation sequencing in patients with epilepsy
• Alternative exon usage during neuronal development
• Identify the regulatory elements that control expression of known epilepsy genes
• Stem cell genetic models for studying the epigenetic basis of epilepsy

For more information, see Dr. Carvill's faculty profile or the Carvill Lab Website .

See Dr. Carvill's publications on PubMed .

Contact Gemma Carvill, PhD

Twitter: @CarvillLab

  Cheng Lab Dr. Cheng’s lab investigates cancer stem cell biology, cellular signaling and therapy responses in human brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma (GBM).

Our lab broadly studies cancer stem cell biology, cellular signaling, RNA biology, and therapy responses in human brain tumors, in particular, glioblastoma (GBM). We have a range of different projects currently underway in glioma cell lines, gliomas stem-like cells (GSCs), patient-derived xenograft (PDX) GBM model, human iPSC-derived glioma organoid model, orthotopic glioma xenograft model in mice, and clinical glioma tumor specimens. Our current research focuses on novel mechanisms/cellular signaling of GSC biology, tumorigenesis, progression, and therapy responses of GSCs and GBMs.

Roles of RNA alternative splicing and RNA-binding proteins in glioma

RNA alternative splicing (AS), an evolutionarily conserved co-transcriptional process, is an important and influential determinant of transcriptome and proteome landscapes in normal and disease states such as cancer. AS is regulated by a group of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that bind to the cis-acting elements in proximity to a splice site thus affecting spliceosome assembly. In cancers, altered expression of or mutations in RBPs result in dysregulated AS that impacts cancer biologic properties. We have established AS/RBP networks that are dysregulated in both adult and pediatric gliomas through bioinformatic analysis of both public and our own datasets of clinical glioma tumors. We are investigating the biological significance of AS/RBPs dysregulation in glioma progression and therapy response by using human iPSC-derived glioma organoid model and GSC brain xenograft models in animals. In addition, we are exploring novel therapeutic approaches of targeting glioma-associated AS/RBP networks to treat GBMs.

Roles of Non-coding RNAs in glioma 

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), act as transcription repressors or inducers of gene expression or functional modulators in all multicellular organisms.  Dysregulated ncRNAs plays critical roles in cancer initiation, progression and responses to therapy. We study the mechanisms by which deregulated expression of lncRNAs or circRNAs influence GBM malignant phenotypes through interactions with signaling pathways. We study the molecular consequences and explore clinical applications of modulating ncRNAs and related oncogenic signaling pathways in GBM.  We are establishing profiles of ncRNAs in clinical gliomas and patient-derived GSCs, and study mechanisms and biological influences of these ncRNAs in regulating GSC biology and GBM phenotypes. 

Aberrant DNA and RNA structures in therapy-resistant GBM

Standard of care treatment for GBM includes the DNA damaging agent temozolomide (TMZ), which has a known mechanism of action to target and mutate guanine bases. With this knowledge in hand, we sought to determine the effects of guanine (G) mutations in DNA and RNA secondary structure. G’s are important for creating structures like g-quadruplexes in both DNA and RNA which can affect changes in translation or be used as docking sites for DNA repair and RNA binding proteins. Using whole genome sequencing data along with isogenic drug sensitive and resistant lines, we are investigating the role of G mutations in DNA and RNA secondary structure to determine potential therapeutic avenues with the help of a chemical biologist to create novel drugs to target these TMZ-induced aberrant pathways.

Targeting autophagy to treat glioma

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that removes unnecessary or dysfunctional components through a lysosome-dependent regulated mechanism, thus serving as a protective mechanism against stressors and diverse pathologies including cancer. We study mechanisms by which phosphorylation, acetylation and ubiquitination of autophagy-related proteins regulate GSC and GBM phenotypes and autophagic response, which, in turn contributes to tumor cell survival, growth and resistance to therapy. We investigate whether disruption of these post-translational processes in autophagy-related proteins inhibits autophagy and enhances the efficacy of combination therapies in GBMs. In collaboration with a medicinal chemist, we are characterizing a next generation of novel autophagy inhibitors that specifically target a key autophagy regulator that we recently reported.

Multi-omics and GBM non-responsiveness to immunotherapies

GBM is categorized as a “cold” tumor that does not respond to current immunotherapies using various immune-checkpoint blockers. Although extensive efforts have been made to sensitize GBM to immunotherapies, the mechanistic studies to determine alternative therapies from understanding the underlying signaling and clinical trial results are still disappointing. We are interested in utilizing the information of multi-omics of clinical gliomas, in particular, proteomics profiling in relation to genomic and epigenomic profiling, to identify potential protein targets that could be the major modulators through post-translational modifications in these “cold” GBM tumors. We will also consider the involvement of tumor microenvironment and immune cells in these conditions. These studies are a brand-new direction that are high-risk and high-reward to turn “cold” GBM tumors to immunotherapy responsive tumors.

For more information, please see Dr. Cheng's faculty profile and lab website .

View Dr. Cheng's complete list of publications in PubMed .

Shi-Yuan Cheng, PhD at 312-503-5314

Visit us on campus in the Lurie Building, Room 6-119, 303 E Superior Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611.

  Chou Lab Dr. Chou’s lab focuses on the role of inflammation and immune response in vascular brain injuries and biomarker discovery.

For more information, view the faculty profile of Sherry H-Y Chou, MD .

Recent Publications

View Dr. Chou's full list of publications at Pubmed .

Twitter: @SherryChou399  

  Deng Lab Dr. Deng’s lab is focused on understanding the mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Visit  Dr. Deng's faculty profile for more information.

  Elbaz Lab Dr. Elbaz’s lab investigates the mechanisms that regulate myelin-forming cell development and function.

Myelin is a multilayer lipid membrane structure that ensheaths and insulates axons, allowing for the efficient propagation of action potentials along axons. Myelin abnormalities are part of a wide range of neurological disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis, leukodystrophies and neurodegenerative disorders. Our efforts to understand the molecular control of myelin formation are crucial in order to intervene, and enhance, myelin formation, remyelination, and recovery.

Our research is dedicated to investigating the mechanisms that regulate myelin-forming cell development and function. Myelin is a multilayer lipid membrane structure that ensheaths and insulates axons, allowing for the efficient propagation of action potentials along axons. Myelin is formed by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS), and by Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

In the CNS, our research is focused on the transcriptional control of oligodendrocyte differentiation and CNS myelin formation. The transcriptional network that controls oligodendrocyte differentiation contains only a handful of transcription factors, many of which have been characterized in considerable detail by us and by others. Nevertheless, our understanding of this transcriptional network is still lacking. Our studies aim to fill this void and fully characterize this transcriptional network. Our main transcription factors of interest are zinc finger protein 24 (Zfp24) and Sp7. Our previous research has identified Zfp24 and Sp7 as transcription factors that are essential for CNS myelination. We are now looking at the upstream effectors and downstream targets of Zfp24, and we are characterizing the role of Sp7 in oligodendrocyte lineage cells. In order to study Zfp24 and Sp7, we are developing novel mice models that allow us to either ablate or activate these transcription factors in oligodendrocyte lineage cells. 

In the PNS, our research is focused on understanding the mechanisms involved in PNS injury, recovery, and remyelination. PNS injury is a critical health concern. Understanding the mechanisms that control the response of Schwann cells to PNS injury is necessary to lay the foundation for future therapies. In our first project, we are focused on the role of the WNT signaling pathway in remyelination of the PNS. In our second PNS project, we are characterizing the effect of PNS demyelination on the sensory neurons.

For lab information and more, see Dr. Elbaz's faculty profile.

Silicon Nanowires for Intracellular Optical Interrogation with Subcellular Resolution . Rotenberg MY, Elbaz B , Nair V, Schaumann EN, Yamamoto N, Sarma N, Matino L, Santoro F, Tian B. Nano Lett . 2020 Feb 12;20(2):1226-1232. PMID: 31904975.

m6A mRNA Methylation Is Essential for Oligodendrocyte Maturation and CNS Myelination . Xu H, Dzhashiashvili Y, Shah A, Kunjamma RB, Weng YL, Elbaz B , Fei Q, Jones JS, Li YI, Zhuang X, Ming GL, He C, Popko B. Neuron . 2020 Jan 22;105(2):293-309. PMID: 31901304.

A terminal selector prevents a Hox transcriptional switch to safeguard motor neuron identity throughout life. Feng W, Li Y, Dao P, Aburas J, Islam P, Elbaz B , Kolarzyk A, Brown AE, Kratsios P. Elife . 2020 Jan 3;9. PMID: 31902393.

Molecular Control of Oligodendrocyte Development . Elbaz B , Popko B. Trends Neurosci . 2019 Apr;42(4):263-277. PMID: 30770136.

Phosphorylation State of ZFP24 Controls Oligodendrocyte Differentiation. Elbaz B , Aaker JD, Isaac S, Kolarzyk A, Brugarolas P, Eden A, Popko B. Cell Rep . 2018 May 22;23(8):2254-2263.  PMID: 29791837.

Activity-Dependent Myelination Shapes Conduction Velocity. Elbaz B. J Neurosci . 2016 Nov 16;36(46):11585-11586. PMID: 27852767

Transcriptional Fingerprint of Hypomyelination in Zfp191null and Shiverer (Mbpshi) Mice . Aaker JD, Elbaz B , Wu Y, Looney TJ, Zhang L, Lahn BT, Popko B. ASN Neuro . 2016 Oct;8(5). PMID: 27683878.

Adenomatous polyposis coli regulates radial axonal sorting and myelination in the PNS. Elbaz B , Traka M, Kunjamma RB, Dukala D, Brosius Lutz A, Anton ES, Barres BA, Soliven B, Popko B. Development . 2016 Jul 1;143(13):2356-66 PMID: 27226321.

WDR81 is necessary for purkinje and photoreceptor cell survival. Traka M, Millen KJ, Collins D, Elbaz B , Kidd GJ, Gomez CM, Popko B. J Neurosci . 2013 Apr 17;33(16):6834-44 PMID: 23595742.

Immunosuppressive drugs, immunophilins, and functional expression of NCX isoforms. Rahamimoff H, Elbaz B , Valitsky M, Khatib M, Eskin-Schwartz M, Elmaz D. Adv Exp Med Biol . 2013;961:275-87. PMID: 23224887.

Cyclophilin A is involved in functional expression of the Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger NCX1. Elbaz B , Valitsky M, Davidov G, Rahamimoff H. Biochemistry . 2010 Sep 7;49(35):7634-42. PMID: 20681522.

Modulation of Na+-Ca2+ exchanger expression by immunosuppressive drugs is isoform-specific. Elbaz B , Alperovitch A, Gottesman MM, Kimchi-Sarfaty C, Rahamimoff H. Mol Pharmacol . 2008 Apr;73(4):1254-63. PMID: 18182482.

Cyclosporin A-dependent downregulation of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger expression . Rahamimoff H, Elbaz B , Alperovich A, Kimchi-Sarfaty C, Gottesman MM, Lichtenstein Y, Eskin-Shwartz M, Kasir J. Ann N Y Acad Sci . 2007 Mar;1099:204-14. PMID: 17446460.

High expression in leaves of the zinc hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri of AhMHX, a homolog of an Arabidopsis thaliana vacuolar metal/proton exchanger. Elbaz B , Shoshani-Knaani N, David-Assael O, Mizrachy-Dagri T, Mizrahi K, Saul H, Brook E, Berezin I, Shaul O. Plant Cell Environ . 2006 Jun;29(6):1179-90. PMID: 17080942.

For general lab inquiries, please contact Braesen Rader: [email protected]

For Dr. Elbaz please email: [email protected]

Twitter: @BennyElbaz

Our Mailing Addresses

Dr. Elbaz's Office Benayahu Elbaz-Eilon, PhD Department of Neurology Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 7-665 Morton Medical Research Building 310 East Superior Street Chicago, IL 60611

The Elbaz Lab Braesen Rader Department of Neurology Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 7-450 Searle Building 310 East Superior Street Chicago, IL 60611

  Gate Lab Dr. Gate’s lab is focused on the intersection of the immune system and neurodegenerative disease.

The Gate lab in Northwestern Neurology works at the interface of the immune system and neurodegenerative disease. The lab is focused on employing human genomics approaches to uncover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for neurodegeneration. Chief among our strategies is single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) to identify transcriptional changes in human specimens. We also employ spatial transcriptomics, immunohistochemistry and cytometry approaches to validate genomic changes observed by scRNAseq. The Gate lab is focused primarily on neurodegenerative diseases of aging, including, but not limited to: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Amyotropic lateral sclerosis.

For lab information and more, see Dr. Gate's faculty profile.

See Dr. Gate's publications on PubMed .

Email  David Gate, PhD  

Twitter: @DGateLab

  Glaser Lab Dr. Glaser's lab develops interpretable machine learning methods to better make sense of large-scale and complex neural activity data.

The Glaser Lab develops new computational tools to better understand how different brain areas and cell types functionally interact, how neural activity flexibly drives movement and behavior, and how neural activity dynamics change across behaviors, internal states, and diseases.

For more information, visit  Dr. Glaser's faculty profile or the  Glaser Lab website .

Please see Dr. Glaser's publications on PubMed .

  Kalb Lab Dr. Kalb’s lab studies the activity-dependent development of circuits in the central nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases.

Glutamatergic synapses that include the GluA1 subunit have a privileged role in activity-dependent brain development and this is driven, in part, through the assembly of a large multi-protein complex in the post-synaptic density. A critical molecular component of this complex is the scaffolding protein SAP97.  Among the >90 known SAP97 binding partners we have determined that a novel protein called CRIPT plays an essential role in this process.  Humans with mutations in CRIPT have a severe developmental brain disorder. We are using a variety of approaches to understand the mechanisms by which CRIPT controls synapse biology and dendrite growth including: 1) study of a conditional knock-out (cKO) mouse that we built, 2) super-resolution imaging of glutamate receptors/TARPs/MAGUKs using neurons derived from patient iPS cells and 3) electrophysiology of dissociated neurons and hippocampal slices from the cKO mice.  Insight into the molecular logic of SAP97/CRIPT function will have implications for childhood maladies such as intellectual disability and autism/autism-spectrum disorders.

In our studies of adult onset neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia we find evidence for maladaptive changes in cellular intermediary metabolism and proteostasis.  Ongoing metabolomics interrogations are uncovering why changes in fuel utilization are toxic and discovering new targets for therapeutic intervention.  The relationship between altered metabolism and perturbed protein homeostasis is also an area of intense interest with special focus on a proteasome adaptor protein called RAD23.  Our experimental platforms are: 1) cells from patients with various genetic abnormalities (i.e., mutations in C9orf72, TDP43, etc.) differentiated into neurons, 2) C.elegans , and 3) primary rat/mouse neurons. Targeting proximal events in neurodegenerative diseases will lead to novel therapeutic approaches.

For lab information and more, visit  Dr. Kalb's faculty profile or the Kalb Lab website .

See Dr. Kalb's publications on PubMed .

Contact Dr. Kalb at 312-503-5358

  Kessler Lab Dr. Kessler’s lab focuses on the biology of neural stem cells and growth factors and their potential for regenerating the damaged or diseased nervous system.

The Kessler Laboratory focuses on the biology of neural stem cells and growth factors and their potential for regenerating the damaged or diseased nervous system. A major interest of the laboratory has been the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in both neurogenesis and gliogenesis and in regulating cell numbers in the developing nervous system.  Both multipotent neural stem cells and pluripotent embryonic stem cells are studied in the laboratory. Recent efforts have emphasized studies of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hIPSC). The Kessler lab oversees the Northwestern University ESC and IPSC core and multiple collaborators use the facility. In addition to the studies of the basic biology of stem cells, the laboratory seeks to develop techniques for promoting neural repair in animal models of spinal cord injury and stroke. In particular, the lab is examining how stem cells and self-assembling peptide amphiphiles can be used together to accomplish neural repair. The lab is also using hIPSCs to model Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders. 

For more information see the faculty profile of John Kessler, MD .

View Dr. Kessler's full list of publications in PubMed .

  Kim Lab Dr. Kim's lab focuses on her research interests in neurology, including arteriovenous malformation, brain injury or trauma, stroke, critical care outcomes and dementia.

Visit Dr. Kim's faculty profile to learn more.

  Kimchi Lab Dr. Kimchi's lab studies the brain networks and neural rhythms that support clear thinking, with a goal of preventing and treating acute alterations in cognition.

Consciousness and awareness depend upon an intricate balance of brain network activity. On any given day, this neural balance is disrupted in over 20% of hospitalized older adults, resulting in delirium, an acute and dramatic disorder of attention and awareness. Despite being the most common neuropsychiatric condition in the hospital, delirium remains underrecognized, poorly understood, and does not have any FDA approved therapies.

Our translationally motivated, basic science research explores how neuromodulators such as acetylcholine and systemic factors such as inflammation influence the function of neural networks critical for attention and awareness. We also lead clinical research in patients to predict who will develop delirium and how we can prevent and treat it. Our work leverages wearable technology to measure brain activity noninvasively, coupled with AI analyses to discover new biomarkers that track and predict the course of delirium.

For lab information and more, visit  Dr. Kimchi's faculty profile or the Kimchi Lab website .

Please see Dr. Kimchi's publications on PubMed .

Eyal Y. Kimchi, MD, PhD

Twitter: @ekimchi

  Kiskinis Lab Dr. Kiskinis’ lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that give rise to neurological diseases using human stem cell-derived neuronal subtypes.

The broad objective of our laboratory is to understand the nature of the degenerative processes that drive neurological disease in human patients. We are primarily interested in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Epileptic Syndromes as well as the age-associated changes that take place in the Central Nervous System (CNS). We pursue this objective by creating in vitro models of disease. We utilize patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells and direct reprogramming methods to generate different neuronal subtypes of the human CNS. We then study these cells by a combination of genomic approaches and functional physiological assays. Our hope is that these disease model systems will help us identify points of effective and targeted therapeutic intervention.

For more information view the faculty profile of Evangelos Kiskinis, PhD , or the Evangelos Kiskinis Lab site .

View Dr. Kiskinis' publications at PubMed .

  Koralnik Lab Dr. Koralnik’s lab studies viral effects on the nervous system.

The laboratory of Igor Koralnik, MD, studies how viruses affect the nervous system. These include SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19, HIV in patients with substance use, as well as the entire virome in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the Koralnik Lab is involved in global neurology research with international partners.

For more information and publications see the  faculty profile of Igor Koralnik , visit the Koralnik Lab  or the Program for Global Neurology.

See Dr. Koralnik's publications on PubMed .

Email Dr. Igor Koralnik

Twitter: @IgorKoralnik

  Krainc Lab Dr. Krainc’s lab studies the mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders that affect children and adults.

The overarching goal of my laboratory is to study rare diseases such Huntington’s and genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease, as a window to understanding neurodegeneration across the lifespan. More recently, we have focused on rare lysosomal diseases such as Gaucher’s in order to identify specific targets and mechanisms that contribute to neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s and related synucleinopathies. It is expected that such defined targets will facilitate mechanism-based development of targeted therapies for children with neuronopathis Gaucher’s disease as well as adult-onset synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease. To validate and study these targets and novel therapies in human neurons, we have utilized induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) generated by reprogramming of patient-specific skin fibroblasts. These iPS cells are differentiated into specific neuronal subtypes in order to characterize the contribution of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors to disease mechanisms and to test novel therapeutic approaches.

For more information see the  faculty profile of Dimitri Krainc or visit the Krainc Lab website .

View Dr. Krainc's full list of publications in PubMed .

Contact information

Dimitri Krainc, MD, PhD Ward Professor and Chairman 312-503-3936

  Knutson Lab Dr. Knutson's lab focuses on clinical and observational research examining sleep, circadian rhythms and chronic diseases, as well as the sociocultural determinants of sleep and circadian rhythms.

Learn more about Dr. Knutson's research at Northwestern Scholars .

Twitter: @klknut

  Liotta Lab Dr. Liotta's lab focuses on improving the acute management of and outcomes for critical neurologic illness.

The lab’s current primary focus is the management of severe hepatic encephalopathy in patients with fulminant, acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure and noninvasive detection of cerebral edema.

Visit  Dr. Liotta's faculty profile to learn more.

  Lubbe Lab Dr. Lubbe’s lab investigates the genetics of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The characterization of how genetic changes contribute to increasing disease risk or to disease causality is key to understanding the underlying disease etiology. Through the bioinformatics analysis of next generation sequencing data (whole genome or exome), the Lubbe lab aims to identify novel genes or loci that when altered may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Furthering our knowledge of the processes that cause Parkinson’s disease could potentially pave the way to the development of novel treatments.

For lab information and more, visit the Lubbe Lab website or  Dr. Lubbe's faculty profile .

Steven Lubbe, PhD

312-503-5298

Ward 10-132

  Maas Lab Dr. Maas' lab researches the detection and management of evolving neurologic symptoms in critically ill patients, with an emphasis on understanding the role of the circadian system and impaired brain arousal.

Visit  Dr. Maas' faculty profile to learn more.

  Mazzulli Lab Dr. Mazzulli’s lab investigates cellular self-renewal systems, amyloid formation in the brain, and the relationship of these processes to neurodegeneration and aging.

We are investigating cellular self-renewal mechanisms, amyloid formation in the brain, and the relationship of these processes to neurodegeneration and aging. We primarily use human neurons made from induced pluripotent stem cells as well as in vitro protein aggregation models to delineate the pathogenic mechanisms of age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Our group is largely focused on utilizing neurons from rare lysosomal diseases to study how alterations in biomolecule degradation pathways influence the accumulation and conformation of disease-linked proteins such as alpha-synuclein. Another major effort of the lab is to determine how amyloid formation influences cellular self-renewal mechanisms in neurons, such as lysosomal clearance of damaged macromolecules, and the effect on the aging process.

We use the following techniques and model systems:

• Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into midbrain dopamine neurons to model both rare and common neurodegenerative diseases.
• Analytic biochemical techniques, such as HPLC and size exclusion chromatography, to study protein accumulation and misfolding in neurons.
• Analysis of protein and lipid degradation pathways in neurons with a focus on the autophagic-lysosomal clearance system by a variety of biochemical and cell biological techniques
• Primary neuronal cultures and transgenic mice to study the effect of metabolic pathways on protein accumulation and aging.
• Recombinant protein purification of disease-related proteins to study conformational changes in cell-free in vitro systems.

For lab information and more, visit the  Dr. Mazzulli's faculty profile or the Mazzulli Lab website .

Joe Mazzulli, PhD

312-503-3933

  Menichella Lab Dr. Menichella’s lab investigates the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain in hereditary and acquired peripheral neuropathies.

Lab description.

Menichella's lab is especially focused on painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). PDN is a debilitating affliction present in 26% of diabetic patients with substantial impact on their quality of life. Despite this significant prevalence and impact, current therapies for PDN are only partially effective. Moreover, the molecular and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain in diabetes are not well understood.

Neuropathic pain is caused by sustained excitability in sensory neurons which reduces the pain threshold, so that pain is produced in the absence of appropriate stimuli. Towards designing more effective therapeutics, our goal is to identify the molecular and physiological mechanisms that shape sustained excitability in sensory neurons responsible for the transition to neuropathic pain in peripheral neuropathies. More specifically we are investigating the role of molecules involved in inflammation such as chemokine and the potential role of microRNAs.

We take advantage of an integrated approach combining pain behavioral tests, electrophysiology studies including current clamp recordings, in vitro and in vivo calcium imaging studies, confocal studies with conditional and transgenic mouse genetic and chemo-genetic silencing of sensory neuron subtypes using mutated hM4D receptor (DREADD) receptors.

For more publication information see PubMed and for more information see the faculty profile of Daniela Maria Menichella, MD/PhD .

Daniela Maria Menichella, MD, PhD

312-503-3223

  Mesulam Lab Dr. Mesulam’s lab studies Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

As the director of the NIH-funded Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center (CNADC), Dr. Mesulam’s research focuses on cognition and aging. The CNADC’s research ranges from evaluating quality-of-life interventions for Alzheimer’s disease, to understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, and everything in between. Many of the research studies at the CNADC are related to primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a rare dementia syndrome characterized by the progressive loss of language abilities with relative sparing of other areas of cognition. As one of the top referral centers for PPA in the world, they maintain a large cohort of patients who are thoroughly studied using a variety of techniques, including MRI, ERP, and neuropsychological testing. All research patients have the opportunity to participate in the Brain Donation Program, which allows researchers to understand the link between clinical presentation and underlying neuropathologic disease.

For more information please see the  faculty profile of M Marsel Mesulam, MD  or visit the  The Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center (CNADC) website .

Phone:  312-908-9339

Twitter: @NUMesulamCenter

  Mundt Lab Dr. Mundt's lab focuses on non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia and other sleep disorders.

The research interests of Dr. Mundt's lab include innovative approaches to treatment with a focus on patient perspectives, mind-body focused interventions for disorders of sleep and arousal, and examining sleep disturbances in the context of other psychological and physical parameters such as cognition, stress, and metabolic syndrome.

For lab information, please visit Dr. Mundt's faculty profile and the  Mundt Lab webpage for more information.

  Naidech Lab Dr. Naidech’s lab conducts clinical and translational research to devise new treatments, improve protocols and maximize quality of life for patients with acute neurological injuries.

The section of neurocritical care combines researchers working on complementary areas of neurological emergencies. Ongoing projects include cerebrovascular autoregulation and cognition ( Farzaneh Sorond, MD, PhD ), patient-centered outcomes research, translational research for acute intracerebral hemorrhage such as acute correction of platelet activity ( Andrew Naidech, MD, MSPH ), sleep dysfunction and circadian rhythms in acute illness ( Matthew Maas, MD ), cerebral edema and hepatic encephalopathy ( Eric Liotta, MD ), and basic neuroscience ( Minjee Kim, MD ).

Andrew Naidech, MD, MSPH, FANA

Professor of Neurology

Twitter: @AndrewNaidech

  Opal Lab Dr. Opal’s lab aims to understand the cellular basis of neurodegeneration.

The long-term goal of my laboratory is to understand the cellular basis of neurodegeneration. We are testing the idea that neurodegeneration results from derangements in relatively few but strategic sub-cellular pathways. By identifying critical components of these pathways one could begin to not only understand the biology of neurodegeneration, but also embark on the design of novel therapeutic agents.

We are currently studying the autosomal dominant disorder Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 (SCA1), a relentless disease that affects cerebellar Purkinje cells and brainstem neurons. This disorder is caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the involved disease protein and is thus similar to a growing number of disorders, including Huntington disease, that share this mutational mechanism. Patients with SCA1 begin to display cerebellar signs characterized by motor incoordination or ataxia in early to mid adulthood. Unfortunately there is no treatment for this disease and patients eventually succumb from the complications of brainstem dysfunction.

Current Projects

Testing the transcriptional hypothesis in SCA1 pathogenesis: 

One of the earliest features of this disease is change in the gene expression signature within neurons affected in this disease. We are elucidating the pattern of gene expression changes in the vulnerable Purkinje cell population and identifying the contribution of these alterations to pathology.

Testing the role of the vascular and angiogenic factor VEGF in SCA1 pathogenesis. 

One of the genes that we have already found to be down-regulated is the neurotrophic and angiogenic factor VEGF. Importantly, we have discovered that genetic or pharmacologic replenishment of VEGF mitigates SCA1 pathogenesis. These results suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for this incurable disease and a possible cross-talk between the degenerating cerebellum and its microvasculature. We are pursuing mechanistic experiments to learn how low VEGF mediates SCA1 pathology. In addition, we are working actively towards testing the potential for VEGF as a therapy in human ataxic disorders.

Testing the role of ataxin-1 misfolding and clearance in disease pathogenesis.

Several studies suggest that ataxin-1 accumulates in neurons because of its inability to be cleared by the protein-misfolding chaperone pathway. We are testing different strategies to promote ataxin-1 clearance.

In addition to spinocerebellar ataxia, we are also studying genetic parkinsonian and dystonic syndromes.

For more information see the faculty profile of Puneet Opal, MD, PhD or visit the Opal Lab website .

View Dr. Opal's full list of publications at PubMed.

Email Puneet Opal, MD, PhD  

Phone: 312-503-4699

Twitter: @PuneetOpal

Research Associates

Jessica Huang

Postdoctoral Fellows

Edamakanti Chandrakanth Reddy (Chandu), PhD Dilyan Dryanovski, PhD Yuan-shih (Jennifer) Hu, PhD Eitan Israeli, PhD

Graduate Students

Natalie Frederick Kevin Murnan

Technical Staff

Vicky Hwang

Undergraduate Student

Sean Bald In-Won Chang

  Ozdinler Lab Dr. Ozdinler’s lab studies the cortical component of motor neuron circuitry degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other related disorders.

We are interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are responsible for selective neuronal vulnerability and degeneration in motor neuron diseases. Our laboratory especially focuses on the corticospinal motor neurons (CSMN) which are unique in their ability to collect, integrate, translate and transmit cerebral cortex's input toward spinal cord targets. Their degeneration leads to numerous motor neuron diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, hereditary spastic paraplegia and primary lateral sclerosis.

Investigation of CSMN require their visualization and cellular analysis. We therefore, generated reporter lines in which upper motor neurons are intrinsically labeled with eGFP expression. We also characterized progressive CSMN degeneration in various mouse models of motor neuron diseases and continue to generate reporter lines of disease models, in which the upper motor neurons express eGFP.

The overall goal in our investigation, is to develop effective treatment strategies for ALS and other related motor neuron diseases. We appreciate the complexity of the disease and try to focus the problem from three different angles. In one set of studies, we try to reveal the intrinsic factors that could contribute to CSMN vulnerability by investigating the expression profile of more than 40,000 genes and their splice variations at different stages of the disease. In another set of studies, we try to understand the role of non-neuronal cells on motor neuron vulnerability and degeneration, using a triple transgenic mouse model, in which the cells that initiate innate immunity are genetically labeled with fluorescence in an ALS mouse model. These studies will not only reveal the genes that show alternative splice variations, but also inform us on the canonical pathway and networks that are altered with respect to disease initiation and progression.

Even though the above mentioned studies, which use pure populations of neurons and cells isolated by FACS mediated approaches, will reveal the potential mechanisms that are important for CSMN vulnerability, it is important to develop therapeutic interventions. One of the approach we develop is the AAV-mediated gene delivery directly into the CSMN via retrograde transduction. Currently, we are trying to improve CSMN transduction upon direct cortex injection.

Identification of compounds that support CSMN survival is an important component of pre-clinical testing. We develop both in vitro and in vivo compound screening and verification platforms that inform us on the efficiency of compounds for the improvement of CSMN survival.

In summary, we generate new tools and reagents to study the biology of CSMN and to investigate both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to their vulnerability and progressive degeneration. We develop compound screening and verification platforms to test their potency on CSMN and develop AAV-mediated gene delivery approaches. Our research will help understand the cellular basis of CSMN degeneration and will help develop novel therapeutic approaches.

For more information see the faculty profile of Pembe Hande Ozdinler, PhD  or the Ozdinler Lab website .

Visit the Les Turner ALS Center

View Dr. Ozdinler's full list of publications at PubMed.

Email Hande Ozdinler, PhD  

Phone: 312-503-2774

Twitter: @DrOzdinler

  Pioro Lab Dr. Pioro's lab studies adult neurologic patients with motor neuron diseases (MNDs), particularly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Dr. Pioro's research focuses on characterizing the MRI abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord of PALS as well as identifying the underlying molecular correlates of the imaging changes in CNS tissue and induced pluripotent stem cells derived from these patients.

For lab information and more, visit Dr. Pioro's faculty profile.

  Popko Lab Dr. Popko lab aims to uncover fundamental aspects of myelinating glial cell development and the myelination process, as well as the detailed function of the myelin sheath.

The Popko laboratory has a long-standing interest in the myelin sheath. Myelin is the multilayered membrane structure that surrounds most axons of the central and peripheral nervous systems. This extension of the myelinating glial cells’ plasma membrane promotes the very rapid nerve conduction velocities that are required in higher vertebrates, and it provides critical trophic support to the axons. Myelin is produced by Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system.

Our research interests include studies designed to uncover fundamental aspects of myelinating glial cell development, the myelination process, as well as the detailed function of the myelin sheath. We also devote considerable effort to gaining a better understanding of the neurological disorders that disrupt the myelination process during development and the maintenance of the myelin sheath in adults. In addition, we are particularly interested in developing therapeutic approaches to protect the myelinating cells from cytotoxic insult and to enhance the remyelination of demyelinated axons.

For lab information and more, visit Dr. Popko's faculty profile or the  Popko Lab website .

  Reid Lab Dr. Reid's lab aims to improve understanding of the relationship between the sleep and circadian systems and health and safety.

Current research areas include understanding the basis and treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders, the effects of sleep loss on performance and safety, and the relationship between sleep and risk for metabolic and cardiovascular disease.

Visit  Dr. Reid's faculty profile to learn more.

  Savas Lab The Savas lab aims to accelerate our understanding of the proteins and proteomes responsible for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

We use biochemistry with discovery-based mass spectrometry to identify the protein perturbations which drive synaptopathies and proteinopathies. Groups of perturbed proteins serve as pathway beacons which we subsequently characterizes in hopes of finding new pathogenic mechanisms and potential future therapeutic targets.

For more information view the faculty profile of Jeffrey Savas, PhD or the Savas Lab website .

Please see Dr. Savas's publications on PubMed .

Jeffrey Savas, PhD Assistant Professor in Neurology 312-503-3089

  Slutzky Lab Dr. Slutzky’s lab investigates methods of assisting people with neurologic disorders through brain-machine interfaces.

The goal of our research is to help people with neurologic disorders, especially those who are severely paralyzed from stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or ALS. Our research centers around using neural prosthetics, i.e., human machine interfaces, to help restore or replace function of the injured nervous system. We have developed a myoelectric interface for neurorehabilitation training (MINT) to help people with stroke regain function in their arms. The MINT uses electrical muscle signals to control a cursor in customized video games. This enables them to improve coordination between the muscles. Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) offer the capability to “decode” brain signals and use them to control computer cursors, prosthetic limbs, or haptic feedback devices. We are investigating the possibility of using BMIs to help rehabilitate brain function by driving plasticity. We study this in humans with traumatic brain injury. In addition, we are investigating the potential to decode a person’s intended speech directly from his or her brain and using this to restore communication to people who have lost it due to severe paralysis. We also use this powerful paradigm to study the underlying relationship between different types of brain signals, for example, the relationship between field potentials (summed from many neurons in the network) and action potentials of individual neurons.

For more information see the  faculty profile of Marc W. Slutzky, MD, PhD or the Slutzky Lab website .

Email Marc W. Slutzky, MD, PhD

Phone: 312-503-4653

Twitter: @SlutzkyLab

  Sorond Lab Dr. Sorond’s lab studies the neurovascular mechanisms responsible for acute and chronic brain injury.

Our research program is directed at understanding neurovascular function in health and disease. Specifically, we have been studying the association between cerebral blood flow regulation, structural changes in the brain and the clinical outcomes of acute and chronic cerebrovascular injury. In acute neurovascular disorders, we have validated several novel indices of cerebral blood flow regulation which can now be used to predict the development of vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage and hematoma expansion in patients with intraparenchymal hemorrhage. The availability of these early non-invasive biomarkers will have a significant impact on early interventions to improve outcome in patients with subarachnoid and intraparenchymal hemorrhage. Similarly, in chronic neurovascular disorders associated with aging and neurodegeneration, we have been examining the contribution of vascular disease to mobility impairment and cognitive decline. We have shown that our non-invasive biomarkers of vascular function are strongly associated with cerebral small vessel disease as well as motor and cognitive impairment. Our goal is to expand these studies to include other neurological disorders such as stroke, pre-eclampsia, traumatic brain injury and dementia. Having non-invasive, real-time measure of neurovascular function which can predict clinical outcome in the early phases of brain injury will have significant implications on clinical trials and therapeutic targets designed for the treatment and prevention of these various acute and chronic neurovascular injuries.

For more information, view the faculty profile of Farzaneh A Sorond, MD, PhD . Visit her lab website here .

Twitter: @SorondLab

View Dr. Sorond's full list of publications at PubMed .

  Vassar Lab Dr. Vassar’s lab is studying the role of Ab and BACE1 in normal biological processes and in disease mechanisms of relevance to Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly. The progressive degeneration of neurons in regions of the brain important for cognition causes the dementia that slowly robs AD patients of their memories, personalities and eventually their lives.

AD pathology is characterized by two microscopic brain lesions:

• Amyloid plaques: Extracellular deposits of the beta-amyloid peptide (Ab), and the longer 42 amino acid form, Ab42, which is strongly associated with autosomal dominant forms of familial AD
• Neurofibrillary tangles

Ab is generated from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by endoproteolysis from two proteases called the b- and g-secretases. The b-secretase, a novel aspartic protease termed BACE1, was initially cloned and characterized by our group (Vassar, et al., 1999). BACE1 is required for the generation of all forms of Ab, including Ab42, and therefore is a prime drug target for the treatment of AD.

Our ongoing research focuses on the role of Ab and BACE1 in normal biological processes and in disease mechanisms of relevance to AD, including:

• The functions of BACE1 and the homologue, BACE2 and the cell biology of Ab in neurons
• The role of inflammation in AD pathophysiology
• Novel transgenic and knockout mouse models of AD
• Molecular changes that may occur during brain aging leading to neurodegeneration

For lab information and more, visit the Vassar Lab website or see  Dr. Vassar's faculty profile .

See Dr. Vassar's publications on PubMed .

Email Dr. Robert Vassar

Phone: 312-503-3361

  Wong Lab Super-resolution live microscopy: Identifying new organelle dynamics underlying neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases have been linked to the misregulation of multiple organelles including mitochondria and lysosomes, which are key for cellular and neuronal function. Moreover, organelles are highly dynamic and investigating their regulation in real-time is crucial for advancing our understanding of cell biology, cellular neuroscience, and neurodegenerative disease mechanisms. We recently identified mitochondria-lysosome contact sites as important regulators for mitochondrial and lysosomal network dynamics, which are implicated in multiple neurological diseases including Parkinson's and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.  Our ongoing research seeks to:

• Use super-resolution live cell microscopy to identify new cellular pathways
• Investigate how mitochondria-lysosome contact sites drive cellular & neuronal homeostasis and human disease pathogenesis
• Explore the roles and regulation of inter-organelle membrane contact sites
• Elucidate how organelle dynamics contribute to neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, ALS & Alzheimer’s disease

For more information, visit the Yvette Wong Lab website  or Yvette Wong's faculty profile .

View Dr. Wong's full list of publications in PubMed .

Email Yvette Wong, PhD

  Wu Lab Dr. Wu’s laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms regulating gene expression and their involvement in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases, including neurodegeneration and tumor metastasis.

RNA Processing and Neurodegeneration:  Accumulating evidence supports that aberrant RNA processing represents a general pathogenic mechanism for neurodegeneration, including dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A number of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases, especially various proteinopathies. Recent studies have defined TDP-43 and FUS proteinopathies, a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders overlapping with dementia, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and ALS. Several important questions drive our research: what is physiological function of these RBPs? What are the fundamental mechanisms by which genetic mutations in or aberrant regulation of these RBPs cause neural damage? What are the earliest detectable molecular and cellular events that reflect the neural damage in these devastating neurological diseases? How to reverse/repair the neural damage and slow down the progression of these devastating diseases.

To address these questions, we have established cellular and animal models for both TDP-43 and FUS proteinopathies (Li et al, 2010;Barmada et al, 2010; Chen et al, 2011; Fushimi et al, 2011). Using combined biochemical, biophysical, molecular biology and cell biology approaches, we have begun to examine the molecular pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurotoxicity induced by TDP-43 and FUS. Our recent work using atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron microscopy (EM) and (NMR) approaches has shown the biochemical, biophysical and structural similarities between TDP-43 and classical amyloid proteins (Guo et al, 2011; Xu et al, 2013; Bigio et al, 2013). Our study has defined a minimal amyloidogenic region at the carboxyl terminal domain of TDP-43 that is sufficient for amyloid fibril formation and neurotoxicity (Guo et al, 2011; Zhu et al, unpublished). Using cellular and animal models for FUS proteinopathy, we have begun to identify the earliest detectable cellular damage caused by mutations in and overexpression of the human FUS gene. Our data have provided new insights into pathogenic mechanisms underlying these proteinopathies and suggested candidate targets for developing therapeutic approaches.

A critical step in mammalian gene expression is the removal of introns by the process of pre-mRNA splicing. Alternative pre-mRNA splicing, the process of generating multiple mRNA transcripts from a single genetic locus by alternative selection of distinct splice sites, is one of most powerful mechanisms for genetic diversity and an excellent means for fine-tuning gene activity. Many genes critical for neuronal survival and function undergo extensive alternative splicing. Splicing defects play important roles in neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia and motor neuron diseases. For example, splicing mutations in the human tau gene and imbalance of tau splicing isoforms lead to frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau-positive pathology (FTLD-tau). To understand mechanisms underlying FTLD-tau, we have set up a model system and developed a number of biochemical, molecular and cell biological assays to study alternative splicing of the human tau gene. Our work has led to the identification of a number of cis-elements and trans-acting RBPs controlling tau alternative splicing (Kar et al, 2006; Wu et al, 2006; Kar et al, 2011; Ray et al, 2011). Our experiments have begun to reveal previously unknown players in FTLD-tau and provided new candidate target genes for developing therapeutic strategy (Donahue et al, 2006; unpublished).

Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Axon Guidance, Cell Migration & Tumor Metastasis:  Another line of our research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating cell migration and cancer metastasis. Previous studies from our group and others led to the discovery of Slit as a prototype of neuronal guidance cue. Our studies have shown that Slit interacts with Roundabout (Robo) and acts as a chemorepellent for axons and migrating neurons (Wu et al, 1999; Li et al, 1999;Yuasa-Kawada et al, 2009). Our work has demonstrated that Slit-Robo signaling modulates chemokines and inhibits migration of different types of cells, including cancer cells. The observation that Slit is frequently inactivated in a range of tumors suggests an important role of Slit in tumor suppression. We have established several assays and shown that Slit inhibits invasion and migration of cancer cells, including breast cancer, glioma and prostate cancer. We are using combined molecular and cell biology approaches to dissecting Slit-Robo signaling in neuronal guidance and tumor suppression. Our research has provided new insights into signal transduction pathways mediating Slit function. Enhancing or activating the endogenous mechanisms that restrict or suppress cancer invasion/metastasis will likely provide novel approaches to cancer metastasis. 

For more information please view the  faculty profile of Jane Wu, MD, PhD  or visit the Wu Lab website .

View a full list of publications by Jane Wu at PubMed .

Email Jane Wu, MD, PhD  

Phone: 312-503-0684

  Zee Lab Dr. Zee’s lab conducts basic, translational and clinical research linking circadian rhythms and sleep to health outcomes and developing innovative treatments for sleep and circadian disorders.

The Sleep and Circadian Rhythms Research Program has a large research portfolio and a history of successful NIH funding of cutting-edge translational research and clinical trials in the area of sleep and circadian medicine. Research projects include basic studies on mechanisms of sleep and circadian rhythms regulation as well as translational and patient oriented studies on the role of sleep and circadian rhythms on neurocognitive function, cardio-metabolic health, neurodegeneration and other neurological disorders. The program also has extensive history collaborating with institutions throughout the country on large-multi site, multi-year studies and trials.

Currently, faculty are Principal Investigators or collaborators on studies to understand the mechanisms linking sleep quality, circadian alignment with neurocognitive impairment, mood, cardiovascular and metabolic risk in populations at risk for sleep and circadian disorders.

For more information, see the faculty profile of Phyllis Zee, MD, PhD or visit the Center for Sleep & Circadian website .

For publication information, see PubMed .

Email Phyllis C. Zee, MD, PhD

Phone: 312-503-4409

Twitter: @PhyllisZee 

  Zelano Lab Dr. Zelano’s lab studies neural oscillations in the human olfactory system, their connection to the respiratory cycle, and their propagation to downstream limbic areas involved in emotion and memory processing.

The respiratory rhythm is inherently linked to olfaction; it is not possible to encounter an odor without first inhaling through the nose. Thus respiration imposes a natural rhythm of stimulus sampling in the olfactory system. In the mammalian olfactory bulb, local field potentials oscillate in phase with breathing, regulating cortical excitability, synchronizing activity within cell assemblies and coordinating network interactions, thus shaping olfactory sensory coding, memory and behavior. Due to timing constraints with neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and anatomical constraints with surface EEG recordings, very little is known about respiratory oscillations in the human olfactory system. We use invasive EEG methods (iEEG) to examine how the respiratory rhythm is represented in the human olfactory system, and how this representation changes during different attentional states, and in the presence of odor. We are also interested in the propagation of respiratory oscillations from olfactory cortex to other nearby limbic areas such as the amygdala and the hippocampus, and how these limbic respiratory-linked oscillations impact cognitive functions. We are currently developing fMRI and surface EEG protocols for studying human respiratory oscillations originating in olfactory brain regions that don’t require iEEG methods.

Another goal of the lab is to understand the neural correlates of olfactory attentional mechanisms. The olfactory system is anatomically unique in that it has no pre-cortical thalamic relay. Rather, the olfactory system has a very small contingent of fibers projecting to the mediodorsal thalamic downstream from primary olfactory cortex. While this small contingent likely plays a role in olfactory attention, the unique anatomical organization of the olfactory thalamic relay suggests that olfactory attentional mechanisms may differ from other modalities. We use psychophysics, fMRI and iEEG methods to examine attentional mechanisms such as selective attention and predictive coding within the olfactory system.

For lab information and more, visit   Dr. Zelano's faculty profile   or the   Zelano Lab website .

View Christina Zelano's full publication listing on PubMed .

Christina M Zelano, PhD Assistant Professor in Neurology 312-503-7244

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PhD Studies in Life and Biomedical Sciences

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• Research Clusters
• Biotechnology Systems and Synthetic Biology
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Genetics and Genomics

• Immunology and Microbial Sciences
• Reproductive Science
• Structural Biology and Biophysics

Genetics, the science of inheritance and variation among living organisms, can be traced back to the seminal work of Gregor Mendel, published in 1866. Yet today genetics is one of the most fast-moving fields of biomedical research. Technological progress driven by the relatively new science of genomics, the study of the genomes of organisms, has led to rapid advances over the past few years. We now have the complete DNA sequence of many genomes and are able to decipher the mechanisms that regulate gene expression, configure chromatin architecture, recruit transcription factors and activate or silence individual loci or gene networks. Moreover, we can investigate the cross-talk between the genome and the epigenome, the modifications that alter gene expression but do not change the underlying DNA sequence. These dynamic processes are critical for normal development and differentiated function of distinct cell types in an organism and their failure results in a wide spectrum of human diseases.

Northwestern University is home to a vibrant and interactive group of scientists carrying out world-class, state-of-the-art research into fundamental mechanisms of genetics, genomics and epigenomics. The Genetics and Genomics cluster enhances and builds advanced training for our graduate students in these subject areas. This is an inclusive training opportunity that is available to all trainees on the several university campuses, irrespective of their primary field of study, or their departmental or geographical affiliations.

Training opportunities include:

1.  State of the art workshops.  Workshops will focus on technology or computational biology relevant to genetics and genomics Recent workshops include practical classes on bioinformatic pipelines, and programming skills.

2.  Genetics and Genomics seminars.  High profile scientists will be chosen and invited by the trainees.  Other relevant seminar series and journal clubs are ongoing.

3.  Annual Symposium.  This event is organized jointly by the cluster leadership and the trainees. It brings eminent keynote speakers to the university and includes talks from Northwestern faculty and students. The symposium provides an opportunity for the students to showcase their work and network in the Northwestern Genetics and Genomics community.

Cluster Director

• Christine DiDonato, PhD Professor, Pediatrics, Director, Human Molecular Genetics Program, SMCRI

Training Faculty  

1. Chromatin and Epigenetics.

• Jason Brickner*, PhD (IBiS) Spatial organization of the nucleus and gene expression
• Debabrata Chakravarti*, PhD (DGP) Hormone signaling and chromatin modifications
• Ramana Davuluri*, PhD (DGP) Translational bioinformatics and cancer genomics
• Kyle Eagen*, PhD (DGP) Structural and biochemical basis of chromatin folding and chromosome segregation
• Daniel Foltz*, PhD (DGP) Centromeric chromatin assembly and chromosome segregation
• Lifang Hou*, MD, PhD (DGP) Environmental, genetic and epigenetic risk factors for disease
• Steve Kosak*, PhD (DGP) Nuclear Form and Function during Cellular Differentiation and Disease
• John Marko*, PhD (IBiS) Protein-DNA interactions, and chromosome structure and dynamics
• Christopher Payne*, PhD (DGP) Epigenetics of Stem Cells and the Stem Cell Niche
• Ali Shilatifard*, PhD (DGP) Molecular machinery for histone modifications
• Sadie Wignall, PhD (IBiS)  Chromosome dynamics during oocyte meiosis
• Jindan Yu*, PhD (DGP) Genetic and epigenetic pathways to prostate cancer
• Wei Zhang*, PhD (DGP) Genetics and epigenetics of complex traits

2. Regulation of Gene Expression and Transcription Factors.

• Ravi Allada*, MD (IBiS) Molecular Genetics of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
• Erik Andersen*, PhD (IBiS) Gene identification and disease susceptibility
• Grant Barish*, MD (DGP) Transcriptional regulators of inflammation and metabolism
• Joseph Bass*, MD, PhD (DGP) Circadian and metabolic gene networks in the development of diabetes and obesity
• John Crispino*, PhD (DGP) Transcriptional regulation of normal and malignant blood cell development
• Marco Gallio*, PhD (IBiS) The processing of temperature stimuli in the brain
• Jamie Garcia-Anoveros*, PhD (DGP)  Sensory and Developmental Neurobiology
• Geoff Kansas*, PhD (DGP) Transcriptional control of Fut7 in hematopoeitic cells
• Carole LaBonne*, PhD (IBiS) Formation, migration and differentiation of neural crest cells
• Vijay Sarthy*, PhD (DGP) Gene regulation, development and functional organization of the vertebrate retina
• Beatriz Sosa-Pineda*, PhD (DGP) Role of homeodomain-containing transcription factors in pancreas and liver organogenesis
• Alex Stegh*, MD, PhD (DGP) Defining and targeting the oncogenome of glioblastoma
• Eric Weiss*, PhD (IBiS) Signaling Pathways in the Control of Cell Architecture
• Jane Wu*, MD, PhD (DGP) Molecular mechanisms regulating gene expression and their involvement in the pathogenesis of age-related disease

3. Animal Models for Human Genetic Disease.

• Greg Beitel*, PhD (IBiS) Molecular Genetics of Organ Morphogenesis
• Thomas Bozza*, PhD (IBiS) Molecular Genetics and Physiology of Olfaction
• Richard Carthew*, PhD (IBiS) RNAi and Gene Regulation
• Gemma Carvill*, PhD (DGP) Genetic causes and pathogenic mechanisms that underlie epilepsy
• Jaehyuk Choi*, MD, PhD (DGP) Genetic basis of inherited and acquired immunological disorders and skin diseases
• John Crispino*, PhD (DGP) Mechanisms of normal and malignant blood cell growth
• Christine DiDonato*, PhD (DGP) Molecular basis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
• Yuanyi Feng*, PhD (DGP) Cellular and molecular mechanisms of cerebral cortex development
• Alfred George, Jr.*, MD (DGP) Structure, function, pharmacology and molecular genetics of ion channels and channelopathies
• Richard Green*, MD (DGP) Genetics and molecular biology of cholestatic liver diseases and fatty liver disorders
• Robert Holmgren*, PhD (IBiS) Cell-fate specification during development
• Jennifer Kearney*, PhD (DGP) Genetic basis of epilepsy
• Dimitri Krainc*, MD, PhD (DGP) Mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders
• Nikia Laurie*, PhD (DGP) Molecular mechanisms of retinoblastoma progression
• Yong-Chao Ma*, PhD (DGP) Regulation of motor neuron and dopaminergic neuron function in development and disease
• Puneet Opal*, MD, PhD (DGP) Cellular basis of neurodegeneration
• P. Hande Ozdinler*, PhD (DGP) Cortical component of motor neuron circuitry degeneration in ALS and related disorders
• Teepu Siddique*, MD (DGP) Causes, mechanisms, and modeling of neurodegenerative disorders
• Fred Turek*, PhD (IBiS) Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
• Xiaozhong (Alec) Wang*, PhD (IBiS) Genetic Analysis of Protocadherin Diversity in the Central Nervous System

4. Novel Genetic Technologies and Bioinformatics.

• Rosemary Braun*, PhD, MPH (IBiS) Analyzing high-throughput genomic data in the context of biological systems
• Elizabeth McNally*, MD, PhD (DGP) Genetic mechanisms responsible for inherited human disease
• Minoli Perera*, PharmD, PhD (DGP) Pharmacogenomics research in minority patient populations
• Ishwar Radhakrishnan*, PhD (IBiS) Structure, function, dynamics and informatics of macromolecular complexes
• Jonathan Silverberg*, MD, PhD, MPH (DGP) Dermatoepidemiology
• Matthew Schipma, PhD, Technical Director NGS Core Facility
• Justin Starren*, MD, PhD (DGP) Health care computing
• Ji-Ping Wang, PhD Bioinformatics and genomics
• Deborah Winter*, PhD (DGP) Computational immunology

5. Genetics of Complex disease.

• Grant Barish*, MD (DGP) BCL6 in gluconeogenesis, diet-induced obesity, and insulin resistance
• Han-Xiang Deng, MD, PhD
• M Geoffrey Hayes*, PhD (DGP) Evolutionary population genetics and genetic epidemiology
• Peter Kopp*, MD (DGP) Molecular genetics of thyroid and other endocrine disorders
• William Lowe*, MD (DGP) IGF-1 Gene Expression and Genetics of Diabetes
• Elizabeth McNally*, MD, PhD (DGP)  Genes and Modifiers for Heart and Muscle Disease
• Teepu Siddique*, MD (DGP) Molecular basis of neurodegeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Margrit Urbanek*, PhD (DGP) Susceptibility genes for complex diseases
• Lawrence Jennings, MD, PhD Novel molecular assays
• Suzanne O’Neill, MS, PhD, CGC Quantitative genetics
• Maureen Smith, MS, CGC Genome-wide Studies
• Cathy Wicklund, MS, CGC Genetic Counseling
• Laurie Zoloth, PhD Bioethics

Driskill Graduate Program (DGP) 303 East Chicago Avenue Morton 1-670 Chicago, IL 60611-3008 Phone: 312- 503-1889 Fax: 312-908-5253 Website URL: DGP Email: [email protected]

Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences (IBiS) 2205 Tech Drive Hogan 2-100 Evanston, IL 60208 Phone: 847-491-4301 Fax: 847-467-1380 Website URL: IBiS Email: [email protected]

• IPR Intranet

INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH

• Research Groups & Centers

Research Groups and Centers

Research centers led by ipr fellows, cells to society (c2s):  the center on social inequalities and health .

Faculty in IPR’s Cells to Society (C2S): The Center on Social Disparities and Health are forging new paths to create better understanding of, and improvement in, human health and social outcomes. They recognize that such an effort requires complex modeling of the interplay between biological processes and environmental influences. IPR anthropologist  Thomas McDade directs C2S and many IPR faculty including IPR developmental psychologists  Emma Adam   and Lindsay Chase-Lansdale , IPR health psychologists Edith Chen and Greg Miller, and IPR anthropologists Christopher Kuzawa and Sera Young are part of C2S.   

CORNERS: The Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research & Science

CORNERS is co-directed by IPR sociologist Andrew Papachristos and IPR research professor Soledad McGrath . CORNERS  is an incubator for new ways that faculty, experts, and students at Northwestern can engage communities, civic partners, and policy makers to address core problems facing the residents of Chicago and surrounding communities.  Specific projects and types of engagement will be linked by a focus how the social relationships among networks, geographic communities, and the constellation of groups, organizations, and civic partners affect what we feel, think, and do—and how understanding, building, and leveraging this sort of network-thinking can improve neighborhoods, the city, and our region.

EC-REACH: Early Childhood Research Alliance of Chicago

The Early Childhood Research Alliance of Chicago ( EC-REACH ) is leading an initiative to strengthen early childhood education in Chicago. Led by co-faculty directors IPR developmental psychologist   Terri Sabol and economist Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach , executive director Maia Connors , and senior advisor and advisory board chair John Q. Easton , EC-REACH connects people in Chicago’s early childhood ecosystem: families, caregivers, providers, program leaders, city leaders, data analysts, and researchers. Together, they will surface critical questions, share collective insights, spark meaningful collaborations, and use research tools to strengthen Chicago’s early childhood ecosystem, all to develop equitable solutions for early childhood policy and practice in Chicago. 

Foundations of Health Research Center

The Foundations of Health Research Center  at Northwestern University is led by health psychologists Edith Chen and Greg Miller . Their research is aimed at exploring the relationship between psychological stress and physical health in both childhood and adulthood, with a particular emphasis on understanding how socioeconomic status contributes to health disparities.

Statistics for Evidence-Based Policy and Practice (STEPP)

The STEPP Center   was founded in 2019 to facilitate collaboration between statisticians, researchers, policymakers and practitioners using evidence to guide decisions, with a focus on education and the applied social sciences. Led by IPR statisticians   Larry Hedges and Beth Tipton , STEPP  believes in a scientific approach to transform the social world and a practice-driven approach to advance science. STEPP evolved from the IPR’s Q-Center, and this expansion was made possible by the  2018 Yidan Prize for Education Research  awarded to Larry Hedges.

Workplace Justice Lab @ Northwestern University (WJL@NU)

The Workplace Justice Lab @ Northwestern University (WJL@NU), directed by IPR political scientist Daniel J. Galvin , conducts research on workers’ rights and economic inequality and collaborates with local, state, and federal government agencies as well as worker centers, unions, and legal nonprofits. WJL@NU is part of a multi-institutional partnership that is anchored by the  Workplace Justice Lab @ Rutgers University  and includes the  Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California . WJL runs two programs: (1) Beyond the Bill, which addresses the challenge of labor standards enforcement at all levels of government and (2) Build the Base, Grow the Movement, which supports learning and experimentation around a distributed organizing model for worker justice organizations and unions to expand their membership bases and grow their leadership teams.

C.O.A.S.T. (Contexts of Adolescent Stress and Thriving) Lab

The C.O.A.S.T. Lab , led by IPR developmental psychobiologist  Emma Adam , studies how everyday life factors such as school, family, and peer relationships influence levels of stress, health, and well-being in children and adolescents. Adam and her colleagues try to trace the pathways by which stress “gets under the skin” to contribute to poor health and to affect behavioral, academic, and emotional development.

Northwestern University Two-Generation Research Initiative

The Northwestern University Two-Generation Research Initiative examines the implementation and effectiveness of two-generation interventions. These programs link intensive, high-quality education, job training, and career-building programs for low-income parents with early childhood education services for their young children. IPR developmental psychologists  P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale   and Terri Sabol  and research professor  Teresa Eckrich Sommer , and their research team are at the forefront of developing two-generation theory and programmatic design, as well as studying the implementation and effectiveness of model two-generation programs. 

Research Labs led by IPR Fellows

Destin psychology lab.

Led by IPR psychologist Mesmin Destin , the Destin Psychology Lab investigates how social environments shape people’s identities, and the consequences this has for motivation, behaviors, and trajectories in life. In particular, the lab focuses on how socioeconomic resources come to influence young people’s academic outcomes. 

Development Early Education Policy Lab (DEEP)

The Development Early Education Policy Lab (DEEP), is led by IPR developmental psychologist Terri Sabol .  The DEEP lab applies developmental theory, psychological measurement, and advanced quantitative methods to pressing social policy issues that affect low-income children and families. Their goal is to generate dynamic theories of change, measure complex social processes, and analyze data with advanced statistical techniques to produce innovative, functional scholarship aimed at improving the lives of children living with economic hardship.  

Development of Identities in Cultural Environments (DICE) Lab

Led by IPR social psychologist Onnie Rogers , the Development of Identities in Cultural Environments (DICE) Lab conducts research on the development of identities and intersectionality among children and adolescents in diverse cultural environments. Their current projects explore research-related questions such as: How do children understand what it means to be White, to be a boy, to be Black girl? How do adolescents make sense of racial and gender stereotypes, and can we help them to resist or challenge these stereotypes? Where does intersectionality show up in youth’s identity narratives and experiences?

Infant and Child Development Center

IPR psychologist and early cognition expert Sandra Waxman directs the Infant and Child Development Center , a developmental laboratory that welcomes parents and their children from birth to age 6. Projects focus on how infants and young children acquire language and how they acquire core cognitive capacities, and how these two come together in the developing mind. 

Laboratory for Human Biology Research

The Laboratory for Human Biology Research at Northwestern University houses 1,500 square feet of wet-lab space and data-analysis tools and is led by IPR biological anthropologist Thomas McDade . Anthropologists Christopher Kuzawa and Sera Young , and anthropologist and IPR associate  Katherine Amato are also members.  It is one of a handful in the country that is fully equipped to support high-capacity analysis of biomarkers in human blood, saliva, and urine, as well as assessing body composition, energy expenditure, and cardiovascular function.

Migration and Fertility Group

IPR sociologist Julia Behrman leads the Migration and Fertility Group with Abigail Weitzman of UT Austin  focusing on a major concern to society: How can women fulfill their desires either to get pregnant or to avoid it? It is often society’s most vulnerable women who face the greatest challenges in trying to manage their fertility.  The group's findings will have important implications not only for scholarly knowledge, but also for understanding the policy and reproductive healthcare needs of migrant populations.  

Social Cognition and Intergroup Processes  (SCIP)  Laboratory

The Social Cognition and Intergroup Processes (SCIP) Laboratory is a social psychological science research lab utilizing experimental, descriptive, survey, online, and laboratory methods. IPR psychologist  Sylvia Perry runs the SCIP lab.  Their most recent work seeks to better understand how people think about, interact with, and talk to each other about other groups of people who are different from them. SCIP also investigates the positive and negative consequences of racial bias awareness.  

Young Research Group for Maternal and Child Nutrition

Led by IPR anthropologist Sera Young , the Young Research Group seeks to better understand the determinants of healthy mothers and children across diverse geographical, cultural, and socioeconomic contexts. The group specifically focuses on household water insecurity, food insecurity, and pica—the consumption of non-food substances such as clay.

Water Insecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales Group

IPR anthropologist Sera Young   and a group of over 50 scholars and practitioners published the 12-item Water Insecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales in 2019 to measure water access and use around the globe.  The  W ater  I n s ecurity  E xperiences (WISE) Scales are simple survey tools to quantify how often people around the world encounter problems with the access, use, and reliability (stability) of water for domestic use. They are changing the way the world measures water security, and are generating valuable data for research, policy, and investments. Learn more about the WISE Scales .

Labs and Research Groups Led by IPR Associates and/or Affiliated with IPR

Center for advancing research and communication.

The Center for Advancing Research and Communication ( ARC ) is an initiative of the National Science Foundation aimed at supporting education researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Center is headquartered at the NORC at the University of Chicago. IPR education researcher and statistician Larry Hedges is co-principal investigator.

Center for Communication and Public Policy

Led by communications scholar and IPR associate Erik Nisbet , the mission of the Center for Communication and Public Policy is to advance interdisciplinary and collaborative communication scholarship informing public policy across a variety of social, political, international,  health, science, and environmental policy domains.   CCPP organizes and encourages research projects within Northwestern University and other institutions around the world aimed at advancing and informing public policy. IPR faculty Olga Kamenchuk , Stephanie Edgerly , and Michelle Shumate are part of the center. It is housed in the School of Communication.

Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (CNAIR)

The Center for Native American Indigenous Research  was established as Northwestern University’s primary institutional space dedicated to advancing scholarship, teaching, learning, and artistic or cultural practices related to Native American and Indigenous communities, priorities, histories, and lifeways. Founded  in 2017, CNAIR operates as a hub for multi-disciplinary, collaborative work informed by and responsive to Native American and Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations.  IPR sociologist Beth Redbird , IPR  h istorian and associate   Doug Kiel , and p olitical scientist and IPR associate   Kimberly Marion Suiseeya   are  affiliated faculty members. 

Center for Reproductive Science

The Center for Reproductive Science works to enhance and coordinate research in the reproductive sciences at Northwestern, to promote the application of this research toward human welfare, and to optimize the training of future researchers, educators, and clinicians in the reproductive sciences. IPR anthropologists Christopher Kuzawa and Thomas McDade are affiliated faculty. 

Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy

The mission of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy is to stimulate research, dialogue, and civic engagement about the relationship between diversity and democratic politics. IPR political scientists Tabitha Bonilla ,   Daniel Galvin ,  Laurel Harbridge-Yong , Mary McGrath , and Chloe Thurston are all affiliated faculty, along with several IPR associates. 

Global Poverty Research Lab

The Global Poverty Research Lab uses empirical evidence to address the challenges of overcoming poverty and improve well-being in the developing world. Housed at the Buffett Institute for Global Studies, the lab is co-directed by economists and IPR associates Dean Karlan and Christopher Udry . IPR economist  Lori Beaman   is also affiliated with the lab.

The Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM)

Directed by IPR associate and professor of medicine Ron Ackermann , the  Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) is the nexus of all public health activities at the Feinberg School of Medicine. With more than 600 members across 51 departments and divisions, including IPR faculty David Cella , Melissa Simon , and Lori Ann Post , it acts as a hub for investigators to find resources for innovation, collaborators across disciplines and training and career development opportunities. IPHAM’s 16 thematic centers, each with their own members and robust research portfolio, are all dedicated to impacting the community through their unique lens. IPR faculty participate in IPHAM as center leaders and researchers.

Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing ( ISGMH)

The Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing , or ISGMH, was founded in 2015 and is the first university-wide institute in the country focused exclusively on research to improve the health of the sexual and gender minority (SGM) community. Professor of medical social sciences and IPR associate Brian Mustanski directs ISGMH and associates Lauren Beach ,  Michelle Birkett , and Gregory Phillips II are both part of the group. Several other IPR faculty are also affiliated.  As a university-wide institute, their mission is to connect scholars from numerous disciplines with the SGM community to forge collaborations and stimulate innovative research to improve SGM health and wellbeing.

National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER)

CALDER , housed at the American Institutes of Research, conducts research on how teacher policies, government policies, community conditions, and socioeconomic conditions affect student outcomes. The center provides information for education policy development through data analysis of individual students and teachers over time. IPR labor economist Kirabo Jackson is associated with CALDER. 

Northwestern-Evanston Education Research Alliance (NEERA)

The Northwestern Evanston Education Research Alliance (NEERA) is a research-practice partnership supported by the Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation and the Spencer Foundation. The partnership, which brings together Evanston schools, their administrators, and Northwestern researchers from the School of Education and Social Policy and the Institute for Policy Research works to improve the lives of Evanston students by implementing practical research findings. Learning sciences scholar and  IPR associate Nichole Pinkard is faculty director of the Office of Community Education Partnerships. 

Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness

The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness ( SREE ) brings together individuals interested in the use of causal inference to improve educational practice. SREE provides a forum to engage with a community of researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students united in a desire to advance education research. IPR education researcher and statistician  Larry Hedges was a founding president of the society and also co-editor of the society’s Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness (JREE). IPR statistician Beth Tipton is also affiliated with SREE. 

Urban Education Lab

Housed at the University of Chicago, the Urban Education Lab was founded in 2011 and is currently led by IPR economist Jonathan Guryan and University of Chicago economist Jens Ludwig . It aims to generate knowledge to help improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged children growing up in some of the most distressed urban neighborhoods in America and overseas. IPR  developmental psychologist  Emma Adam and IPR labor economist Kirabo Jackson are affiliated with the lab . 

Data Centers with IPR Faculty Leadership

Chicago research data center.

The Chicago Research Data Center ( CRDC ) provides an opportunity for researchers to perform statistical analyses on non-public microdata from the U.S. Census Bureau and other government agencies. The center is a collaboration between the Census Bureau and a consortium consisting of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

• Research & Impact

Research Labs

School of Education and Social Policy faculty study how people learn and develop throughout life and in different settings. Our research falls into five areas:

• Education Policy
• Learning Sciences, Tech, Design
• Opportunity, Society, Civic Engagement
• Brain, Biology, Human Development, and the Lifespan
• Cross Cultural, Global Understanding and Learning

Explore current labs and research projects by research area, faculty contact or keyword. 

Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling (CCL)

The Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling is dedicated to the creative design and use of technology to deepen learning. Members of the lab are typically involved in designing new environments for learning. The lab works closely with many school partners as well as museums and other informal learning spaces. A major focus of the CCL is on the integration of computational modeling, such as our widely used NetLogo software, into curriculum and more broadly in natural and social science. The Lab explores how new representational systems can fundamentally change the way we think and reason about content domains. The lab is committed to the design of “low floor, high ceiling” tools and learning environments that are easy to get started with yet enable users to create powerful and complex constructions.

Affiliated SESP Faculty

• Uri Wilensky, Amanda Peel (Postdoctoral Scholar)

Visit the lab site to learn more .

COAST Lab (Contexts of Adolescent Stress and Thriving)

We study how everyday life factors such as school, family, and peer relationships influence levels of stress, health, and well-being in children and adolescents. We try to trace the pathways by which stress “gets under the skin” to contribute to poor health and affect behavioral, academic, and emotional development.

By using noninvasive methods such as measurement of the stress-sensitive hormone cortisol, we study how adolescents react to stress, as well as explore how their daily experiences, stress hormone regulation, and sleep habits influence their everyday functioning as well as their health and well-being as they become adults.

• Emma K. Adam

Coburn Projects

Bi-weekly project-specific meetings. Currently, active projects include: 1) a study of preK- 3 alignment in 4 small districts; 2) a study of the relationship between policy and practice in preK - grade 2 mathematics in two urban districts; 3) with Jim Spillane, a study of instructional decision making in four urban school districts in mathematics and ELA; and 4) with Bill Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder), a comparative study of three research-practice partnerships.

• Cynthia Coburn

Culture, Brain, and Human Development Lab

Our lab takes an interdisciplinary approach that combines developmental psychology, cultural psychology, and neuroscience to examine how sociocultural contexts shape adolescent development. In this vein, we have two lines of research. First, we investigate the psychological and neural mechanisms underlying cultural differences in adolescents’ academic, social, and emotional development. Second, we examine how parents influence adolescents’ beliefs, behavior, and brain, with attention to the implications for adolescents’ learning and psychological adjustment.

Delta Lab (is an interdisciplinary research lab and design studio lab of researchers in education, computer science, design and communications. Our driving mission is to improve the way we learn, design, work, and play by fundamentally changing how individuals and communities interact. Taking a unique interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, we tackle exciting research problems in project-based learning, student motivation, learning communities, educational games, and networked classrooms. We target diverse learning domains such as civics, entrepreneurship, computational thinking, and journalism.

• Nell O’Rourke, Matt Easterday

Our research investigates how social environments shape people's identities and the consequences for motivation, behaviors, and trajectories in life. We place particular emphasis on understanding the ways that socioeconomic resources come to influence young people's academic outcomes. Using social psychological methods, we conduct laboratory and school-based field experiments to examine the types of contexts, experiences, interactions, and information that support motivation and well-being for students from a variety of backgrounds.

• Mesmin Destin

Development, Early Education and Policy Lab (DEEP Lab)

The DEEP lab applies developmental theory, psychological measurement, and mixed methods approaches to pressing social policy issues that affect children and families. We pay particular to the earliest stages of life (birth to age 5) and the ways in which advanced developmental theory and methods can inform early childhood programs and policies. The lab meetings include undergraduate students, full time research assistants, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Students have the opportunity to present their work as well as participate in reading discussions, writing workshops, and one-time sessions on topics of interest led by experts in the field. Lab meeting times are TBD for Fall Quarter 2022.

• Terri Sabol

Digital Youth Network (DYN)

The Digital Youth Network (DYN) is a hybrid digital literacy program that creates learning opportunities for underserved youth, both in the classroom and outside of school. 

• Nichole Pinkard

A workshop for students to present work in progress related to the economics of education and social policy.

• Ofer Malamud, Jon Guryan, Kirabo Jackson, Diane Schanzenbach, Hannes Schwandt

Education Lab

The Education Lab partners with civic and community leaders to identify, rigorously evaluate and learn how to scale programs and policies that improve education in America’s most distressed urban neighborhoods.

• Jonathan Guryan

Equity in Learning Landscapes Lab

The Equity in Learning Landscapes Lab works with communities to reimagine their use of civic learning spaces (i.e., parks, libraries, community colleges, and community centers) to support residents across their lifespans in engaging in joyful STEAM learning and leisure experiences. Our lab provides enterprise-level sociotechnical systems to document, visualize, and analyze inequity in opportunity and the systemic structures and policies (e.g., redlining, school assignment) that have historically mediated access. While supporting communities in analyzing their landscape through their unique lens, the lab explores inequity of access through the lens of families  raising Black daughters.  We seek to develop a learning landscape and needed support tools to enable black girls to  enter high school with healthy STEAM identities, a supportive  network of peers  and caring adult, and the knowledge of their STEAM superpowers and kryptonite. We are expand our methodological toolset to include social network and geospatial analysis to study the impact of place learning opportunity.

Everyday Learning

The focus of the Everyday Learning group is to understand learning and cognition in everyday life. Members of the Everyday Learning group conduct basic field studies in everyday cultural contexts such as families, schools, work, and play to understand how learning, teaching, and cognition are organized, socially and materially. These understandings often provide inspiration for the design of new learning environments; one example of such a learning environment designed from basic field studies of everyday learning is FUSE Studios . Research methods used by the group involve a variety of ‘experience near’ ethnographic methods, with a specialization in video-based interaction analysis.

• Reed Stevens

Freezing Time Research Group

The Freezing Time Research Group at Northwestern University is driven by a shared understanding of the importance of mathematics and science teachers attending substantively to students' thinking and of the complexity of doing so. Group members investigate what teachers pay attention to in classrooms and how they make sense of and respond to what they notice. We explore new research methodologies and video technologies to access teachers’ thinking about pedagogically relevant moments in the classroom.

• Jen Munson, Jennifer Richards, Bruce Sherin, Miriam Sherin

Gikendan Lab

The Indigenous Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (ISTEAM) project , funded by the National Science Foundation, employs cognitive and community co-design research to enhance general knowledge, develop pedagogical approaches, and provide learning materials for Indigenous families. The project focuses on understanding how individuals conceptualize relationships in the natural world, applying these insights to create learning tools in collaboration with community organizations. Additionally, the Learning in Places (LiP) initiative , in collaboration with the University of Washington, Bothell, engages in innovative research and practice for equitable socio-ecological systems learning. Meanwhile, the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) project, conducted with colleagues at the University of Washington, Bothell, designs an interdisciplinary science course for prospective elementary school teachers, emphasizing anti-racist pedagogies and exploring the historical impact of science on marginalized communities. For more information, visit their respective websites.

Health as Human Capital (Research Area)

Physical and mental health are core aspects of human development. Health matters both as an input in social and economic empowerment and as an endpoint determining personal and social wellbeing. My research seeks to explore the causal drivers of health disparities in our society and how those disparities translate into economic and social differences. Moreover, I study how economic and social disparities impact short- and long-term health outcomes.

• Hannes Schwandt

Ispa-Landa Lab

A space for students to connect and present early drafts or works-in-progress. Email Simone to be added to the listserv.

• Simone Ispa-Landa

Life-Span Development Lab

We examine pathways towards happy and healthy development across the life span with a focus on emotions in individuals and couples. Our research combines insights and paradigms from affective, life-span developmental, and relationship science. We use multiple methods (e.g., autonomic physiology, behavioral observations, subjective emotional experience assessments, linguistic markers, neuroimaging), age-diverse samples (e.g., from adolescence to late life), diverse study designs (e.g., experimental, longitudinal), and single-subjects and dyadic approaches (e.g., studying couples, parents and children, and friendship dyads).

• Claudia Haase

We share and collaborate on work that engages with cultural diversity and learning, with a converging interest in language and semiotic practices or literacy practices related  to diverse media. We have also discussed converging interests in narrative, critical literacies, identity, and multimodality. We define literacy as how people use communication tools to represent and build knowledge and social relations. We are interested in understanding and designing contexts of literacy learning with diverse media - old, new and emerging - and especially those that afford transformative potentials for cultural expression and political engagement.

• Eva Lam, Jolie Matthews

OpenSciEd, a collaboration of 10 state education agencies, develops and tests open-source science materials aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) They provide free access to these materials for all U.S. science teachers, enabling districts to prioritize teacher training over material development. The project encourages collaboration for innovative professional learning approaches among states, districts, and organizations. Reiser’s team collaborates with BSCS Science Learning to serve as the Instructional Materials Development Center, and with Boston College to help design professional learning supports.

• Brian Reiser

Politics & Policy Lab (PPL)

The Politics & Policy Lab provides a place for students to explore ideas, thoughts, and questions on research that touches the political space. The workshop is designed to be interdisciplinary: attendees need not be experts on politics or policy, but we intend to, with your help, build a community for acquiring and sharing knowledge, and finding discussion, camaraderie, and guidance on writing and thinking about political topics. The lab is also inclusive of different methodological approaches; whether quantitative or qualitative, all are welcome and will find fellowship. You can sign up to be added to the lab's email listserv here and to present here .

• Tabitha Bonilla, Quinn Mulroy, and Sally Nuamah

Reading Comprehension Lab

Comprehending and learning from texts we read, conversations we participate in, maps we study, and presentations we view requires unlocking the meanings associated with ideas, words, images, icons, and grammar. Research in our laboratory focuses on the nature of such comprehension by describing the activities and processes that comprise it. We also seek to facilitate these activities and processes by understanding comprehension difficulties and, with that knowledge, designing effective learning interventions.

Spatial Thinking and Reasoning Lab

The Uttal Lab meets weekly (day/time TBD). At these meetings, students from both Learning Sciences and Psychology share research on cognitive development, symbol and map understanding, spatial thinking, STEM learning, and attitudes toward spatial thinking and STEM. Students in our research group do both qualitative and quantitative research in a wide variety informal and formal learning environments (e.g. classrooms, museums, laboratory) and with a wide variety of age groups (from toddlers to college students).

• David Uttal

Study of Lives Research Group

The Study of Lives Research Group, the successor to the Foley Center for the Study of Lives, is dedicated to interdisciplinary research on personality development and the biographical study of individual human lives throughout life. Directed by Professor Dan P. McAdams, the group brings together graduate and undergraduate students in clinical psychology, Northwestern’s Personality/Development/Health (PDH) program, the Human Development and Social Policy (HDSP) doctoral program, and other departments and programs with a common interest in the scientific study of human lives. Research areas include life stories and narrative identity, generativity at midlife, personality traits and values, political psychology, narrative and culture, and psychological biography.

• Dan P. McAdams

Technological Innovations for Inclusive Learning and Teaching (TIILT) Lab

The Technological Innovations for Inclusive Learning and Teaching (TIILT) Lab aims to improve learning opportunities for students from under-served communities. Our work with technological innovations includes:

• co-designing activities with teachers and learners;
• creating interfaces that broaden participation in meaningful learning experience; and
• tools and analytic techniques for studying and supporting complex learning environments.
• Marcelo Worsley

TIDAL Lab (Tangible Interaction Design and Learning Laboratory

TIDAL Lab is a team of designers, artists, learning scientists, and computer scientists at Northwestern University. Our research creates and studies innovative technology-based learning experiences. We take a cautious but optimistic stance towards technology in a process that tightly couple research and design. Our work on the TunePad project introduces students to digital music production using Python code.

• Michael Horn

TREE Lab (Technology, Race, Equity & Ethics in Education Lab)

The TREE Lab within the School of Education and Social Policy is an NSF-funded initiative that brings together NU undergraduate students with youth and community members to jointly investigate ethical, social, and racialized dimensions of new technologies. Our lab designs tools and environments that facilitate engagement with complex technologies in ways that make visible their sociopolitical and ethical dimensions and implications. We draw on a range of conceptual and methodological approaches including critical theory, learning sciences, HCI, sociocultural theory, and participatory design.

• Sepehr Vakil

Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Department of molecular biosciences.

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Undergraduate Research

• Programs Home
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Research Resources

• Biological Sciences Major
• Research Mentors
• Science Research Workshop

Why participate in undergraduate research?

• Through the challenge of state-of-the-art research opportunities undergraduates receive training that develops and improves their scientific skill set.  
• Personalized mentored research at the undergraduate level provides undergraduates with training and experience to go on to competitive professional/graduate schools and career positions in research laboratories.  
• Undergraduates who take on research projects become full members of an active research laboratory, enriching their educational experience and providing them with opportunities for major scientific discovery.  
• Society benefits through such discovery and Biological Sciences majors become active participants in this process.

Mentored Research Opportunities in the Department

• Faculty with active research programs in a variety of scientific disciplines offer undergraduates opportunities for multi-year participation in the laboratory.  
• In addition to overall guidance from the principal investigator, undergraduates are matched with day-to-day research mentors to guide their development as young scientists.  
• Finding the right laboratory can be facilitated through participation in Northwestern University’s Science Research Workshop or simply by emailing Faculty Research Mentors to determine if there are openings, and to request in-person interviews.

Summer Research Grant Opportunities

Several sources are available for undergraduates to land research grants that allow them to start or continue their projects full time over the summer.  Applications are due during Spring Quarter. 

• Northwestern University Undergraduate Research Grants
• Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• The Program in Biological Sciences

Academic Year Research Grants 

Undergraduate research grants to offset the cost of research for the host laboratory are awarded by the Undergraduate Research Grants Committee throughout the academic year.

Award-winning Undergraduate Research

Research by undergraduates in the Department of Molecular Biosciences is recognized through numerous summer research grant opportunities and research prizes.

Research prizes are awarded to Biological Sciences majors who have achieved excellence in their research projects and have written up their results into a Senior Thesis as part of the Honors Program requirements. These prizes include:

The David Shemin Research Prize

The Constance Campbell Research Prize

The Emanuel Margoliash Research Prize

The Irving Klotz Research Prize

Getting Started

At the start of your researcher onboarding at Northwestern, you should:

• Have a NetID
• Review Research Policies
• Read about PI Eligibility for IRB Protocols, IACUC Protocols, and Sponsored Research Proposals/Awards
• Understand Research Roles and Responsibilities
• Download the PI Onboarding Checklist with all of this information.

Office for Research onboarding-related services

Are your existing awards transferring to northwestern.

With incoming faculty, the Sponsored Research office at both the outgoing institution and here at Northwestern will typically work together to determine which sponsored projects will be transferred, including personnel, lab equipment, data, biological samples, research animals, etc. The transfer (shipping, handling, insurance, etc.) is typically paid by the new institution.

• Notify agency sponsors to begin transfer process. Request instructions for transferring your projects to Northwestern.
• Contact your Northwestern Research Administrator throughout process.
• Complete appropriate transfer materials/relinquishment forms depending on agency requirements and your home institution policies.
• For NIH Awards: Complete the PHS-3734 . Change your eRA Commons affiliation to Northwestern.
• For NSF Awards: Initiate a PI Transfer Request via research.gov if transferring any grant(s) to Northwestern.

Will materials be transferred?

Materials include tangible biological materials (cell lines, tissues, DNA, transgenic animals, plasmids, vectors, etc.) and other research materials (compounds, sensors and software, etc.). When a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA ) is received by the PI from an outside party, the agreement should be provided to the Sponsored Research Contracts Team.

• If you are transferring material, you may need to establish an MTA between the provider and Northwestern. Verify with the provider whether an MTA with Northwestern is necessary.
• To begin the negotiation of a new MTA, work with your Northwestern Research Administrator to complete an MTA request for inbound materials. Contact [email protected] with any questions about this process.

CONTACT: Sponsored Research [email protected]

Will data be transferred?

Data Use Agreements (DUA) are classified into two categories:

• Non-human subject data or completely de-identified human research participant data (as determined by Northwestern’s IRB office)
• Human research participant data, which includes Protected Health Information. This includes data which constitutes a Limited Data Set as defined by HIPAA. Transfers which fall into category 2 are subject to HIPAA regulations and may require IRB approval. Questions about IRB approval, guidelines and policies should be directed to [email protected] .
• If you are transferring data, you may need to establish a DUA between the provider institution and Northwestern. Verify whether the provider institution requires a DUA with Northwestern.
• To begin the negotiation of a new DUA, work with your Northwestern Research Administrator to complete a DUA request for inbound data. Contact [email protected] with any questions about this process.

Does your work involve Controlled Substances?

• Please refer to our policy and procedures on the Controlled Substances website .

CONTACT: Controlled Substance Compliance Coordinator at 312-503-1827 or [email protected]

Do you have an ORCID ID? Is it linked to your Northwestern NetID?

• Get an ORCID ID Register for an ORCID ID at orcid.org
• Link your ORCID ID to your Northwestern NetID  Connect your NetID here

Does your work involve animal subjects?

• All principal investigators and research staff handling and caring for animals are required to take the basic and species-specific IACUC online training and enroll in the Occupational Health Safety Program (OHSP) . You must first have a NetID from your school/department.
• Contact the IACUC office for guidance and assistance on protocol submission and review process.
• Submit an Animal Study Protocol (ASP) . Submission and approval of a protocol must be completed prior to working with animals. You must have a NetID to start your ASP submission.
• Anyone seeking facility access (CCM) or having contact with animals must be listed on an approved protocol prior to beginning work.

CONTACT: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Office [email protected] , 312-503-9339

Do you have questions related to animal procurement, receiving, census, and transfer?

• Complete the New Investigator Questionnaire. It is critical that we know the number of cages/animals that the PI plans to work with and any other specialized care or equipment that they may require. Please contact Alex Bosch for an electronic version of the Questionnaire.
• To transfer animals to Northwestern: Submit the transfer request(s) via CCM’s Animal Operations System (AOPs) . You must have a NetID and password to login AND an approved protocol. You must use VPN. Your protocol must be approved and the appropriate funding linked PRIOR to transfer animals. Please refer to the CCM website for Animal Operations System (AOPs) documentation.
• To order animals once you arrive at Northwestern: • To order animals from approved commercial vendors, submit an order request(s) via CCM’s AOPs . • To order animals from non-commercial vendors, submit an import request(s) via CCM’s AOPs . For both request types, you must have a NetID and password to login AND an approved protocol. Your protocol must be approved and the appropriate funding linked PRIOR to ordering animals. Please refer to the CCM website for Animal Operations System (AOPs) documentation.

CONTACT: Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) Supervisor, Animal Procurement, Receiving and Census 312-503-2703

Do you need training to work with animals?

• After researcher has completed the IACUC’s requirements, please register for the required CCM Facility Orientation provided by CCM Quality Assurance and Training Operations. Please Note: If you are a new researcher working with amphibians, fish, or non-human primates contact CCM Quality Assurance and Training Operations: [email protected] .
• In preparation for CCM Facilities access, refer to the CCM webpage, Onboarding for New Research Personnel .

Are you involved in laboratory-based research?

Laboratory-based research involves the use of dedicated facilities for experimentation or measurement supplied with one or more utilities such as ventilation, storage, and plumbing.

• Send a request to [email protected] to be registered in Lumen, the research registration system. Once you register, you will receive an email notification of your access to the system. The subject line of your email to register should read “Register a New Laboratory” and include your name, NetID, department, anticipated date of arrival, and contact phone number in the email message.
• In Lumen, register your lab workers and assign safety training. Register lab locations and work involving hazardous energies, lasers, x-ray, and hazardous materials within 30 days. Hazardous materials include any biological, chemical, or radiological material that is potentially harmful to individuals, public health, or the environment if not managed properly.

CONTACT: Research Safety [email protected] , 847-491-5581

How do you complete a Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure?

Disclosure is required at least annually for all faculty. If you will be participating in research, disclosure is required before proposal submission or initiating a project and within 30 days of acquiring a new financial interest.

Resources available on our website include:     • Instructions and FAQs for completing a disclosure     • Discloser Tip Sheet

• Familiarize yourself with Northwestern’s Policy on Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment and Policy on Conflict of Interest in Research .
• Complete and submit a disclosure in eDisclosure . Note: You will need your NetID from your department to login to the eDisclosure system. If you receive a login error, your department may need to request a profile be created for you in eDisclosure.

CONTACT: Conflict of Interest Office (NUCOI) [email protected] , 847-467-4515

What are your responsibilities regarding Export Controls and International Compliance?

Visit Northwestern’s Export Controls  and International Compliance website for more on  responsibilities and additional regulation resources and links.

• Review and familiarize yourself with Northwestern’s Policy on Export Controls Compliance . Confirm that you are not engaged in any research projects subject to the export control regulations (e.g., the ITAR, EAR, or any projects that have restrictions upon publication or foreign national participation). Note: If you are uncertain or cannot confirm, please contact Export Controls & International Compliance.
• Coordinate with Export Controls & International Compliance if you need to work with (even virtually) persons in a comprehensively sanctioned country. Doing so, may very likely require federal authorization (i.e., license or exemption).

CONTACT:Export Controls and International Compliance Office, [email protected]

Do you plan to work with Core Facilities?

There is no form, but there is an internal vetting process for external instrumentation grant proposals. The Office for Research provides administrative assistance regarding placement of instruments, technical support, service contracts, and UPS requirements.

• If you seek to purchase equipment or a data acquisition system costing $300K or more, contact Andy Ott .

CONTACT: Andy Ott, Director Core Facilities Administration, [email protected] , 847-467-1622

How do your sponsored funds get transferred to Northwestern?

If an award with your previous institution is being transferred to NU, a Final Financial Report (FFR) should be sent from your previous institution to your new Research Administrator at Northwestern. Contact your ASRSP Grant and Contract Financial Administrator (GCFA) for assistance. The appropriate GCFA may be easily identified on a current budget statement for the award (Cognos GM045 report). This will allow ASRSP to track the transfer of carry-over from your previous institution. Visit the ASRSP website to assist with the monitoring of sponsored funds.

CONTACT:Accounting Services for Research and Sponsored Programs (ASRSP) Elizabette Rischall, ASRSP, [email protected] , 847-467-7130

How do you manage Effort Reporting and charges to your sponsored projects?

See the Basics of Effort Reporting and Certification Screen by Screen Certifier Job Aids on the Cost Studies website .

• For policies and procedures regarding effort certification as well as guidance on charging sponsored projects, visit the Cost Studies website .

CONTACT: Effort Reporting/ Cost Studies Tina Mete, [email protected] , 847.491.6755

Where do you get support to find funding opportunities and information about limited submissions?

Visit the Research Development website to set up a meeting to learn about limited submissions, federal funding opportunities, proposal development support, and discuss how to grow and diversify your federal funding portfolio.

• Subscribe to Northwestern’s weekly funding opportunity announcements.
• Meet to discuss the federal funding research landscape and learn about Research Development services available to PIs.

CONTACT: Research Development, Katya Klyachko, Director, [email protected]

How do you transfer private foundation awards to Northwestern and how do you collaborate with companies?

• Sign up for the Funding Opportunities E-Newsletter (Companies and Foundations).
• Corporate Engagement: Reach out to [email protected] to learn about support available for corporate connections and advice on how to collaborate with companies.
• Foundation Relations: Contact [email protected] to learn about foundations that might fund your project and connect with a foundation proposal consultant. If you are transferring a private foundation award to Northwestern, please notify Sarah Fodor at [email protected] .

CONTACT: Corporate Engagement and Foundation Relations Jim Bray, Corporate Engagement; [email protected] , 847-491-3371 Sarah J. Fodor, Foundation Relations and Corporate Engagement; [email protected] , 847-491-4590

How do you work with tech transfer regarding pre-existing IP or new disclosures?

• If you have previously filed patents, have been involved in a start-up company, or intend to utilize pre-existing intellectual property in your work, contact INVO. INVO can facilitate a conversation between your previous institution and Northwestern.
• INVO works closely with faculty to shape invention disclosures and to secure intellectual property rights. If your work might lead to a potentially patentable invention, or if you have copyrightable materials or software that you have developed, please log and submit a Disclosure Form to INVO BEFORE publication or another public disclosure (e.g., conference presentation or abstract) occurs.
• INVO is at the center of a network of resources to introduce faculty and students to the world of start-up companies and to facilitate their participation. If you are interested in start-ups to advance innovative concepts, contact INVO.
• A number of approaches are evolving at Northwestern to help define product opportunities and fund proof-of-concept studies in the physical and life sciences. If your work requires a proof-of-concept to validate a product concept, contact INVO.

CONTACT: Innovations and New Ventures Office (INVO) INVO Office, 847-467-2097

Where do you learn about clinical research resources available to you and your team?

The PI can meet with a NUCATS Navigator to learn about resources and services that are available. The NUCATS mission is to provide scientists with consultative resources and expertise in order to accelerate how quickly transformative scientific discoveries make their way to patients and the community. It is the Institute’s goal to continually increase the quality, safety, efficiency and speed of innovative clinical and translational research.

• Meet to discuss clinical research resources and services available to PIs and their research teams.

CONTACT: Northwestern Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS) [email protected] , 312-503-1709

1/27/2020 Another year has passed, and we are looking forward to start the new decade by presenting our latest work at the NASA Investigators Workshop next week in Galveston Island, TX! Click here for a List of Sessions .

3/24/2019 SIRIUS are you there? at 05:30 CST we link up live with the crew for Project RED : designing a water infrastructure on the red planet.

3/19/2019 Hey this is SIRIUS! Hatch just closed on 6 brave explorers who will spend the next 120 days isolated and confined together.

3/15/2019 Good morning Moscow! T – 4 days to liftoff, working with IBMP to train the crew of SIRIUS ’19.

3/11/2019 Welcome to the team! ATLAS warmly welcomes Aoife De Brun for a Fullbright stay at Northwestern.

3/9/2019 Discovering the hidden rules of informal leadership. Presenting new findings at PHRRG 2019, University of Florida.

2/22/2019 On-air interview with CBC radio: Listen here

2/19/2019 ATLAS and SONIC Labs featured in press coverage for Mars mission research. Details here

2/17/2019 Press briefing at AAAS in Washington, DC. See the highlights!

1/2/2019 ATLAS members looking forward to presenting our work at the 2019 NASA HRP IWS Conference in Galveston, Texas on January 22-25, 2019. Details here: IWS 2019 Presentations .

11/10/2018 Join us at the 104th annual NCA convention in Salt Lake City, Utah; we will share our latest research on the team cognition-team performance relationship!

10/1/2018 What might happen to teamwork on the journey to Mars? Sharing our latest findings at the 69th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany.  https://bit.ly/2Q5bIaX

9/7/2018 Its a match! Understanding teammate attraction using MyDreamTeam. Presenting at the International Workshop on Teamworking (IWOT) in Leiden, Netherlands.

9/5/2018 Sharing the latest findings on crew information exchange in isolation with our IBMP collaborators in Moscow, Russia.

7/18-21/2018 From startups to space teams, it’s been a busy year at ATLAS! Join us at the 13th Annual INGRoup Conference in Bethesda, MD. Our presentations:  https://bit.ly/2JTHmWs

6/25/2018 Social networking to Mars – SONIC and ATLAS members will present two papers at the upcoming Sunbelt conference on June 26 – July 1 st in Utrecht, Netherlands. Details here .

6/18/2018  Join us at AoM for a PDW featuring the latest “Innovations in Teaching Teamwork” –  Friday, Aug 10 from 8-10:30am  at Sheraton Grand Chicago in Erie. Sponsored by OB, MED, OCIS, & CM.

2/8/2018 ATLAS is hosting a Teams Research Incubator for doctoral students and junior faculty, in Evanston, IL on March 16-18. Register to attend here: http://bit.ly/2H1FBWa .

2/5/2018 How do you lead a crew on a mission to Mars? ATLAS affiliate Jessica Mesmer-Magnus will be presenting the latest findings from our NASA work at the 3rd Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Leadership Symposium , to be held May 10-12th in Chania, Greece.

2/5/2018 What went wrong in NASA’s Skylab mission? And how can we design the communication system needed for a Mars mission? Come to our sessions at the 68th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association , to be held May 24-28  in Prague, the Czech Republic to find out!  Click here for  Session Information .

1/15/2018 “Gateway to Mars” – Looking forward to presenting our latest work at the NASA Investigators Workshop next week in Galveston Island, TX, Click here for a List of Sessions .

1/10/2018 ATLAS members looking forward to presenting our work at SIOP 2018 in Chicago! Click here for a List of Sessions .

11/1/2017 INGRoup is now accepting submissions for the 2018 conference in Bethesda, MD. The submission deadline is Thursday, February 1, 2018 (11:59 p.m. EST).

10/30/2017 Leslie DeChurch & Ashley Niler visiting HEC Montreal for a symposium on “Teaming Inside & Out” hosted by Jean-Francois Harvey & Amy Edmondson – their book on Extreme Teaming is out!

10/20/2017 Looking for an interesting new way to teach leaders how to foster information sharing? Contact us for instructional materials!

10/17/2017 DeChurch visiting ESSEC, Paris for a symposium.

10/11/2017 DeChurch presenting in National Academy of Sciences Workshop on Advances in Network Thinking . Follow the link to see the presentation slides.

9/1/2017 Deep Space Northwestern : Read the feature story.

8/5/2017 ATLAS alum Dorothy Carter wins the Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Outstanding Dissertation Award for the dissertation that makes an outstanding contribution to the field of leadership.

8/4-8/2017 ATLAS presenting findings on leadership and shared cognition in space crews at AoM 2017 – Session #1012 on Monday, 9:45-11:15 am Hyatt Regency Atlanta.

7/31/2017 Some great advice from my mentor Michelle Marks on the importance of negotiating your salary http://bit.ly/2vfGZB7 .

7/24/2017 ATLAS lab in Houston training the crew of HERA C4M2 https://atlas.northwestern.edu/photo-gallery/ .

7/20 – 7/22/2017 Lindsay Larson and Ashley Niler are presenting at the 12th Annual  INGRoup Conference in Saint Louis, Missouri. Learn more  here . Leslie DeChurch is President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors.

7/12/2017 Leslie DeChurch attending the IC2S2 conference in Cologne, Germany.

5/31/2017 So excited for ATLAS alum Dorothy Carter who’s Project FUSION was selected to support multi-team systems for the Mars Mission:   https://go.nasa.gov/2sfYai4 . This dream team includes Northwestern’s ATLAS (Leslie DeChurch) and SONIC (Noshir Contractor) labs, along with team effectiveness gurus Marissa Shuffler, Shawn Burke, & Steve Zaccaro. Learn more about Professor Carter’s LINC Lab here:  http://bit.ly/2rldOHJ

5/30/2017 Leslie DeChurch presented NASA work with collaborators Michael Schulz & Noshir Contractor at the Buzz Aldrin Space Institute Mars Mission Social Sciences Workshop, Kennedy Space Center: http://bit.ly/2sxxexD

5/19/2017 presenting our work on team cognition at the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) Congress in Dublin, Ireland. http://www.eawop2017.org/

5/5/2017 sharing our NSF CAREER findings at the Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Leadership Symposium in Mykonos, Greece. http://osofficer.wixsite.com/leadership-symposium

4/26/2017 presenting the latest on space teams and science teams at the Annual Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference in Orlando, FL. http://www.siop.org/conferences/17con/

4/25/2017 developing collaborative leadership capacity with next gen leaders in the MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises program at Northwestern. https://creative.northwestern.edu/

4/21/2017 training the next HERA crew at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Over the next 45 days, the 4-member crew will live and work in isolation and confinement while our research team tracks their ability to work together and collaborate with a remote mission control. https://www.nasa.gov/analogs/hera

3/17/2017 presenting our latest NASA findings on semantic markers of team cognition and leadership at ANN SONIC’s Wisdom in Networks Workshop, Los Angeles, CA. http://bit.ly/2oLxYtv

2/3/2017 discussing our work on team cognition at the Organization Science Winter Conference in Park City, UT. http://bit.ly/2q5c715

1/23-26/2017 presenting the latest science on teams in space at the NASA Investigators Workshop, Houston, TX. http://bit.ly/2jgtl7U

9/16/2014 How social networks can turn basic science into public benefit.  https://b.gatech.edu/2JJCQh0

3/30/2009 Chatty meetings are killing us, sir.  https://tgam.ca/2MAnqJT

• For Participants

Find a Research Study

If you are interested in participating in a research study or registry there are many options. Please reference the Northwestern University Clinical and Transitional Sciences Institute (NUCATS) website Participate in Clinical Research  for more information on research at Northwestern.

Northwestern Research Studies

• Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute Clinical Trials Unit
• Cerebral Palsy Research Registry
• Clinical Trials at Northwestern Medicine
• Clinical Trials at Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Clinical Trials at Feinberg School of Medicine
• Department of Psychology Research Studies at Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Research
• NuGene Project
• Lupus Program at Northwestern University

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Research Studies

• Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Research
• Clinical Research Registry (CRR) at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Other Research Studies

• To search for a clinical trial by disease or geographic location, visit  www.clinicaltrials.gov
• For information on cancer research, visit  www.cancer.gov
• To search for NIH Clinical Research Studies, visit  https://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov/  
• For information on registry studies, visit  https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/list-registries  
• For information on ResearchMatch, and NIH-funded initiative, visit  https://www.researchmatch.org

Lab Members

Meet the Lab team members. We welcome requests for information about our work and collaboration opportunities.

Principal Investigator

Mojgan “Moj” Naghavi, PhD

Professor of Microbiology-Immunology

mojgan.naghavi( at )northwestern.edu   312-503-4294

  View Naghavi's Faculty Profile

Postdoctoral Fellow

Feng Gu, PhD

Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, China

Shanmugapriya Shanmugapriya, PhD

Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Technical Staff

Christina Spaulding

Lab Manager

Research Staff

Viacheslav “Slava” Malikov, PhD

Research Associate

A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Moscow, Russia

Marie Boisjoli

Former Research Technologist

Qingqing “Connie” Chai, PhD

Former Postdoc

University of Georgia, Athens, USA

Michael “Keegan” Delaney, PhD

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA

Amy Hulme, PhD

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Sahana Mitra, PhD

Bose Institute, Kolkata, India

Gina Pisano, PhD

Rosalind Franklin University, Chicago, USA

Eveline “Eve” Santos da Silva, PhD

CRP-Sante’, Luxembourg

Christopher Stephens

Former Graduate Student

Translational Chemistry for Biomedicine

Developing new analytical technologies to combat disease and promote wellness & health

About Us Our Research

Featured Publications

View Publications

“A High-Dimensional Microfluidic Approach for Selection of Aptamers with Programmable Binding Affinities.”

D. Chang, Z. Wang, C. Flynn, A. Mahmud, M. Labib, H. Wang, A. Geraili, X. Li, J. Zhang, E. Sargent, S.O. Kelley Nature Chemistry , 2023, 15, 773-780.

“Isolation of Tumour-Reactive Lymphocytes from Peripheral Blood via Microfluidic Immunomagnetic Cell Sorting.”

Z. Wang, S.U. Ahmed, M. Labib, H. Wang, L. Wu, F. Bavaghar-Zaeimi, N. Shokri, S. Blanco, S. Karim, K. Czarnecka-Kujawa, E.H. Sargent, A.J. McGray, M. de Perrot, S.O. Kelley Nature Biomedical Engineering , 2023, 7, 1188-1203.

“Efficient Recovery of Potent Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Through Quantitative Immunomagnetic Cell Sorting.”

Z. Wang, S. Ahmed, M. Labib, H. Wang, X. Hu, J. Wei, Y. Yao, J. Moffat, E.H. Sargent, S.O. Kelley. Nature Biomedical Engineering , 2022, 6, 108-117.

“Reagentless Biomolecular Analysis Using a Nanoscale Molecular Pendulum.”

J. Das, S. Gomis, J.B. Chen, H. Yousefi, S.Ahmed, A. Mahmud, W. Zhou, E. H. Sargent, S.O. Kelley Nature Chemistry , 2021, 14, 428-434.

“Tracking the Expression of Therapeutic Protein Targets in Rare Cells by Antibody-Mediated Nanoparticle Labelling and Magnetic Sorting.”

M. Labib, Z. Wang, S.U. Ahmed, R.M. Mohamadi, B. Duong, B. Green, E.H. Sargent Nature Biomedical Engineering , 2020, 5, 41-52.

News & Press

• December 2023 : Shana is elected to the National Academy of Inventors
• October 2023: Shana spoke at TEDxChicago
• September 2023 : Kangfu Chen’s paper “ A Magneto-Activated Nanoscale Cytometry Platform for Molecular Profiling of Small Extracellular Vesicles” was published in  Nature Communications
• June 2023:  Kimberly Riordan was named a Ryan Fellow
• June 2023:  Dingran Chang’s paper “A High-Dimensional Microfluidic Approach for Selection of Aptamers with Programmable Binding Affinities” was published in Nature Chemistry
• May 2023:  Connor Flynn’s paper “Biomolecular Sensors for Advanced Physiological Monitoring” was published in Nature Reviews Bioengineering
• May 2023:  Randy Atwal is a recipient of a Moderna Global Fellowship
• May 2023: Hanie Yousefi is named a 2023 PMSE Future Faculty Awardee
• April 2023:  Shana is elected to American Academy of Arts and Science.
• April 2023: Daniel Wang’s paper “Isolation of Tumour-Reactive Lymphocytes from Peripheral Blood via Microfluidic Immunomagnetic Cell Sorting” was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering .
• April 2023: Alam Mahmud’s paper “Monitoring Cardiac Biomarkers with Aptamer-Based Molecular Pendulum Sensors” was published in Angew Chem Int Ed Engl.
• March 2023: Shana is named President of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago.
• March 2023:  Kimberly Riordan received a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
• November 2022: Abdalla’s paper  “nuPRISM: Microfluidic Genome-Wide Phenotypic Screening Platform for Cellular Nuclei was published in ACS Cent. Sci.
• Sept 2022: Hossein’s paper “ Capillary-Assisted Molecular Pendulum Bioanalysis ” was published in J. Am. Chem. Soc.
• Sept 2022: Fan’s paper “ Genome-wide in vivo screen of circulating tumor cells identifies SLIT2 as a regulator of metastasis ” has been published in Science Advances .
• May 2022: Daniel’s paper “ Nanoparticle Amplification Labeling for High-Performance Magnetic Cell Sorting ” has been published in Nano Letters.
• Apr 2022: Shana was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to further the group’s work on new sensor technologies.
• Jan 2022: Daniel’s paper “ Efficient recovery of potent tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes through quantitative immunomagnetic cell sorting .” was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering .

Our Research

The projects underway involve aspects of diverse disciplines ranging from materials chemistry to chemical biology and nanotechnology.

See All Research

Biomolecular Sensors

Advances in genomic and proteomic methods now allow classification of disease based on molecular profiling.

Rare/Single Cell Analysis

We are developing new technology platforms that allow single cell level information to be collected on billions of cells with a high level of throughput.   We have applied our approaches to cell profiling to the development of assays for liquid biopsy, disease screening, cell therapy development and therapeutic target discovery.

Intracellular Molecular Delivery

Controlling the intracellular localization of synthetic molecules is essential for effective drug development. Nonetheless, rational control over intracellular trafficking of small molecules has remained a challenge.  Our work has focused on mitochondrial targeting with a versatile peptide based vector that promotes efficient cellular uptake and strong mitochondrial localization.

Stay Up-to-Date with Kelley Labs

New research. New breakthroughs. New ideas.

How you keep up with the speed of science.

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Learn More About Our Research

The projects underway involve aspects of diverse disciplines!

VIEW OUR RESEARCH

Ann E. Woodworth

Ann Woodworth has worked professionally as an actress, director, and teaching consultant, conducting numerous presentations of her workshop The Classroom as Stage. Thirty-five years of experience in teaching acting, mime, and movement have included invitations to work with the Teatro Cadafe and La Compania Nacional in Caracas, Venezuela, and the British/American Drama Academy in England, where she taught for seven summers with English artists such as Ben Kingsley, Jeremy Irons, Vanessa Redgrave, and Alan Rickman, as well as members of the Berliner Ensemble and the Moscow Art Theatre.

In 1989, Woodworth established a directing collaboration with movement director Dawn Mora, integrating movement techniques and original musical composition into a physical approach to classical texts, including  Medea ,  Iphigenia in Aulis ,  Hecuba ,  Hamlet ,  King Lear ,  Uncle Vanya , and  The Seagull . She is also a founding member of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble and a recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the Charles Deering McCormick Professorship for Teaching Excellence. Her book,  ACTING: The Study of Life , is currently under contract with Cengage Learning.

• MA Theatre, Northwestern University
• BS Theatre, Northwestern University

Honors and Awards

• Featured professor in  What The Best College Teachers Do , by Ken Bain (Harvard University Press), 2004
• Selected as Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence, a three-year fellowship, 1993-1996
• Nominated for 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003 Distinguished Teaching Award, School of Continuing Studies, Northwestern University

• Regenerative Neurorehab

Tiny Machine Poised to Unlock Brain’s Mysteries

• LinkedIn Logo linkedin

A team of scientists, led by researchers at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago, has developed novel technology promising to increase understanding of how brains develop, and offer answers on repairing brains in the wake of neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases.

Their research is the first to combine the most sophisticated 3-D bioelectronic systems with highly advanced 3-D human neural cultures — the goal to enable precise studies of how human brain circuits develop and repair themselves in vitro. The study is the cover story for the March 19, 2021, issue of Science Advances. The work was supported by a National Institutes of Health Research Project Grant (R01) shared by Colin Franz, MD, PhD, of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, John Rogers, PhD, and Yonggang Huang, PhD, of Northwestern University, and John Finan, PhD, of University of Illinois at Chicago. It also was supported by a generous philanthropic gift from the family of Belle Carnell, which established a regenerative neurorehabilitation fund for precision medicine in Dr. Franz’s lab.

The cortical spheroids used in the study, akin to “mini-brains,” were derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells. Leveraging a 3-D neural interface system that the team developed, scientists were able to create a “mini laboratory in a dish” specifically tailored to study the mini-brains and collect different types of data simultaneously. Scientists incorporated electrodes to record electrical activity. They added tiny heating elements to either keep the brain cultures warm or, in some cases, intentionally overheated the cultures to stress

them. They also incorporated tiny probes — such as oxygen sensors and small LED lights — to perform optogenetic experiments. For instance, they introduced genes into the cells that allowed them to control the neural activity using different-colored light pulses.

IMPACT: “The advances spurred by this research will offer a new frontier in the way we study and understand the brain,” said Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Dr. Franz, co-lead author on the paper who led the testing of the cortical spheroids. “Now that the 3-D platform has been developed and validated, we will be able to perform more targeted studies on our patients recovering from neurological injury or battling a neurodegenerative disease.”

• Dr. Franz and his collaborators have secured a $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support follow up studies related to this project.
• Over the past 12 months this study has been downloaded from Science Advances website >7,500 times and cited in 8 other peer reviewed articles.
• Storied have been written about it in over 10 different news outlets including Bioengineer , La Opinion De Malaga , and Neuro Central to name a few.

Let's get connected.

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Spring 2024 Magazine , McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University

Magazine spring 2024.

Greetings from McCormick

AI and data science might be current buzzwords, but for academia, they have long been at the core of our efforts.

Cover Story

Activating the potential of ai.

Three graduate-level programs in artificial intelligence and data science equip leaders to meet tomorrow’s challenges while Northwestern Engineering researchers push the technology’s boundaries across multiple fields. read more

Featured Stories

Applying Math to Answer Life's Fundamental Questions

In the new National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology, Northwestern Engineering faculty will decode biological findings using the language of mathematics.

International Experiences Expand Engineering Perspectives

Northwestern Engineering students deepen their understanding of global challenges firsthand through learning experiences worldwide.

Lab Tour: Materials Innovation Lab

Researchers in Northwestern Engineering’s Materials Innovation Lab are advancing additive manufacturing at the nanoscale, developing methods to produce sustainable materials and inks that will help build the biosensors, batteries, transistors, and neuromorphic devices of the future.

A Process of Discovery

David Hinton turned his chemical engineering studies into a 22-year investment career.

Learning What Design Really Means

Applying the design thinking she developed at Northwestern, Hannah Chung has built an enterprising professional life centered around social good.

Opening the Way to a Future in Engineering

Engineering Tomorrow founder Bill Woodburn helps underserved high school students discover their potential for a career in engineering by introducing them to STEM subjects.

Big Idea: Just How Old is the Moon?

In a new study made possible by Northwestern University’s Center for Atom-Probe Tomography, researchers analyzed tiny lunar crystals gathered in 1972 by Apollo 17 astronauts and found that the Moon is actually 4.46 billion years old—40 million years older than previously thought.