About Anne

I’m a split personality of both scientist and artist, but luckily the two seem to complement each other fairly well. As a scientist, I am driven to understand how our brain makes so many different kinds of synaptic connections at precise locations during early development. As an artist, I explore how to depict scientific concepts to a broad audience - both via fine art and design approaches.

Research

In graduate school I studied chemical synapse development via cell adhesion molecules. My graduate research project focused on the function of the cell adhesion molecule Kirrel3 in the hippocampus, a brain structure necessary for learning and memory. This protein is repeatedly identified as mutated in patient studies of intellectual disability and autism, yet no study had examined the role of Kirrel3 in the mammalian brain. Intriguingly, Kirrel3 is a transmembrane protein expressed specifically by only two types of hippocampal neurons: excitatory dentate granule (DG) neurons and inhibitory GABA neurons. I tested the hypothesis that Kirrel3 drives targeted synapse formation selectively between Kirrel3-expressing excitatory DG and inhibitory GABA neurons to regulate proper circuit function. I used light microscopy and 3D electron microscopy (reconstructed in the video above) to discover Kirrel3 knockout mice have a severe reduction of DG excitatory synapses onto GABA inhibitory neurons. I then showed this causes a circuit-wide functional defect in the downstream CA3 region. My 3D electron microscopy study also revealed the presence of a previously unknown synaptic connection in developing wildtype animals overturning an assumption held for nearly two decades in the field which changes our understanding of fundamental circuit wiring in the hippocampus. I next tested if disease-associated Kirrel3 variants have impaired synaptic function. Amazingly, I found 5 out of 6 Kirrel3 variants I tested are unable to induce synapses. These findings are significant as they deliver evidence of 1) required Kirrel3 regulation of specific hippocampal synapses, 2) a novel hippocampal synaptic connection, and 3) patient-identified Kirrel3 variants resulting in synaptic pathology.

While learning about different types of chemical synapses, I became intrigued in the diversity of synapse populations that exist, and grew very curious about the other major group of fast transmission connections within the brain: electrical synapses. Digging deeper into these structures, it turns out a diversity of electrical synapses also likely exist, yet little research has approached the question of what molecular mechanisms guide their differential formation. Moving forward, I seek to identify the common and distinct mechanisms that result in different synapse populations, and how a neuron uses these mechanisms to balance synapse formation across a circuit. To help me develop my electrical synapse chops, I found a mentor who is making critical strides in understanding the form and function of electrical synapses, Dr. Adam Miller. I joined the Miller lab as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oregon in January 2019.

Likes:

ArtSci Oregon: Science is beautiful, but rarely do the images escape beyond the lab. This University of Oregon community group seeks to promote and support UO research through aesthetics, sharing the beauty of our work with everyone.

xkcd: Essential comics for anyone and everyone.

Colossal: Blog covering sensational artwork and art projects from across the world.

ecrLife blog: eLife’s blog for and by ECRs (early career researchers).

ecrCentral: Place to go for support, advice, and other resources as an early career researcher.

Smashing Magazine: Web design advice and trend-watching.

UnderConsideration/Brand New: Blog that covers new logo design, usually redesigns of existing brands.

LogoLounge: Logo design trends.

Designsensory: My former design home.