Sophie is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the GCDB program, working in the Baizabal Lab, where she is interested in how chromatin silencing impacts cortical development. Her research focuses on how histone modifications regulate chromatin compaction and gene expression, with implications for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. Sophie has published two papers—one in which she developed tools to modify the neural epigenome and another examining how histone methyltransferases interact with transcription factors to influence neuronal migration. In addition to her research, she has mentored undergraduate students interested in gaining research experience. This award will allow her to dedicate more time to her thesis work by supporting additional time at the bench.

Victoria (Vicky) is a 4th-year Ph.D. student in the Tracey Lab. Using Drosophila larvae as a model, she studies how Discoidin Domain Receptors (DDRs) impact nociception, the sensory process that detects noxious stimuli. She is particularly interested in how DDRs influence the development and morphogenesis of larval nociceptors, and how changes in morphology may impact nociceptor function. In the summer, Vicky enjoys mentoring Holland SSRP students. After her Ph.D., Vicky’s goal is to establish a career in science communication.

Sophie is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Tennessen lab. Her thesis work uses the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model to investigate how developing organisms modulate growth in response to environmental changes and metabolic stress. She is specifically interested in how the Drosophila Estrogen-Related Receptor (dERR) senses and communicates nutrient availability with growth signaling pathways, such as the insulin and mTOR signaling. Her research is directly applicable to understanding how the universal principles by which metabolism influences animal growth and development.

Shefali is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Tennessen lab. Shefali's thesis is devoted to identifying signaling pathways that coordinate metabolism and development across multiple organ systems. In this regard, she is specifically interested in determining how the glycolytic enzymes interface with systemic growth signaling pathways and contribute to interorgan communication using the fruitflies Drosophila melanogaster as her model system.

Eleni’s main research interests to date involve the genetic basis of novel developmental traits, using nematode worms as focal organisms. More specifically, she is interested in how genes and gene networks change in both development and evolution to produce morphological novelties, and particularly the role of (i) nuclear receptor systems and (ii) metabolism as the mediators between developmental environment and phenotype.