Molecules to Behaviors

Our team seeks to identify and characterize cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in neurological disorders in order to develop effective therapies.

Curiosity, collaboration, and freedom of exploration are the three main driving forces that shape our research. Our team employs a variety of cellular, molecular, and behavioral tools to better understand these catastrophic diseases. So far, the lab has characterized several proteins involved in the loss of memory and motor control. We believe that understanding these molecular mechanisms will lead us to identify new drug targets – targets that will help halt the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and with it, the agony they cause.

Meet Our Research Team

Dr. Subramaniam's team comprises of postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduates, high school students, and administrative personnel all motivated to support the exploration of the molecular intricacies of the disease process. Undergraduates and higher-level students conduct autonomous projects utilizing technical and conceptual tools in collaboration with laboratory members to analyze complex biological pathways. We celebrate as a team upon discovering innovative mechanisms, and we overcome challenges collectively when we encounter obstacles.

Srinivasa Subramaniam

Associate Professor & Principal Investigator

Srini Subramaniam obtained his PhD summa cum laude in Natural Science (Dr. rer. nat.) from University of Heidelberg, Germany, in 2004. He leads the research efforts and oversees the strategic direction of the lab.

ssubramaniam@fau.edu

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Gala Pierce

Director of Research Programs & Services

Gala Pierce received her Master of Science in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. She is in charge of administrative operations for the FAU Brain Institute and provides support for finances and extramural funding support services for our research.

pierceg@fau.edu

Lindsay Montgomery

Operations and Budget Coordinator

Lindsay Montgomery received her a Bachelor of Science from Georgia Southern University. She has led large teams and challenging projects at the Medical College of Georgia. At FAU, Lindsay is a budget coordinator and excels in financial management, staff supervision, and project coordination.

lmontgomery@fau.edu

Sunayana Dagar

Postdoctoral Researcher

Sunayana Dagar has a PhD in cell biology from Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Delhi, India. She contributes to the design, development and co-leading of Tunneling Nanotube and Huntington disease projects.

sdagar@fau.edu

Chinmayee Mohapatra

Research Associate

Chinamayee Mohapatra obtained Ph.D in Cell & Molecular Biology from Utkal University, India. She leads structural and functional analysis of protein-protein interactions of relevant to neurodegenrative disease.

c.mohapatra@fau.edu

Veronika Zaloginova

Project Assistant

Veronika Zaloginova is an undergraduate student majoring in Biological Principles major and Physics minor at FAU. She collaborates in deciphering the ribosomal stalling mechanisms in Huntington disease.

vzaloginova2022@fau.edu

Isabella Zuniga

Project Assistant

Isabella Zuniga is an undergraduate student FAU Honors College majoring in neuroscience. She assists in deciphering the function of Rhes and solute transporter functions using cell and animal model of Huntington disease.

izuniga@fau.edu

Alexandra Fernandez

Project Assistant

Alexandra Fernandez is an undergraduate student FAU Honors College majoring in molecular biology. She assists in characterizing protein-protein interactions relevant to Huntington disease.

afernandez@fau.edu