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Synapse development and function
We are investigating how synaptic cell adhesion and signaling guide synaptic function and connectivity in the developing human brain, with the ultimate goal of understanding how synaptic dysfunction arising from genetic mutations in synaptic molecules functionally contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Research
Motivation
Nerve cells in the brain communicate through specialized junctions called synapses. Synaptic connections need to be properly formed, specified and maintained during development and throughout life. Aberrations in this process lead to various neuropsychiatric diseases such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia. Therefore, understanding the fundamental roles of proteins important for synaptic development and function is crucial to enhance our understanding and treatment of these disorders.
Projects
To this end, we are currently interested in three major areas:
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Developing novel tools to better model human synaptic development.
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Understanding the normal functions of synaptic cell adhesion molecules and their signaling partners and how they are misregulated in disease states.
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Probing disease-relevant mechanisms using patient-derived iPS cells.
Approach
We take a multidisciplinary approach including, human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cells, genome engineering, patient derived iPSCs, and various techniques in synaptic biology, molecular and cellular biology.
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People
ChangHui Pak, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
ChangHui received her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her Ph.D. from Emory University School of Medicine. During her graduate work with Drs. Anita Corbett and Ken Moberg, she studied how RNA processing affects normal neural function in Drosophila. Then she moved to Stanford University School of Medicine to work with Dr. Thomas Sudhof (Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2013) to study molecular basis of synaptic function. She was supported by postdoctoral NRSA from NICHD and Katharine McCormick award. She is now a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UMass Amherst. In her new lab, she plans to develop novel cellular tools to better understand synaptic dysfunction in disease. She teaches BMB424 (Advanced Biochemistry) and BMB/MCB642 (Advanced molecular biology) at UMass.
Danny McSweeney
Ph.D. Student (MCB)
Originally from Atlanta, GA, Danny started his professional career in technical theater, working in costume shops and opera houses in Washington, DC as a clothing tailor. After five years in the costuming industry, Danny decided to transition into a career in scientific research, pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology first at the University of Southern Maine and finally at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Danny has continued on to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology at UMass. Using in vitro neuronal differentiation methods developed by our lab, he is motivated to investigate how proteins regulate human synapse maturation and function and how these proteins contribute to neurodevelopmental diseases like autism spectrum disorders and intellectual differences.
Rebecca Sebastian
Ph.D. Student (NSB)
Rebecca completed her B.S. in Biomedical Sciences at Arizona State University, where she was first introduced to research as an undergraduate research scientist. This motivated her to work towards her M.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Neuroscience at Arizona State University. Her master's work focused primarily on understanding neurodevelopmental defects related to the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway also known as Rasopathies. Inspired by her master's work, Rebecca decided to continue on her journey as a research scientist by pursuing a doctorate degree here at UMASS Amherst in the Neuroscience and Behavior program. She is currently focused on understanding the molecular activities that underlie synapse formation in human brain development. She primarily utilizes brain organoids for her investigation. Besides research and caring for her organoids, Rebecca is also a food and culture enthusiast. She spends her free time exploring new eateries as well as adventuring to new scenic spots.
Narciso Pavon
Joint Ph.D. student with Sun lab (NSB)
Narciso received his B.A. from Florida International University where he began his journey in academic research. He got his start in an infant and primate motor development lab and went on to widen his horizons by interning at an educational neuroscience lab at the University of Alabama. Currently, Narciso is pursuing his Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Behavior as joint member of the Pak lab and Dr. Sun’s Laboratory for Multiscale Bioengineering and Mechanobiology. His research interests include characterizing the spatiotemporal dynamicity of neurogenesis and engineering new methods for the optimization of tissue culturing and organogenesis.
Karmen Diep
Undergraduate Researcher
Karmen is an undergraduate student double majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Neuroscience with a Sociology minor. Karmen developed a fascination for the complexity and intricacy of the brain and its disorders after learning more about neural networks in her early college classes. She joined the Pak Lab as a research assistant to explore her interest in understanding the mechanisms underlying a variety of neurodevelopmental diseases. She hopes to learn more about the growing field of brain organoids and their potential in studying neuron dysfunction. In her free time, Karmen enjoys reading for leisure and traveling to new places.
Yoonjae Song
Undergraduate Researcher
Yoonjae is an undergraduate student pursuing a dual degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and BDIC on Music and Expressive Therapy concentration. She is interested in learning brain development and synaptic activity at cellular and molecular level. She joined the Pak Lab in Spring 2021, and she is excited for the opportunity to investigate brain dysfunction and how fundamental roles of proteins play an important role in neuropsychiatric disorders. In her free time, Yoonjae loves going for outdoor and food adventures, listening to and playing music, and watching cute dog videos.
Jay English
Ph.D. Student (MCB)
Jay was born in Odessa, TX and joined the military directly out of high school. After completing his service, Jay obtained a B.S. in Biology from The University of Texas Permian Basin where he worked as an undergraduate researcher studying the effects of endocannabinoids on fatty acid transport across the placental barrier. After matriculation, he obtained his M.S. In Biology with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases from the same school. His work focused on the role of Presenilin Associated Protein in neurodegeneration using amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cell culture and mouse models. Jay continued his research goals in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Ph.D. program at UMass Amherst, where he now studies neural physiology and transcriptomics in both stem cell and patient-derived neuronal culture models of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Fumiko Ribbe
Research Fellow
Fumiko started out at Greenfield Community College and transferred to the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she received her B.S. in Microbiology in 2017. For her undergraduate research project she studied bacterial membrane proteins and localization in Dr. Yasu Morita’s laboratory. After the graduation, she worked as a lab technician at Dr. Stephen Rich laboratory, where she conducted molecular analysis performing qPCR measurements for tick-borne pathogens. This nurtured her interest in genetic characterization and underlying molecular mechanism of diseases. In September 2021, she joined Dr. ChangHui Pak’s lab as a research fellow and is excited to learn about and work on neuronal differentiation and development that are associated with brain’s disorders.
Ethan Howell
Undergraduate researcher
Ethan is an undergraduate student majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is interested in using genetics to understand the basis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Wanting to learn more about the genetic factors that cause diseases like ASD and schizophrenia, Ethan joined the Pak Lab as a research assistant. He hopes to better understand the complex systems of the brain, and spend time learning more about the NRXN1 genetic pathway. In his free time, Ethan enjoys watching movies and exploring Amherst with his friends.
