Jai POLEPALLI

Principal Investigator, CeLS Neurobiology

Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy

I am a synaptic biologist and a voltage-clamp aficionado who uses a combination of tools and techniques to understand the functional architecture and diversity of excitatory synapses on various types of neurons across different brain regions.

KOH Joanne

Postdoctoral Fellow

The brain is the most mysterious and fascinating biological structure as its function affects not just our physical health but also our perceived idea of self, and how we behave. This also collectively impacts how we function in a community and greater society. It is for these reasons that I have gravitated toward neuroscience as a biology student.

I had the opportunity to practice and complete my doctoral studies in the lab of Prof. Soong Tuck Wah where I worked on understanding how calcium channel signalling regulates both circadian behaviour and metabolism.

As a research fellow, my current research interrogates ionotropic serotonergic signalling in the circuitry of social memory. For this, I mainly use electrophysiological, behavioural and molecular tools.

I developed an interest in neuroscience after spending a few months at Lund University, Sweden, during my undergraduate years. Despite the increasing advances in science and technology through the decades, and the leaps made by scientists in uncovering new insights into the brain and its function, there is still much that we do not know about this enigmatic system – that is what captivated me about the field, and led me to pursue a career in neuroscience research.

Currently, my graduate research is focused on determining the contributions of cell adhesion molecules in the synaptic processes of various regions of the brain implicated in learning and memory. With deeper knowledge of the roles, functions and recruitment of different protein classes and subtypes at the synapse level, we can better understand the underlying circuitry and behaviour patterns at a normal cognitive state, and in neuropsychiatric diseases.

PhD student (2020-)

GOH Zi Ning Louise

ZENG Muchu

PhD student (2022-)

Brain is the most elaborate organ in the human body. Studying neuroscience gives me the window to unravel the codes of the brain and how it controls behavior, emotion, and cognition. My graduate research focuses on the brain structure called the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract (nLOT) and its neurocircuitry. The nLOT is a relatively understudied area of the brain, but recent studies have suggested that it plays a key role in olfactory guided behaviors such as feeding.

To investigate the nLOT, I will be using a combination of electrophysiological, imaging, and molecular techniques in rodent models. My goal is to identify the key neural circuits and molecules that drive behaviors and to understand how these circuits are modulated by different stimuli.

Research Assistant (2024-)

Archita Barman

Vachan Shetru

Visiting Scholar (Masters thesis, IISER-Pune)

My interest in neuroscience developed when I wanted to understand how humans and organisms process and perceive differently. A complex network of neurons generates cognition, which allows us to create wonders all around us. However, the inner workings of this network are poorly understood. Working in a neuroscience lab gives me an opportunity to eventually answer this question by strengthening my basics.

My project is to understand the role of cell adhesion molecule, Cerebellin-4 in memory-guided behaviors using electrophysiology, behavioral assays, and molecular tools

May HO

MSc student (2023-)

I am curious about how environment shapes behaviour and this led to my interest in neuroscience. I am interested in understanding the mechanisms of how brain functions, and how certain dysregulations lead to the development of neuropsychiatric diseases. I have previously worked in the lab of Prof. Suresh Jesuthasan investigating habenula function using zebrafish as a model organism. My Honours project was done in the lab of Prof. Soojin Ryu, studying the effects of Early Life Stress on the zebrafish hypothalamus and feeding behaviour.

My current research goal as a Master's student is to investigate the molecular and synaptic mechanisms underlying sociability and social memory.

Elvan Ince

Research Assistant (2024-)

I was "that kid" who asked tons of questions always ending with "but why". While growing up this trait has just gotten stronger.

Driven by the urge to understand more about things that are not explored enough, I started my journey with psychology to understand better why some of us are labelled as "misfits" in society. During my undergraduate studies at Cag University/ Turkiye, I worked on risky decision-making and attention.

For my Master's I studied Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Padua/ Italy where I worked on language acquisition mechanisms in children with Down syndrome in Judit Gervain’s lab.

My questions never stopped "talking" but got more specific, focusing on pieces that make a bigger picture. My current interest is understanding individual differences in coping with early life stress and the underlying molecular mechanisms that affect neurogenesis and synaptogenesis.

I am captivated by the complexity of the natural world and the enigmas awaiting discovery. From my early enthusiasm about the mystery behind the Bermuda Triangle to my current interest in the intricate mechanisms of the human brain, my journey in science has been marked by continuous exploration and curiosity. It is not just the love of science that kindles my interest in these stories - along the way - I have developed a profound appreciation for the technical intricacies underlying the functioning of molecules and electrical impulses within the brain, which give rise to our cognitive abilities.

My interest in neuroscience was further sparked by the allegorical insights of the neurologist Dr Oliver Sacks concerning cognitive phenomena. With the human brain's staggering complexity—100 billion neurons and extensive wiring of neural pathways, it stands as the most complex entity in the known universe. Embarking on this new phase of my neuroscience venture, I am eager to explore the intricate intersections between various disciplines that contribute to the understanding of this remarkable organ.