Soham Chanda, PhD, Colorado State University

Research objectives at Dr. Chanda’s laboratory fall in the intersection of basic and translational neuroscience. Studies focus on several aspects of the neurodevelopmental process, e.g. cellular mechanisms that regulate neuronal function, molecular contributions that determine neuronal specifications, and pathogenic effects of disease-associated genetic mutations that impair neuronal properties. The team is also interested in developing novel protocols to directly convert non-neuronal somatic cells or embryonic/induced pluripotent stem (ES/iPS, respectively) cells into human neurons, and using these transdifferentiated neurons to gain mechanistic insights into human neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Their work employs interdisciplinary techniques, e.g. cellular reprogramming, electrophysiology, high-resolution imaging, molecular biology, gene-expression, and biochemical analyses.