Lab Members
Principal Investigator
Nathan Harris
I started my lab as an Assistant Professor in the Neuroscience Institute at Georgia State University in August 2024. I received my BA from Oberlin College in 2011 and did my PhD at the University of California, San Francisco, where I worked on innate immune signaling in homeostatic plasticity in the lab of Grae Davis. During my postdoc at Brandeis University in the lab of Piali Sengupta, I established the C. elegans thermosensory neurons, AFD, as a model system for experience-dependent gene expression. I love music, and I’m learning to play the piano.
Lab Manager
Antanovia Ferrell
Responsible for day-to-day lab operations and providing research support to new lab members. My project focuses on using optogenetic stimulation to induce plasticity in the AFD neurons. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to instrumental music and celebrating my birthday week.
Graduate Students
Emily Wilder
I am a first-year PhD student interested in the dynamic interaction between experience and gene expression. I am currently investigating the molecular mechanisms of experience-dependent gene downregulation in the C. elegans thermosensory neuron AFD, as well as how this change in gene expression contributes to behavioral plasticity. Outside the lab, I have recently rekindled my love of reading fiction and you might find me stealing time with a good book.
Undergraduate Students
Ashley Pough
I am a second-year Neuroscience student pursuing a dual B.S./M.S. degree. My long-term goal is to obtain an M.D./Ph.D. in Neuroscience to bridge the gap between clinical practice and research. Currently, my research focuses on how thermal stimuli influence negative regulation of gene expression to change thermotaxis behaviors. I am specifically using the MCP-MS2 stem-loop system to understand the temporal dynamics of downregulated genes. I am supported by the Maximizing Access to Research Careers program. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking new recipes, reading, and exploring Atlanta in search of the city's best matcha.
Adetola Adesalu
I am studying how temperature activates expression of immediate early genes in the AFD neurons. I am supported by the University Assistantship Program in the Honors College. I am an undergraduate neuroscience student who enjoys reading, baking desserts, and spending my free time learning how to play the electric guitar.
Abraham Martinez
I am currently researching the thermotaxis functions of genes regulated by temperature. I am a neuroscience undergraduate with a minor in psychology. Outside of my academics, I enjoy watching movies, spending time with friends, and playing the drums.
Technician
