Department of Neurological Sciences

Matt Weston, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator | Email

My science career started at the University of Virginia in the lab of Patrice Guyenet, where our studies advanced the understanding of how the CNS senses CO₂ and, accordingly, adjusts respiration. I then moved to Baylor College of Medicine, where I obtained a Ph.D. in Neuroscience working in the lab of Christian Rosenmund. There, we uncovered molecular mechanisms of glutamate receptor ion channels and transporters that evolved to optimize glutamatergic neurotransmission in the CNS. I then did a postdoc with John Swann investigating the synaptic and network effects of hyperactivation of the mTOR pathway that cause epilepsy.

Erin Cullen | Graduate Student | Email

I received my B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh, where I worked on human subject fMRI research before discovering a keener interest in cellular neuroscience. My current project focuses on seizure mechanisms through the mTOR pathway. 

Pranav Mathkar | Graduate Student | Email

I received my B.S. in Pharmacy from University of Pune, where I started my scientific journey by improving drug delivery efficiency for topical antifungal drugs. I went on to pursue my M.S. in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics from California State University, Channel Islands. My master’s thesis involved studying Huntington’s disease with Dr. Virginia Mattis at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, a leading institution for regenerative medicine research. Post-graduation, I went on to work on ALS with Dr. Clive Svendsen and Dr. Ritchie Ho at Cedars and further developed an interest in neuroscience. I am interested in studying the molecular and physiological mechanisms in pathogenesis of childhood epilepsies and potentially identifying targets for therapeutic intervention.

Zane Russom | Undergraduate Student | Email

I am a senior Neuroscience student at UVM with minors in Chemistry and English. In the Weston Lab, I work closely with Dr. Amy Shore to investigate seizure outcomes in mice with Dnm1 mutations. Further, I’m interested in the use of calcium imaging to observe changes in neuronal plasticity and population behavior among GABAergic neurons with Kcnt1 mutations. Once graduated from UVM, I would like to pursue a medical degree.

Amy Shore, Ph.D. | Research Analyst | Email

I earned my Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine in Developmental Biology in the lab of Dr. Jeff Rosen, with a research focus on the role of a noncoding RNA in mammary epithelial differentiation. My postdoctoral research was a collaborative effort in the labs of Drs. Jeff Rosen and Li Xin investigating the effects of mTOR pathway activation on mammary epithelial development and breast cancer. Since moving to Vermont, I have transitioned to the field of neuroscience, and currently, I am using genetic mouse models of epilepsy combined with whole-cell, patch-clamp electrophysiology to identify synaptic mechanisms underlying altered neuronal networks.

Willie Tobin, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Associate | Email

I earned my Ph.D. in the lab of Rachel Wilson at Harvard University, where I studied the olfactory system of Drosophila. For my postdoc in the Weston Lab, I am generally interested in trying to identify the abnormal brain activities that underlie neurological disorders. My current focus is on a mouse model of KCNT1-related epilepsy. In this work, I’d like to use the modern tool kits of in vivo functional imaging and electrophysiology to bridge the gap between alterations in cellular and synaptic physiology and network dysfunction.