Meet Our Postdocs: Nandhini Sivakumar, Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Motor Neuron Center (Columbia University).
Nandhini Sivakumar, Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Which department are you in at Columbia and what is your position?
I am a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Motor Neuron Center.
Where are you from and how long have you been in NYC?
I am from India and I have been at CUIMC for one year now.
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Where did you go to school? Describe your path to your current position.
My early education (High school and Bachelors) happened in India. Midway through my high school when I learned the two words – recombinant DNA – I knew I wanted to explore bioscience and I chose to study biotechnology in my Bachelors, encompassing a broad array of subjects. That just opened the gateway to the arena of genetics, which I decided to invest in, move continents and pursue my Masters in the UK in 2008. Little did I know back then, that I was going to intertwine every step of my studies towards my future career. In my Masters, I worked on screening and validating gene targets that alleviated apoptosis in cell-culture models of the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington’s disease. My passion for basic research by then had become a major player in my decisions, and so I decided that having gained some expertise in neurodegeneration, it would be apt to get more hands-on experience in hardcore neuroscience research. I got my PhD position in 2011 at the Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, in Göttingen, Germany, where I studied the role of SNARE modulatory proteins that synergistically regulate neurotransmission at excitatory synapses in the hippocampus of the mammalian brain. Soon after, I applied for postdoctoral positions without much of a dilemma believing that my career path was already carving itself out. In 2016, I started my first postdoctoral position at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, further investigating another organ of the central nervous system, the spinal cord. I ventured into studying the afferent pathways modulating somatosensations of pain and itch. At a certain point in my first postdoc, I came to the crossroads of wanting to stay in science research versus exploring a career in scientific communications and editorials. Given the experience I had garnered for nearly a decade, and my ambition to become an independent group leader, I decided to stay on and apply for postdoctoral positions in the USA (moving continents again…) that would not only bring me closer to my goal but also my family and friends. That is when Columbia and New York City happened.
What research question are you trying to figure out right now?
My current research focus is on motor neuron degeneration in the spinal cord and its associated synaptic abnormalities observed during the onset and progression of spinal muscular atrophy.
In a nutshell, what tools or approaches are you using to try and figure this out?
With expertise in molecular and cellular biology alongside electrophysiology, I am here and now employing all the skills I have acquired over the decade of my research contributions in Europe.
What is the best part of your job?
The best part about my job is being able to work in a renowned medical center that not only provides amazing care to patients but also has well-equipped facilities and experts working to propel basic and clinical research forward. We as a team in our lab, each have our own skillset and yet have been more than willingly helping each other with our projects, bringing forth ideas, troubleshooting technical glitches associated with equipment and importantly, morally encouraging each other in our day-to-day experiences.
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Why do you love science?
Because recombinant DNA was my first love! <3
What advice would you give to people interested in a career in science?
I would advise the upcoming scientists to go with the flow of their interests. Only when you know what interests you the most, will you find ways to passionately do it.
Tell us a bit about yourself or your projects that are not related to science.
I love playing the piano, hiking, swimming and given my urge to jump across continents, I love to travel!
What is your favorite thing about NYC?
Arts and Culture. The best about NYC, which people would rarely find elsewhere, is the love and passion for arts (Metropolitan and history museums), theatre (Broadway shows), classical music (Juilliard, Carnegie Hall), dance (American-Russian BALLET) and much more! I couldn’t even fathom the depth of it all until I started experiencing it here!
What do you like the most about CUPS?
CUPS has organized some amazing professional and social events that got us to meeting so many new people. I find it to be a great resource center that would be useful for all Columbia postdocs.
Marie Labouesse, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Neuroscience at the Department of Psychiatry
Meet Our Postdocs: Marie Labouesse, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University.
Which department are you in at Columbia and what is your position?
I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry.
Where are you from and how long have you been in NYC?
I’m from France and moved to NYC in October 2016.
Where did you go to school? Describe your path to your current position.
I did my undergrad and MSc. in Paris where I studied Biology and Nutritional Sciences at AgroParisTech. It was more of an applied school and I realized kind of late that actually I wanted to do research. I had recently attended a Neuroscience class and I got hooked immediately. I decided to go back to school one last year to get an accelerated MSc. in Neuroscience (at UPMCin Paris). The first month was tough: unlike my fellow classmates, neuroscience was completely new to me and the lectures were quite challenging. I thought I would not manage to get through all my exams. But with a lot of studying, I actually managed, and in the end I liked it so much that I decided to continue with a PhD in Neuroscience. I was too late for applying to all the PhD programs in France, but I managed to get into a really nice spot at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. All this to say it’s OK to switch topics throughout your studies, and you’ll end up landing on your feet!
During my PhD I studied how the early environment, e.g. stress or diets, can affect brain maturation during early postnatal development. I really liked the concepts of “critical periods of development”, it was fascinating. But it was challenging to ask questions in a very mechanistic way because the early environment affects brain development in so many parallel ways. So then, I decided to switch gears a bit and do a postdoc in a rather new field known as “circuit neuroscience”. In this field, researchers target specific neuronal populations with genetic tools and ask what their roles are in regulating behavior in an acute manner. Doing this, they map new “brain circuits” that are important for controlling behaviors such as movement, anxiety, social interactions, motivation, etc.
I stayed in my PhD lab for 9-10 months, to wrap up projects and to apply to postdoc labs and fellowships. I got pretty lucky and ended up having to choose between two fellowships, either at UC Berkeley in San Francisco or in NYC – a luxury problem (I always wanted to live in both of these cities). I chose NYC because my mentor sounded like a great person who really challenged you scientifically but also gave you intellectual freedom on your projects. Here I am at Columbia University since October 2016.
What research question are you trying to figure out right now?
Right now, I am trying to understand how the brain controls how we move. The idea is to find out new types of neurons that regulate motor function, and this may help one day to better understand what goes wrong in brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. More specifically, I focus on a brain region called the striatum, which has a particular cell type known as D1 neurons. We already know that D1 neurons are very important for regulating motor function, but we still don’t know what are the specific mechanisms. D1 neurons send axonal projections outside the striatum to other brain regions and what I’m trying to understand is what are the effects of activating D1 neurons on the activity of downstream brain regions. I also try to understand what are the mechanisms at the synaptic level that can explain how D1 neurons control movement. I wrote a short Science story about this recently.
In a nutshell, what tools or approaches are you using to try and figure this out?
One of the main tools I use to monitor D1 neurons is called “in vivo calcium imaging”. This method allows to track neural activity of D1 neurons in vivo. I do this in mouse models while mice perform behavioral motor tasks. This allows me to understand what are the brain signatures of D1 neurons during movement. I also use “chemogenetics” and “optogenetics” which allow me to activate or inhibit D1 neurons cell-specifically during motor tasks and find out their causal role in behavior, or in regulating downstream activity in the brain.
These different tools are part of the “circuit neuroscience” palette, and have been developed quite recently (in the past 5-15 years) by a bunch of super innovative engineers, chemists, physicists and biologists. It has really been an incredible cross-disciplinary effort that has transformed the way people study the brain between the early 2000s and now.
Why do you love science?
I love the logic of it. In this new field I joined, I can really manipulate particular neuron populations in the brain and see what exactly their role is in controlling behavior. It’s very rewarding.
What advice would you give to people interested in a career in science?
First, go for something you are fascinated about. It’s the fascination that will keep you motivated, especially if you do a PhD and need to stay excited about your research topic for 3-5 years. Second, if possible, get lab experience as early as possible, that’ll help you pick up technical skills faster in any future lab you will work in. But it’s also OK if you didn’t; I started pretty late, it was tough at the beginning but I learned on the go. Also, learn how to code! That’ll help you in any research topic. Third, if you want to change topics for your postdoc, do it! It might feel hard at first, but you’ll come in into this new field with a new angle as compared to your colleagues and the synergies might be super useful!
Also, keep asking yourself on a regular basis whether you want to stay in academia, or if it’s your PI, your parents or “you-5-years-ago” who wants/wanted that. Life in academia is very fulfilling but can also be in certain cases stressful or just very time-consuming. There are so many other jobs out there that are equally cool and challenging and in which you can be very successful and happy. If you’re curious about these other careers, don’t only talk to your PI, talk to other people outside of lab, go to career panels, join your postdoc association (e.g. CUPS), etc.
Finally, when you interview in a lab for a position, try to meet the lab members, ask what their mentor is like, what the lab vibe is. I always focused on working in labs with a good vibe, where mentoring grad and undergrad students and sharing resources are valued, and it has always paid off. I hope to continue transmitting this approach when/if I open my lab one day!
Tell us a bit about yourself or your projects that are not related to science.
My favorite thing to do outside of lab is to play basketball. I play at leagues like Zogsports or NY Urban where you can sign up as an individual even if you don’t have a team (I highly recommend it). I also like to go hiking in the mountains or do outdoor activities.
What is your favorite thing about NYC?
The food for sure! Also the fact that I felt at home really quickly, people are very welcoming and make you feel like you belong to NYC.
When did you join CUPS and what is your current role, if any?
I joined CUPS in June 2018. First, I was part of the Research & Professional Development Committee. One event I was very happy about was a Career Panel where we invited 4 former Columbia Postdocs who had transitioned to Scientist Positions in Industry (eg Pfizer, Novartis). We had a really nice crowd and the panelists answered a lot of important questions for all those wondering about industry scientist positions.
I then got interested in graphic communications & outreach and therefore founded the Outreach & Communications Committee in Jan 2019 together with Sandra Franco Iborra. We were just 2 to start off with and now have a stable group of 6-8 people, all super motivated and creative. That’s really cool to see. I got this Science Postdoc Blog set up and going, and I am now passing it over to new members. I also helped on some really nice outreach events, such as a recent Science Trivia Night the group organized.
What do you like the most about CUPS?
Meeting so many cool people that I would not have had the chance to meet otherwise. It’s a really nice way to make friends when you arrive here and don’t know anyone. I also like to discover how people do science in different disciplines that I don’t know much about. I would not have met climate scientists or mathematicians or space scientists otherwise! The Meet our Postdocs blog section has also been a great resource in this respect.
Chloé Pasin, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Pathology and Cell Biology Department.
Meet Our Postdocs: Chloé Pasin, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Pathology and Cell Biology Department at Columbia University.
Which department are you in at Columbia and what is your position?
I am a postdoctoral research scientist in the department of Pathology and Cell Biology.
Where are you from and how long have you been in NYC?
I grew up in Toulouse, in the south west of France and I’ve been in NYC for 6 months.
Where did you go to school? Describe your path to your current position.
I studied mostly in France and did some internships abroad. My background is in mathematics, but I realized during my bachelor’s degree that I wanted to apply my knowledge in mathematics to concrete questions. I did a master’s degree in mathematics applied to biology/biostatistics. I was lucky to find a very interesting internship in Bordeaux on modeling the dynamics of cells in response to HIV vaccines. After that, I went to work for a few months at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, where I did some biostatistics to assess the efficacy of a dengue vaccine.
After Seattle, I started my PhD in a public health institute in Bordeaux. I was involved in two main projects: one was on modeling the immune response in response to Ebola vaccine. I worked in collaboration with a pharmaceutical lab on data generated during phase I clinical trials in UK and East Africa. My other project was to develop a mathematical tool to optimize immunotherapy schedules in HIV-infected patients. I graduated at the end of 2018 and started the postdoc here a couple of months later.
What research question are you trying to figure out right now?
I am working on data from patients with blood cancers who underwent chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, which is supposed to reconstitute their immune system with healthy blood cells. I am trying to identify a subset of cells early after the transplant whose dynamics could help predict the clinical state of the patient (relapse, graft-versus-host-disease) and their long-term survival.
In a nutshell, what tools or approaches are you using to try and figure this out?
During my PhD I was mostly modeling the dynamics of cells with systems of differential equations, and using estimation methods to assess the value of the parameters of the system based on clinical data. It can help give a better understanding of how the immune system works and allow us to quantify some of these processes. Eventually, using these kinds of methods could help optimize vaccines and treatments. Now, I am learning new methods of variable selection that are part of the “machine learning” field. It helps select a few factors that are associated with a clinical event among a large number of variables.
What is the best part of your job?
I like how diverse it is, and I enjoy working with people from different backgrounds (medical doctors, immunologists, mathematicians, biostatisticians, etc.). I think the best part is being able to discuss a concrete question with a clinician and trying to figure out which tools and methods should be used to answer it. And also, always learning new things.
Why do you love science?
Because you get to ask a lot of questions! And you might also get some answers about how things work.
What advice would you give to people interested in a career in science?
I think what’s important is to be curious and follow what you are interested in. You will not be good in your research if you don’t enjoy it! Also, do not think that having a degree in a field prevents you from working in a different one. You can adapt and learn new things if you want to.
Tell us a bit about yourself or your projects that are not related to science.
At the moment I am also trying to learn more about American history and politics by reading books, going to exhibitions, reading more newspaper articles… and I am also trying to speak better Spanish. I’m also going quite often to yoga.
What is your favorite thing about NYC?
Can I choose more than one? I would say the diversity of people, which makes you feel that you can be yourself without anyone judging, the cultural events, and the food!
When did you join CUPS and what is your current role, if any?
I joined the Outreach and Communications committee a couple of months ago. I don’t have a specific role there, but I am trying to be more involved in outreach events. I am particularly interested in speaking about science to kids and improving access for women in STEM fields.
What do you like the most about CUPS?
I think it’s nice that it brings people from different backgrounds together to try and make the postdoc experience more than just about your own work.
September 24th, 2019 @ Black & White (Organizers: Outreach & Communications Committee)
Returning back to work after the summer can be hard for everyone, that’s why at CUPS we try to bring you as much fun as possible! At the end of this summer season the Outreach & Communications Committee prepared a Science Trivia Night to brush up a little bit our “general” scientific knowledge. We enjoyed the fun side of science, tried to break some science myths and highlighted some of the amazing work that women scientists have been doing for years. All mixed with some fantastic beers!
Ben Rudshteyn, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Chemistry Department
Meet Our Postdocs: Benjamin Rudshteyn, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Chemistry Department at Columbia University.
Which department are you in at Columbia and what is your position?
Chemistry; Postdoctoral Research Scientist.
Where are you from and how long have you been in NYC?
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. So I have been in NYC all my life outside of graduate school.
Where did you go to school? Describe your path to your current position.
I went to Brooklyn College/Macaulay Honors College at CUNY for undergraduate and Yale for my PhD in computational chemistry. I applied for my postdoc straight out of graduate school.
What research question are you trying to figure out right now?
I am applying the Auxiliary Field Quantum Monte Carlo (AFQMC) stochastic method for solving the Schrodinger Equation very accurately to determine the properties of biologically relevant molecules.
In a nutshell, what tools or approaches are you using to try and figure this out?
I use computer simulations to predict the properties of molecules. These typically use black box typical software to generate the geometry of the molecule, which is run in PySCF Python package to generate the inputs for AFQMC. Then these inputs are fed into a GPU code. These steps are all down on high performance supercomputers. The analysis is then done on my local computer with scripts and coding.
What is the best part of your job?
Getting the experimental prediction for a property right on!
Why do you love science?
The problems are interesting to solve and it’s the only way to solve the most-pressing problems facing humanity.
What advice would you give to people interested in a career in science?
Explore their options and take courses in a variety of fields.
Tell us a bit about yourself or your projects that are not related to science.
Outside of science, I enjoy learning about Russian/Jewish history and culture, reading, skiing, exploring NYC, and Go.
What is your favorite thing about NYC?
The people! The seasons! Also the transit system is relatively functional when you compare to other cities.
When did you join CUPS and what is your current role, if any?
I joined CUPS shortly after becoming a postdoc in June 2018. I am the VP for Morningside and Lamont as well as the Senator for all postdocs.
What do you like the most about CUPS?
I like networking and learning new things about how the university operates.
When: September 21st, 1 pm-3 pm (Physics), October 19th, November 9th.
Where: Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute (609 West 129th Street), Education Lab (ground floor).
STEM Starters is an outreach program run by Columbia University graduate students passionate about teaching STEM topics to middle and high school students. Every month, scientists and students gather together for an afternoon of experiments in different fields.
If you want to mingle and have fun while sharing your knowledge and passion with kids contact STEM Starters. For more information, check their webpage.
Volunteer with CUNO at Citizen Schools
When: Multi-visit program for this Fall semester (10 weeks).
Where: East Harlem.
CUNO (Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach) is seeking volunteers to participate in the after-school program Citizen Schools. All the lessons are already planned out and supplies are given, so except for some prep you can mostly show up and teach (or feel free to change the lessons in any way you want). A Citizen Schools teacher is there the whole time, so it ‘s an easy way to start teaching if you have no previous experience.
This semester we will be pairing with a school in East Harlem – either Renaissance School of the Arts or P.S./I.S 157 Benjamin Franklin. The class day will be determined depending on volunteer availability, with the options being Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 4:15- 5:40pm.
The first day of apprenticeships will be in the week of September 30th; the Apprenticeship Pitch Fairs will take place the week of September 16th, and theApprenticeship Design Training will be the week of September 23rd, and The WOW!s (poster session) will take place the week of December 16th.
If you think you might be interested in volunteering or have questions, please email [email protected] or [email protected]and they will get back to you with some more information!
[Please keep in mind if you decide to volunteer for this you have to commit to teaching all the sessions. If you need to miss one that is ok as long as you communicate it to the other volunteer(s) and teacher, but in general you must be available for the whole session.]
Scientist-in-Residence program is looking for passionate PhD students and postdocs to partner with New York City public school teachers to inspire the next generation of scientists. During the program Scientist-in-Residence will participate in orientation and training workshops and will develop and lead a year-long STEM project that prepares students to engage in independent research and spark their interest in STEM learning. Don’t miss this opportunity to boost your mentoring and teaching skills! The deadline to apply is July 13th.
Participants will receive a $750 stipend and $100 for travel reimbursement. For more information about the program check NYAS website or contact Program Manager Rowena Kuo ([email protected]).
The World Science festival is happening on June 2nd and the NYC chapter of SfN (braiNY) is looking for volunteers to lead neuroscience-related activities they have organized. If you want to participate sign up for a shift!
People with expertise in perception are also wanted. Bonus if you know about virtual reality. There will be a group demoing VR and some volunteers are needed to talk about the neuroscience behind it.
Feel free to contact Heather McKellar with any questions! For more information about the World Science Festival, check out their website here.
Scientific Image Contest
Do you work on the lab all day long but have a secret artistic passion? Do you feel that your neuronal stainings are a piece of art? Or do you see science in every corner of the city? Regardless of your background, here is a contest for you! Participate in the first Scientific Image Contest FotoECUSA and share your scientific art with the community. Submit your images via Twitter or Instagram before July 15th (read the complete contest rules here). For more information contact Sandra Franco.
Public Engagement Workshop
When: Thursday, August 1st – Saturday August 3rd
Where: The New York Academy of Sciences, 7 World Trade Center, 259 Greenwich St Fl 40, New York.
Are you a scientist seeking a creative outlet and connection to a broader audience? Or a creative professional who wants to inspire others with a passion for science? This 3-day workshop is for individuals interested in creating experiences that mix science with art, music and play, to introduce new audiences to the excitement of scientific discovery. Apply here!
FYI: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs sponsors NYAS memberships for all Columbia Postdocs. So if you are not yet a member, ask Amanda Kelly.
May 4th is popularly said to be Star Wars Day (May the Force be with you). However, this May 4th, 2019 people from all around the world gathered with the purpose of celebrating science and advocating for science as the force of our future. Fueled by the great success of the last two Marches, on this Star Wars Day we went out to raise our voices again.
This year, NYC march was the flagship event for the March for Science Movement and several Columbia Postdocs attended and marched together with other scientists & non-scientists to stand for 1) open access science, 2) use of science for the common good and 3) the protection of human and environmental rights.
Two topics were central: the fight against climate change and the MeToo STEM Movement. Keynote Speakers were: Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, an advocate for coastal communities and ocean justice, Dr. BethAnn McLaughlin, an advocate to fight discrimination and sexual misconduct in STEM and founder of MeTooSTEM website, Aracely Jimenez-Hudis, a fighter against climate change and Green new Deal supporter and Alexandria Villaseñor, a 13-year-old climate activist.
The organizers also hosted a Science Expo at Pace University that welcomed activists, curious minds and concerned citizens. I volunteered by showing how easy it is to extract tons of DNA from strawberries. I engaged in funny and interesting discussions about what is DNA and how the development of DNA sequencing techniques have changed the way we look at certain diseases. Brandon volunteered at the BioBus showing how fun the microscopic life can be!
At the end of the day everyone had fun, learned something new and came back home becoming more aware of the importance of advocating for science.
Bridge to the Ph.D. Program aims to enhance the participation of students from underrepresented groups in STEM graduate programs. They are looking for volunteers that are willing to help scholars for their upcoming symposium, by providing feedback on their presentations. If you are interested in attending one or more of these sessions, please complete this survey. If you want more information contact Kwame Osei-Sarfo.
Volunteer at March for Science
When: May 4th
Where: Pace University, 1 Pace Plaza, New York.
Organizer of the March for Science are looking for volunteers for different activities related with the March, which will take place next May 4th.
Volunteers needed to engage in kid-friendly teach with interactive science booths and informational booths from all disciplines of STEM. The event will take place after the March ends at Pace University, 1 Pace Plaza. More info here. If you want to participate fill this out.
NYC PostDoc Coalition will have a table and anyone interested in volunteer can help at the table presenting what postdocs are, what our role in science is, how folks can help our work (support the NIH) and how younger folks can become scientists. For any interest, contact Jason Gardiner Dumelie.
Volunteer at Super Saturday STEM Expo
When: 18th May, 11am – 3pm
Where: Harlem Armory, 40 West 143rd Street
If you want to show how fun science can be, mentor young kids willing to know what is like to be a scientist and make science look as inclusive as possible volunteer for the Super Saturday STEM Expo taking place on May 18th. We are looking for people to perform hands-on activities for kids in the District of Harlem or just be there as scientists so kids can come and ask all their questions. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sandra Franco.
We’ll be doing a kite-flying activity, collecting microbes from the air! And also looking at microbes collected from kite-flying done the week before. You do not need to be a microbiology expert to help! We’re looking for volunteers to help set up, starting at 11am and then for the duration of the event. Please contact Beth Tuck from Genspace if you are available and interested. Click here for more information about the activity.
Volunteer at Family Science Night at MS 442 School of Innovation
When: Monday, May 20, 5:00-7:00pm
Where: 500 19th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215)
Volunteers will work with 6th-8th grade students and their parents on small scale, hands-on demos related to the volunteers’ work. The aims are to inspire curiosity and excitement about STEM topics and careers and to connect students and their parents with role models through in-person interactions. If you are interested, please contact Allan Powe.
Comedy training for Science Communication
Are you a minority in STEM? Are you interested in learning how to use comedy to better engage audiences? Or do you just want to become a stronger, more strategic public speaker? Apply to be part of a national cohort of supportive, intersectional science communicators with The Symposium’s free pilot training program, a supported project of Science in Vivo. More info here.
