People

Mike Sidorov is an Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator in the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children’s National Research Institute. Mike received his Ph.D. in neuroscience at MIT, where he studied mechanisms of plasticity in Fragile X syndrome. He did postdoctoral training at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he studied neural circuits and biomarkers in Angelman syndrome.

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Caleigh received her PhD in Psychology at UW Madison. Her dissertation explored the role of neuropeptides on ultrasonic vocalizations and social behavior in California mice. She received her master’s from Western University of Health Sciences where she studied induced-pluripotent stem cells as a therapy for Parkinson’s disease. She received her BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and her BA in Psychology at UC Davis. In her free time, Caleigh loves running outside, playing board games, listening to podcasts, eating good food, and hanging out with her husband, son, dog, and two cats.

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Ayse received her Ph.D. degree in Neurobiology from the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology in Magdeburg (Germany) in 2021. During her Ph.D. thesis, she investigated the participation of PMCA-Neuroplastin complexes in neuronal calcium regulation, signaling and plasticity. She obtained her M.Sc. degree in Molecular Life Sciences from the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena (Germany) in 2016. She completed B.Sc. degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Istanbul University (Turkey) in 2013. In the Sidorov lab, she is interested in monitoring in vivo neuronal activity by using cutting-edge fluorescence imaging techniques. Outside of the lab, she likes spending time with books, music and red wine.

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Daniel received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from MIT in 2022, where he studied the cortical circuitry underlying visual recognition memory in mice. Before that, he received a B.S. in psychology from Haverford College in 2014. In the Sidorov lab, he is interested in studying the mechanisms and consequences of elevated delta oscillations in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. When not in the lab he enjoys skiing and hiking in the mountains, reading, and trying new restaurants around DC.

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Nishu graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2021 where she received her Bachelor of Science in Physiology & Neurobiology with a minor in Mathematics. She is primarily interested in examining sleep patterns in neurodevelopmental disorders and aims to pursue a career as a physician scientist.

Devante Kerr graduated from Howard University in 2022 as a Biology major and Psychology and Chemistry double minor. He is interested in one day obtaining his MD-PhD and practicing as a psychiatrist or neurologist while doing research on neurodevelopmental diseases. As an undergrad, Devante created a MATLAB GUI to facilitate the process of multidimensional analysis.

Sapphire Bowen-Kauth graduated from Howard University in 2022, majoring in Biology and minoring in Painting, Chemistry, and Psychology. Sapphire hopes to learn more about in vivo functional connectivity and plasticity in neural circuits implicated in a mouse model of Angelman Syndrome. She plans to pursue a career as a child psychiatrist and neuroscientist. Outside of the lab, Sapphire enjoys running and painting.

Courtni Foster is a medical student at Georgetown University School of Medicine. In 2020, she graduated from Howard University - summa cum laude - with a Bachelor of Science in Biology along with minors in Chemistry and Health Education (Maternal and Child Health concentration). For two years post graduation, Courtni was a research technician in the Ishibashi Laboratory at Children’s National where she investigated the effects of cardiac surgery and anesthesia on the developing brain in pediatric populations. During her undergraduate studies, Courtni also studied fetal alcohol exposure in the Burke Lab at Howard University College of Medicine and conducted external research on Autism at Princeton University and Reproduction at the University of Texas at Austin. In her free time Courtni enjoys serving District residents through orgs like S.O.M.E. and Mamatoto Village, listening to live music and reading fiction.

Grace is a sophomore at the University of Maryland, where she is majoring in Neuroscience. She is currently studying behavior in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. She plans to pursue a career in medicine, specializing in Addiction Psychiatry in low-income areas. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading the NYTimes and long walks outdoors.

Jeremy is a senior at the University of Maryland, where he is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Neuroscience. He is most interested in how neural circuitry gets dysregulated, particularly as it relates to mental illness. He hopes to eventually conduct research in order to better understand the neural basis of certain mental illnesses and explore the impact of environmental factors on neural functioning.

Adam is a junior Neuroscience major at the University of Maryland. He is conducting quantitative analysis of EEG data and neuronal activity in the context of different neurodevelopmental disorders. He hopes that his research will provide insights into the effects of sleep deprivation for individuals living with such conditions. Upon graduation, Adam aims to pursue a career in medicine. Outside the lab, he enjoys athletics, music, and spending time with friends and family.

Keegan Whittle is a senior at the University of Maryland where he’s double-majoring in Biochemistry and Neuroscience. He’s particularly interested in cellular and molecular neuroscience and hopes to attend medical school to pursue a career in better understanding the human nervous system as it relates to neurodegenerative disorders.