Priya Rajasethupathy

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Priya Rajasethupathy
Priyamvada Rajasethupathy
Priya Rajasethupathy.jpg
Alma mater Cornell University, BA, 2004
Columbia University, MD-PhD, 2013
Awards Searle Scholar, NIH Director's New Innovator Award
Scientific career
Fields Neuroscience
Institutions Stanford University
Rockefeller University
Thesis Novel Small-RNA Mediated Gene Regulatory Mechanisms for Long-Term Memory  (2012)
Doctoral advisor Eric Kandel
Website Research website

Priya Rajasethupathy is a neuroscientist and assistant professor at the Rockefeller University, leading the Laboratory of Neural Dynamics and Cognition.

Contents

Education and early career

Priya Rajasethupathy grew up in Brockport, New York. [1] She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology with a pre-medicine concentration from Cornell University in 2004. For her undergraduate thesis, she identified Aptamers that provided structural and functional insight into therapeutic compounds for epilepsy. [1] [2] Following her Bachelors, she moved to India for a year to work with people with mental illness, while also conducting neuroscience research at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. [3] She then attended Columbia University for her MD–PhD degree. She did her doctoral work under the mentorship of Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel where she used California sea slugs ( Aplysia californica ) as a model organism to understand how small non-coding RNA molecules in nerve cells regulate the formation and storage of memories. During her doctoral career, she discovered a brain-specific and highly conserved micro RNA (miR-124) that is abundant in the central nervous system (CNS) of sea slugs and that is important for establishing synaptic plasticity, or the ability of neuronal connections to strengthen and weaken over time. [4] [5] Rajasethupathy later identified a new class of small non-coding RNAs in the CNS – piRNAs – which were thought to be present only in germ cells and germline tissues. [6] Furthermore, she found that piRNAs can epigenetically modify DNA to enable long-lasting changes in synaptic strength, which may provide insight into the maintenance of long-term memories.

Following her graduate career, Rajasethupathy began a postdoctoral fellowship in 2013 in the laboratory of Karl Deisseroth, a pioneer in the field of optogenetics. [7] There, she discovered a novel brain pathway from the prefrontal cortex to hippocampus that is required for memory retrieval. [8] [9] She used mice as a model organism and employed techniques in optogenetics to control and monitor individual neurons in living tissue, two-photon excitation microscopy to image living tissue, and volumetric gene expression profiles of intact brain to understand how the gene expression directs brain activity during behavior. [10] Her postdoctoral work earned her recognition from Science News, who named her one of their top 10 early career scientists in 2015. [3]

Research

In 2017, Rajasethupathy was appointed the Jonathan M. Nelson Family Assistant Professor and head of the Laboratory of Neural Dynamics & Cognition at the Rockefeller University. [8] Her lab continues research into how memories form, stabilize, and re-organize over time by observing and manipulating neural circuitry while monitoring the behavior of animals performing tasks that require the storage or retrieval of memories. [11] Her research is supported by an NIH Director's New Innovator Award, which supports high risk, high reward projects driven by young scientists with $2.5 million awarded over the course of five years. [12]

Selected publications

  1. Rajasethupathy, P. et al. Targeting neural circuits. Cell 165, 524–534 (2016). [13]
  2. Sylwestrak, E.L. et al. Multiplexed intact-tissue transcriptional analysis at cellular resolution. Cell 164, 792–804 (2016) [13]
  3. Rajasethupathy, P. et al. Projections from neocortex mediate top-down control of memory retrieval. Nature 526, 653–659 (2015). [13]
  4. Rajasethupathy, P. et al. A role for neuronal piRNAs in the epigenetic control of memory-related synaptic plasticity. Cell 149, 693–707 (2012) [13]
  5. Rajasethupathy, P. et al. Characterization of small RNAs in Aplysia reveals a role for miR-124 in constraining synaptic plasticity through CREB. Neuron 63, 803–817 (2009). [13]

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-term potentiation</span> Persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity

In neuroscience, long-term potentiation (LTP) is a persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity. These are patterns of synaptic activity that produce a long-lasting increase in signal transmission between two neurons. The opposite of LTP is long-term depression, which produces a long-lasting decrease in synaptic strength.

Hebbian theory is a neuropsychological theory claiming that an increase in synaptic efficacy arises from a presynaptic cell's repeated and persistent stimulation of a postsynaptic cell. It is an attempt to explain synaptic plasticity, the adaptation of brain neurons during the learning process. It was introduced by Donald Hebb in his 1949 book The Organization of Behavior. The theory is also called Hebb's rule, Hebb's postulate, and cell assembly theory. Hebb states it as follows:

Let us assume that the persistence or repetition of a reverberatory activity tends to induce lasting cellular changes that add to its stability. ... When an axon of cell A is near enough to excite a cell B and repeatedly or persistently takes part in firing it, some growth process or metabolic change takes place in one or both cells such that A’s efficiency, as one of the cells firing B, is increased.

In neuroscience, synaptic plasticity is the ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, in response to increases or decreases in their activity. Since memories are postulated to be represented by vastly interconnected neural circuits in the brain, synaptic plasticity is one of the important neurochemical foundations of learning and memory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glia</span> Support cells in the nervous system

Glia, also called glial cells (gliocytes) or neuroglia, are non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system that do not produce electrical impulses. The neuroglia make up more than one half the volume of neural tissue in our body. They maintain homeostasis, form myelin in the peripheral nervous system, and provide support and protection for neurons. In the central nervous system, glial cells include oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, ependymal cells and microglia, and in the peripheral nervous system they include Schwann cells and satellite cells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neural circuit</span> Network or circuit of neurons

A neural circuit is a population of neurons interconnected by synapses to carry out a specific function when activated. Multiple neural circuits interconnect with one another to form large scale brain networks.

In neuroscience, homeostatic plasticity refers to the capacity of neurons to regulate their own excitability relative to network activity. The term homeostatic plasticity derives from two opposing concepts: 'homeostatic' and plasticity, thus homeostatic plasticity means "staying the same through change". In the nervous system, neurons must be able to evolve with the development of their constantly changing environment while simultaneously staying the same amidst this change. This stability is important for neurons to maintain their activity and functionality to prevent neurons from carcinogenesis. At the same time, neurons need to have flexibility to adapt to changes and make connections to cope with the ever-changing environment of a developing nervous system.

Activity-dependent plasticity is a form of functional and structural neuroplasticity that arises from the use of cognitive functions and personal experience; hence, it is the biological basis for learning and the formation of new memories. Activity-dependent plasticity is a form of neuroplasticity that arises from intrinsic or endogenous activity, as opposed to forms of neuroplasticity that arise from extrinsic or exogenous factors, such as electrical brain stimulation- or drug-induced neuroplasticity. The brain's ability to remodel itself forms the basis of the brain's capacity to retain memories, improve motor function, and enhance comprehension and speech amongst other things. It is this trait to retain and form memories that is associated with neural plasticity and therefore many of the functions individuals perform on a daily basis. This plasticity occurs as a result of changes in gene expression which are triggered by signaling cascades that are activated by various signaling molecules during increased neuronal activity.

Intermediate-term memory (ITM) is a stage of memory distinct from sensory memory, working memory/short-term memory, and long-term memory. While sensory memory persists for several milliseconds, working memory persists for up to thirty seconds, and long-term memory persists from thirty minutes to the end of an individual's life, intermediate-term memory persists for about two to three hours. This overlap in the durations of these memory processes indicates that they occur simultaneously, rather than sequentially. Indeed, intermediate-term facilitation can be produced in the absence of long-term facilitation. However, the boundaries between these forms of memory are not clear-cut, and they can vary depending on the task. Intermediate-term memory is thought to be supported by the parahippocampal cortex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heterosynaptic plasticity</span>

Synaptic plasticity refers to a chemical synapse's ability to undergo changes in strength. Synaptic plasticity is typically input-specific, meaning that the activity in a particular neuron alters the efficacy of a synaptic connection between that neuron and its target. However, in the case of heterosynaptic plasticity, the activity of a particular neuron leads to input unspecific changes in the strength of synaptic connections from other unactivated neurons. A number of distinct forms of heterosynaptic plasticity have been found in a variety of brain regions and organisms. These different forms of heterosynaptic plasticity contribute to a variety of neural processes including associative learning, the development of neural circuits, and homeostasis of synaptic input.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaang Bong-kiun</span> Southu Korean neuroscietnist (born 1961)

Kaang Bong-Kiun was born in Jeju-do, South Korea, on November 21, 1961. He is a professor of neuroscience in the Department of Biological Sciences of Seoul National University. He is a Fellow of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology and co-director of the IBS Center for Cognition and Sociality with Changjoon Justin Lee.

Yang Dan is a Chinese-American neuroscientist. She is the Paul Licht Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology at the University of California, Berkeley and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator. She is a past recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, Beckman Young Investigator Award, and Society for Neuroscience Research Awards for Innovation in Neuroscience. Recognized for her research on the neural circuits that control behavior, she was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences in 2018.

HollisT. Cline is an American neuroscientist and the Director of the Dorris Neuroscience Center at the Scripps Research Institute in California. Her research focuses on the impact of sensory experience on brain development and plasticity.

Cristina Maria Alberini is an Italian neuroscientist who studies the biological mechanisms of long-term memory. She is a Professor in Neuroscience at the Center for Neural Science in New York University, and adjunct professor at the Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Structural and Chemical Biology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtney A. Miller</span> American neuroscientist, researcher

Courtney A. Miller is an American neuroscientist and Professor of the Department of Molecular Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida. Miller investigates the biological basis of neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases and develops novel therapeutics based on her mechanistic discoveries.

Lisa Giocomo is an American neuroscientist who is a Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. Giocomo probes the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cortical neural circuits involved in spatial navigation and memory.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Seek – Priya Rajasethupathy". seek.rockefeller.edu. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  2. ↑ Cui, Yang; Rajasethupathy, Priyamvada; Hess, George P. (2004-12-01). "Selection of Stable RNA Molecules that Can Regulate the Channel-Opening Equilibrium of the Membrane-Bound γ-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor". Biochemistry. 43 (51): 16442–16449. doi:10.1021/bi048667b. ISSN   0006-2960. PMID   15610038.
  3. 1 2 3 Wayman, Erin (2016-03-06). "Priya Rajasethupathy: Memories mark DNA". Science News. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  4. ↑ Rajasethupathy, Priyamvada; Fiumara, Ferdinando; Sheridan, Robert; Betel, Doron; Puthanveettil, Sathyanarayanan V.; Russo, James J.; Sander, Chris; Tuschl, Thomas; Kandel, Eric (2009-09-24). "Characterization of small RNAs in Aplysia reveals a role for miR-124 in constraining synaptic plasticity through CREB". Neuron. 63 (6): 803–817. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2009.05.029. ISSN   1097-4199. PMC   2875683 . PMID   19778509.
  5. ↑ Fischbach, Soren J.; Carew, Thomas J. (2009-09-24). "MicroRNAs in memory processing". Neuron. 63 (6): 714–716. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.09.007 . ISSN   1097-4199. PMID   19778498.
  6. ↑ Moazed, Danesh (April 2012). "A piRNA to Remember". Cell. 149 (3): 512–514. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.04.008 . PMID   22541425. S2CID   793000.
  7. ↑ Gorman, James (2014-04-21). "Brain Control in a Flash of Light". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  8. 1 2 "Neurobiologist interested in memory to join Rockefeller faculty". News. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  9. ↑ Rajasethupathy, Priyamvada; Sankaran, Sethuraman; Marshel, James H.; Kim, Christina K.; Ferenczi, Emily; Lee, Soo Yeun; Berndt, Andre; Ramakrishnan, Charu; Jaffe, Anna (2015-10-29). "Projections from neocortex mediate top-down control of memory retrieval". Nature. 526 (7575): 653–659. Bibcode:2015Natur.526..653R. doi:10.1038/nature15389. ISSN   1476-4687. PMC   4825678 . PMID   26436451.
  10. 1 2 "NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program – 2017 Award Recipients | NIH Common Fund". commonfund.nih.gov. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  11. ↑ "Priya Rajasethupathy". Our Scientists. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  12. ↑ "Project Information – NIH RePORTER – NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results". projectreporter.nih.gov. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Priya Rajasethupathy". Our Scientists. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  14. ↑ "Recipients of the Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award". Fred Hutch. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  15. ↑ "Searle Scholars Program : Priya Rajasethupathy (2018)". www.searlescholars.net. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  16. ↑ "The Esther A. & and Joseph Klingenstein Fund, Inc". www.klingfund.org. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
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