Name: Danielle Schafer
Hometown: Crystal Lake, IL
Hobbies: Running, climbing, reading a good book!
Lab: Dr. Gene Yeo/Dr. Nicole Coufal
Lab websites:
Gene Yeo https://yeolab.github.io/
Nicole Coufal: http://www.coufallab.com/
What do you study?
I study how immune cells in the brain talk to other brain cells known as neurons. I use stem cells, which can be made into any cell with the right recipe! I make brain cells and immune cells and put them into a dish to see how they communicate.
Why is it important?
In Alzheimer’s Disease, the brain becomes very inflamed and neurons start to die. This indicates that the immune cells may be involved and may be sending stressful messages to the neurons. If we can understand what those messages are, maybe we can prevent them or make the messages more positive to promote healthy neurons and treat Alzheimer’s Disease.
What piqued your interest in science?
My dad is a hydrogeologist, so he studies groundwater and how to make sure it is clean! Growing up, he always quizzed me on different rocks, and pushed me to ask more questions. My parents also used to take me to the zoo and museums, which allowed me to learn about other areas of science, like biology!
What do you like about being a scientist?
I love being able to ask questions and then explore them! I get to do something different every day, and I am learning something new each time I do an experiment. It is exciting to be a part of discovering new things!
What are 5 general vocabulary terms someone should know going into your field of science?
Neurodegeneration, neuroimmune interactions, cytokines, microglia, neurons
What are 5 specific vocabulary terms someone should know about your research?
Induced pluripotent stem cells, phagocytosis, amyloid beta, microscopy, lysosome
Sneak Peak:
Microglia having a snack! Wonder on what? Ask me during my SciChat!
