Name: Erica Maissy
Hometown: Orange County, CA
Hobbies: rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, olympic lifting, dancing
Lab: Zarrinpar Lab (metabolism, microbiome, & circadian rhythms)
Lab website: https://zarrinparlab.org
What do you study?
I study how bacteria in our digestive system, called the “gut microbiome” can affect the brain, and other processes in the body, including metabolism and fertility. These bacteria modify a family of small compounds called bile acids, which can send signals from the gut to other parts of the body. My lab uses a genetically engineered bacteria to study these compounds and their effects in a mouse model.
Why is it important?
The gut microbiome is an incredibly new field with tons to be discovered. There is evidence that microbes in the gut can affect neurological diseases like Parkinson’s Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning and memory, and even mood disorders like anxiety and depression. We can use our understanding of these bacteria to change our diet and environment to optimize our mental health, brain functioning, and prevent or treat disease.
What piqued your interest in science?
My real appreciation for science didn’t come until college, when I became interested in fitness and nutrition, and discovered that a lot of the research done used only male mouse models or small sample sizes of Caucasian men. I wanted to pursue biomedical science that accounts for all kinds of representation because everyone deserves healthcare that was designed for them!
What do you like about being a scientist?
Biology was actually one of my least favorite subjects in school because it felt like all memorization and I thought it had all been done before. The truth is, we are just scratching the surface of understanding the world around us (including our own bodies!) and there is so much to be discovered. What I like about being a scientist is being able to utilize curiosity, problem solving, and creativity to help illuminate this complexity and optimize health and medicine.
What are 5 general vocabulary terms someone should know going into your field of science?
Microbiome, metabolome, hormone, metabolism, cognition
What are 5 specific vocabulary terms someone should know about your research?
Bile acid, receptor, microglia, neuroinflammation, hippocampus