Home Department: Biology
Supported by: Dean of Research
Mentor: Bianxiao Cui, Chemistry

Aliyah is studying the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein that acts on specific neurons (nerve cells), causing growth and promoting survival. By using optogenetics, she will study the precise spatial and temporal dimensions of the signaling pathways for NGF. Research into the specific functions of the signaling pathways will aid in the development of NGF as a treatment for diseases that involve neuron death, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Poster presented at the Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives Symposium on August 26, 2015:

Optogenetic Control of Nerve Growth Factor Mediated Pathways in Spatial Dimensions for PC‐12 Cell Differentiation Model

Aliyah Sarro-Schwartz¹, Qunxiang Ong¹, Allister McGuire¹, Ruyan Zhang¹, Bianxiao Cui¹
[Department of Chemistry¹, Stanford University]