Behavioral quantification is a cornerstone of many neuroscience experiments. Recent advances in motion tracking have streamlined the study of behavior in small laboratory animals and enabled precise movement quantification on fast (millisecond) timescales. Despite these advancements, these tools are unreliable in tracking skeletal movements. We addressed these challenges by developing an injectable fluorescent nanoparticle formulation that can reliably label and track surface and skeletal keypoints in mice for behavioral quantification. 

There has been a recent renewal of interest in the therapeutic potential of serotonergic psychedelics. Here, we uncover the essential role of ventral hippocampus (vHpc) GABAergic interneurons in the anxiolytic effect evoked by the serotonergic psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI). We also show that 5-HT2A receptors in the CA1/subiculum (CA1/sub) region of the vHpc are required for the anxiolytic action of DOI. Restoration of 5-HT2A receptors in PV-positive interneurons in a loss-of-function background reinstated the anxiolytic responses evoked by DOI in the vHpc CA1/sub region. Collectively, our results localize the acute anxiolytic action of a serotonergic psychedelic to 5-HT2A receptors in the ventral hippocampus and specifically identify PV-positive fast-spiking cells as a cellular trigger for the psychedelic-induced relief of anxiety-like behavior.

The interaction of SARS-CoV-2 S-protein receptor binding domain (RBD) with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is of prime importance for effective prophylactic approaches. Our study shows that single substitutions in the light chain framework region of CR3022 with conserved epitopes across SARS-CoV strains allow targeting of diverse antibody epitope footprints that align with the epitopes of recently-categorized neutralizing antibody classes while enabling binding to more than one strain of SARS-CoV-2. 

I co-convened the NeuroNovember Convention 2020, a 4-day convention jointly hosted by Project Encephalon and Stimulus. It was the first international youth-led neuroscience convention from India. With over 800 registrations, and 39 speakers and panelists from across the globe – a fair representation of women, trans persons, and people of color – this convention not just covered science but consciously took the effort to address the social issues faced in STEM.