Sean Merrill Email and Phone Number

Consistent and systematic study of human biology by genetically modifying stem cells and phenotyping their differentiated cell lineages. Knockouts and disease mutations were made to study gene function. Knockins of fluorescence tags determined protein locations and expression profiles in human stem cells and induced neurons. Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Südhof

Using CRISPR, I attached tags onto neuronal calcium channels for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and identified subsynaptic calcium domains that release distinct pools of synaptic vesicles. This led me to study the pathogenesis of autism, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's, diseases that alter calcium signaling at synapses. Supervisor: Dr. Erik Jorgensen