Marissa Stearns Kuzirian
Name: Marissa Stearns Kuzirian
Position: PhD Student
Education: B.A. Neuroscience from Kenyon College
Contact: mstearns@brandeis.edu
Hometown: Bexley, Ohio
Personal Interests: I grew up in the pool as a competitive swimmer and I like to get back in the pool when I have time. I keep a close eye on my swimming Ladies at Kenyon College. Like many people in this lab I love all things Harry Potter! Good food is also a passion of mine and I love cooking for special occasions.
If I weren't a scientist I'd be... an art historian or a swim coach
Research Interests: Very generally, I am interested in the synapse. Before coming to Brandeis, I studied molecular mechanisms involved in synapse morphology with Dr. Yasunori Hayashi at MIT. I am currently working on elucidating molecular mechanisms behind synaptogenesis. I am interested in understanding the role that molecules play in synapse formation. I am interested in elucidating the role of protein kinases in both excitatory and inhibitory synaptogenesis. I am also interested in the role of semaphorin 4D in synapse development.
Publications:
Hayashi, MK, Tang C, Verpelli C, Narayanan, R, Stearns, MH, Xu, RM, Li, H, Sala, C, Hayashi, Y (2009) The postsynaptic density proteins Homer and Shank form a polymeric network structure. Cell 137(1): 159-171.