Starring

Dr. Husniye Kantarci is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on understanding how glial cells shape neural development and nervous system function, as well as identifying aberrant glial biology that contributes to neurological and neurodevelopmental diseases.

Husniye grew up in Antakya, Turkiye, where her passion for biological sciences was nurtured by her wonderful parents and teachers. She pursued her undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkiye. Her fascination with neural development began in Dr. Bruce Riley’s lab at Texas A&M University, where she investigated how extracellular signals and transcription factors sculpt the development of Stato-Acoustic Ganglion neurons that mediate hearing and balance. For her postdoctoral research, she joined Dr. Brad Zuchero’s lab at Stanford University to study the regulation of neural development and excitability through cellular signaling.

During her postdoctoral studies, Husniye discovered that sensory neurons require glia-secreted signals to become excitable. Schwann cells, the primary peripheral glia, secrete PGE₂ during development to upregulate voltage-gated sodium channels and other genes, thereby promoting neural maturation and excitability. Her research identifies glia as key drivers of excitability and maturation in the peripheral nervous system and PGE₂ as a key molecule in this process. In her lab, Husniye aims to further uncover the roles of glial cells in neuronal development and the building of the nervous system, hoping to identify novel therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental disorders and neurological diseases.

Husniye has received numerous awards for her research, including the Lawrence S. Dillon Distinguished Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Research and Teaching from Texas A&M University, the Walter V. and Idun Berry Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Stanford School of Medicine Dean’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Stanford ChEM-H Postdocs at the Interface Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the Jump Start Award for Excellence in Research from Stanford University. She has also been recognized with various travel and best oral presentation awards throughout her career. Most recently, she has been honored and thrilled to receive 2024 NARSAD Young Investigator Grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.

Many of her career and scientific aspirations are sparked by mentoring her trainees. Her inspirations often come from outside of the lab, when traveling with her partner, parents, and sisters, as well as running, biking, and exploring diverse trails and cities around the world.

Samuel Faraguna | Lab Manager

Sam Faraguna, the lab manager for the Kantarci Lab. He graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in Neuroscience. His research centers around the peripheral nervous system and the downstream cellular mechanisms of PGE2. He played rugby in college but now finds himself playing beach volleyball and tennis with friends. He loves baking/cooking, wakeboarding, coffeeshops, and cheering on his favorite football teams that are way better than Dominic’s.   

Roopa Ravichandar | Postdoctoral Fellow

Hello! My name is Roopa and I am currently completing my doctoral research at University at Buffalo in Dr. Fraser J. Sim’s lab. As a PhD student, I studied the role of cholinergic signaling and its downstream regulators that influence oligodendrocyte function in demyelinating diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis. My research also focused on ways to strategically manipulate these signaling pathways to develop therapies for myelin repair. I am very thrilled to join the Kantarci lab as a postdoctoral candidate this January and study glial mechanisms that regulate retinal ganglion cell development and function. Apart from research, I love hiking and traveling to new places. I am also a trained Indian classical dancer, and I enjoy singing Carnatic music. 

Dominic Balice | PhD Student

Dominic is currently pursuing a PhD in the Institute for Neuroscience. He earned his B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2023. His research focuses on neuron-glia interactions and their role during development, particularly in neurological disease. Outside the lab, Dominic enjoys cheering on his favorite football teams, playing the drums, and discovering the many cool spots in Austin.

Inara Jawed | PhD Student

Inara is currently pursuing a PhD at the Institute for Neuroscience. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Georgia State University, where she studied noxious cold in Drosophila melanogaster. She later worked as a research specialist at Emory University, focusing on the heterogeneity of retinal pigmented epithelial cells in models of age-related macular degeneration. Her current research investigates neuron-glia interactions to better understand the role of glia in neural development. Outside the lab, Inara enjoys spending time with friends, traveling, binge-watching TV shows, and exploring Austin in search of the best Mediterranean food spots.  

Karina Peña | Research Associate

Hello! My name is Karina Peña, and I am a research associate working at the Kantarci Lab. I graduated from UT Austin in 2022 with a BA in Latin American Studies and a Pre-Health minor. As an undergraduate student, I worked under two different psycholinguistic labs studying the emotional and cognitive impacts of language brokering on bilingual students. At the start of 2023, I moved to California to complete a post-baccalaureate program for Health Sciences at UC Davis. There, I worked with Dr. William Debello to study the cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in the barn owl auditory circuitry. Now I am working with Dr. Husniye Kantarci to better understand the glial mechanisms that regulate neural excitability and maturation in the PNS. When I am not working at the lab, you can find me pursuing other creative endeavors such as writing, drawing, or podcasting in my free time. I also love to dance, so I could be at a salsa social event near you.  

Eunsu Kim | Undergraduate Researcher

Eunsu Kim is an undergraduate researcher and junior at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in biochemistry on the pre-pharmacy track. She currently works in Dr. Kantarci’s lab, where her research focuses on the role of PGE2 in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Before joining Dr. Kantaric’s lab, she was part of the FRI Gene Networks lab, led by Dr. Albert MacKrell, where she studied the G-patch protein CHERP. Additionally, she is an active member of the UT Austin’s iGEM 2024 team, led by Dr. Jeffrey E. Barrick and Dr. Dennis Mishler, where she serves as the lead wiki programmer and researcher focused on developing solutions for Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance. Her passion lies in understanding diseases/disorders and their molecular mechanisms, with aspirations to attend pharamcy school and continue her research in neurodevelopmental disorders and disease-related studies. Outside of lab, Eunsu enjoys arts and crafts, including crochet and making bead curtains, as well as nature walks and playing music.

Kimberly Castillo | Undergraduate Researcher

Kimberly Castillo is an undergraduate student at UT Austin pursuing a BS in Neuroscience. Her research interests include neurodegenerative diseases with a focus on the mechanisms that may underlie these conditions due to the environment in which neurons exist, particularly the role of glial cells. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, watching movies, and going for runs.

Mariam Hajiaghajani | Undergraduate Researcher

Mariam Hajiaghajani is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience. She has interned at a cancer epigenetics lab researching epigenetic regulatory pathways for breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells. Currently, her research interests lie in studying signaling pathway effects of glial cells on DRG neurons and using Brainbow. In her free time, she likes to learn new recipes and (occasionally) pick up her violin.