Stephanie Laderwager

I am a third-year PhD student in the Program in Neuroscience (PiN) in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior. I received my B.S. in Biology with a specialization in Neuroscience from Stony Brook University, where my undergraduate research investigated the requirement for NMDA receptor–mediated signaling in forebrain neurogenesis using zebrafish as a model system. My doctoral research in Dr. Howard Sirotkin’s lab focuses on defining the role of the GluN2B subunit of the NMDA receptor in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with an emphasis on its contribution to interneuron development and excitation/inhibition balance. Through the SBMS program, I am mentored by Dr. Bridget Leone, a pediatric neurologist, on a translational project that integrates zebrafish models of GluN2B dysfunction with human neurophysiological measures, aiming to identify conserved circuit-level mechanisms of pathophysiology.

Graduate Advisor: Dr. Howard Sirotkin
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Bridget Leone