In her lab at Marshall University, Dr. Nadja Spitzer and her students are exploring one of science’s final frontiers — the brain. As part of the NSF-funded West Virginia Network for Functional Neuroscience & Transcriptomics (WV-NFNT) project, Dr. Spitzer collaborates with researchers across the state to study how the brain’s intricate connections change in response to new information.
Using advanced microscopy, her team examines brain cells and the millions of tiny contact points — called synapses — where neurons communicate. Examining an image that looks like a bunch of green and red confetti, Spitzer expounds, “Each one of those dots is a place where two cells talk to each other. Now we can actually see them and watch how they change, which is so exciting.”
The project not only advances neuroscience but also builds a strong research network across West Virginia’s universities. At Marshall, it’s also opening doors for undergraduate and graduate students, who join the lab early in their studies to gain hands-on experience and lead independent research projects.