The project I am currently working on investigates microelectrode failure for the advancement of prosthetics. We implant electrodes and evaluate the extent of vascular and tissue injury caused by electrode insertion in vivo through two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy. This technique allows us to observe highly interactive and dynamic immune responses to the insertion site and surrounding areas of the electrode over a period of time. Through histology and 1-photon microscopy, we examine stained tissue in acute mice for major cellular sub-types of the brain. We also study the electrical signals initiated by the brain from the implanted electrode to map signal degradation. My team members include Catharine Clark, Galen Marchetti, and Tiffany Rose. I am majoring in Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. I joined Schaffer Lab in the summer of 2012 and expect to graduate in May 2015. I am a Ronald E. McNair Scholar.
