FAU-Brain Institute
Molecules to Behaviors
Our team seeks to identify and characterize cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in neurological disorders in order to develop effective therapies.
Curiosity, collaboration, and freedom of exploration are the three main driving forces that shape our research. Our team employs a variety of cellular, molecular, and behavioral tools to better understand these catastrophic diseases. So far, the lab has characterized several proteins involved in the loss of memory and motor control. We believe that understanding these molecular mechanisms will lead us to identify new drug targets – targets that will help halt the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and with it, the agony they cause.
Meet Our Research Team
Dr. Subramaniam's team comprises of postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, undergraduates, high school students, and administrative personnel all motivated to support the exploration of the molecular intricacies of the disease process. Undergraduates and higher-level students conduct autonomous projects utilizing technical and conceptual tools in collaboration with laboratory members to analyze complex biological pathways. We celebrate as a team upon discovering innovative mechanisms, and we overcome challenges collectively when we encounter obstacles.
Associate Professor & Principal Investigator
Srini Subramaniam obtained his PhD summa cum laude in Natural Science (Dr. rer. nat.) from University of Heidelberg, Germany. He leads the research efforts and oversees the strategic direction of the lab.
Gala Pierce
Director of Research Programs & Services
Gala Pierce received her Master of Science in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. She is in charge of administrative operations for the FAU Brain Institute and provides support for finances and extramural funding support services for our research.
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Lindsay Montgomery
Operations and Budget Coordinator
Lindsay Montgomery received her a Bachelor of Science from Georgia Southern University. She has led large teams and challenging projects at the Medical College of Georgia. At FAU, Lindsay is a budget coordinator and excels in financial management, staff supervision, and project coordination.
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Dr. Sunayana Dagar
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sunayana Dagar has a PhD in cell biology from Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Delhi, India. She contributes to the design, development and co-leading of Tunneling Nanotube and Huntington disease projects.
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Dr. Anuradha Kesharwani
Postdoctoral Researcher
Anuradha Kesharwani, PhD, earned her doctorate in Neuroscience from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hajipur, India. Her research centers on how misfolded mHTT drives ribosome stalling and how it is transferered via tunneling nanotubes (TNTs). She combines cell-biological and in vivo approaches—including primary neuron and iPSC-derived models, co-culture systems and others to dissect the molecular mechanisms of Huntington disease
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Dr. Manas Jagdev
Postdoctoral Researcher
He earned his Ph.D. in Biotechnology (Structural Biology) from Utkal University, India, under Dr. Dileep Vasudevan, where he studied the structural characterization of plant and mycobacterial Clp chaperone machinery proteins. He also holds an M.Sc. in Biotechnology from SOA University and a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Biotechnology from Utkal University. His interests center on structural characterization of ribosome stalling in Huntington disease.
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Veronika Zaloginova
Project Assistant
Veronika Zaloginova is an undergraduate student majoring in Biological Principles major and Physics minor at FAU. She collaborates in deciphering the ribosomal stalling mechanisms in Huntington disease.
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Emaad Mirza
Project Assistant
Emaad Mirza received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at FAU. He is an expert in imaging TNT-like structures using advanced imaging systems at the Zeiss Microscopy Center at the Brain Institute, Jupiter. His interests are mechanisms and roles of TNT in the nervous system.
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Isabella Zuniga
Project Assistant
Isabella Zuniga is an undergraduate student FAU Honors College majoring in neuroscience. She assists in deciphering the function of Rhes and solute transporter functions using cell and animal model of Huntington disease. She recently won prestigeous DOORS award 2025
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Alyssa Rozenblat
Project Assistant
Alyssa Rozenblat is an undergraduate student at the FAU Honors College, majoring in Cellular Neuroscience. She assists in research characterizing the Rhes degradation pathway and mitochondrial abnormalities relevant to Huntington disease.