Current Lab Members

PAUL GREER
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Paul is a Massachusetts lifer, never having lived outside of a two-mile radius from the hospital in which he was born. Despite this embarrassingly parochial upbringing, Paul has managed to experience a broad scientific training from a series of mentors to whom he remains incredibly grateful. For his doctoral work, under Mike Greenberg’s mentorship, he characterized mechanisms of synapse development and function relevant to human neurological disorders. Upon graduating from Mike’s lab, he joined Bob Datta’s lab, and ever since he has been investigating the mechanisms by which mammals respond appropriately to exteroceptive and interoceptive chemical cues.

JASON FREEDMAN
MD-PHD STUDENT

Jason is originally from Needham MA and graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in Neuroscience. As an MD-PhD student, Jason aims to explore how the cellular building blocks of the nervous system give rise to complex phenomena, from basic behavior to neuropathology. His primary focus is on the role of MS4A receptors in the pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative disease, especially Multiple Sclerosis. Outside of lab, he is an avid Ultimate Frisbee player, dedicated husband, and loving cat-dad

EMMA AUSTEN-HOLT MD-PHD STUDENT

Emma is an MD-PhD student studying the role of MS4As in the context of Multiple Sclerosis and developing therapies targeting these receptors. Broadly, she is interested in the intersection of the immune and nervous systems, and understanding how the interplay between the two shapes chronic disease.

MADI MARASCO
MD-PHD STUDENT

Originally from Wellesley, MA, Madi studied Biology at Clemson University before spending two years gaining further research experience at the National Institutes of Health. Currently, Madi is an MD/PhD student at UMass, where her work centers on improving outcomes in neurodegenerative diseases through translational research with a strong therapeutic focus. Her primary focus is on the role that MS4A receptors play in neurodegenerative pathology in ALS and traumatic brain injury. Outside the lab, you'll usually find Madi outdoors—hiking, running, sailing, rock climbing, or mountain biking with her border collie.

PAVAN RAO
GRADUATE STUDENT

Pavan aims to explore olfactory processing in murine models where the ability to differentiate among trillions of odors is vital for their survival. His work involves a combination of viral tracing, sequencing, imaging and behavior paradigms to determine how various cells within the olfactory bulb connect and work together to translate chemical signals into meaningful representations for the brain.

HONG-GOO CHAE, PHD
POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTIST

MEG HUSTON
GRADUATE STUDENT

Meg is fascinated by the mechanisms through which molecular signaling within the nervous system influences cognition, behavior, and neurological disease. Her research centers on the function of MS4A receptors in neurodegenerative disorders and their potential to guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

HANORAH MURPHY
UNDERGRADUATE INTERN

Hanorah is an undergraduate intern majoring in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience at Williams College. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine and is interested in research focused on brain development and diseases.