May 2023
- IBANGS in Galway, Ireland!
- Taking time off because burnout is real! Going to visit friends, hike with my dog & bake a lot of treats.
March 2023
- IBANGS travel award & abstract accepted! (Galway, Ireland)
- Generation of human hematopoietic cells, microglia & neural progenitor cells from iPSCs; RNA extraction, immunofluorescence & dose response study in progress
January 2023
- Co-author on a manuscript led by Dr. Carmen Freire-Cabo https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019745802200255X?dgcid=author
- Invitation to Deep Water soloing competition as athlete
- MUSE launches scholarship for undergraduate students
November 2022
- Manuscript accepted & published! PDF Below.
October 2022
- Final manuscript revisions submitted
- Brain selective prodrug studies begin in common marmosets
September 2022
- Industry internship completed which will result in first author manuscript!
- Defended my comprehensive exam virtually while doing the internship (do not recommend but glad it’s over)
- Prospectus writing, and data collection resumes
May 2022
- Industry internship in San Francisco!
- First 1st author manuscript of grad school reviewed *panic*
April 2022
- Center for Research on Families Conference registration award
- Invited speaker for undergraduate course at Harvard University
- Merrell Trailblazer Ambassador for trail running
- BOTH OF MY MENTEES GOT INTO GRAD SCHOOL OR PRESTIGIOUS MD PROGRAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Submitted my first, 1st author manuscript from grad school: “Letrozole alters hippocampal gene expression in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)”
- Manuscript accepted: “Potential trade-off between olfactory and visual discrimination learning in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)”
October 2021
- Ford Foundation Fellows Conference – Poster presentation
- AAIC Neuroscience Next Excellence in Mentoring Award
- Manuscript published in JCM special issue, “Hindbrain Administration of Oxytocin Reduces Food Intake, Weight Gain and Activates Catecholamine Neurons in the Hindbrain Nucleus of the Solitary Tract in Rats”
September 2021
- HHMI Gilliam Fellows Conference – Poster presentation
August 2021
- First author manuscript accepted – Effects of Combined Oxytocin and Beta-3 Receptor Agonist (CL 316243) Treatment on Body Weight and Adiposity in Male Diet-Induced Obese Rats
June 2021
- HHMI Gilliam fellowship
- Hulu i29 ‘Your Attention Please’ film project (airing July 29th)
- GWIS Fellowship
- Panelist for Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology LISTEN session
May 2021
- Took time off to rest, facilitate community events and hang out with friends and it was lovely.
April 2021
- SBN Welcome Initiative Award
- Wendy Helmer Award, UMass Amherst
- OSSD Travel Award
- OSSD Poster Presentation: Effects of aromatase inhibition on hippocampal gene expression in the common marmoset.
March 2021
- Ford Foundation Fellowship
- First co-author manuscript accepted during my time in the lab.
- CCAD Article on racial underrepresentation in STEM
- Panelist for an event serving Black undergraduate students in CNS
February 2021
- I brushed my teeth every single day please clap
- Letrozole RNAseq study complete!
- MUSE officially a 501c3 nonprofit!
January 2021
- First, first author paper published on hindbrain oxytocin receptors mediating weight loss in diet induced obese rodents . https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33470901/
December 2020
- UMass Predissertation Award
November 2020
- Led international journal club / webinar at Neuroscience Next through the ISTAART Journal Club and Alzheimer’s and Dementia joined by the author of the paper, Dr. Bi; Nov 9th
- Nominated for HHMI Gilliam Award
- Panel for Transfer Students within the College of Natural Sciences
October 2020
- Marmoset Conference Poster Presentation “Aromatase inhibition of aromatase and estrogen receptors in the marmoset hippocampus”, Oct 21
- Invited Speaker UCSD DASL Symposium October 29th
- ISTAART Panelist for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
- Short piece in Cell Press on the importance of mentorship in STEM
- Women in Neuroscience Panel
August 2020
- #BlackinNeuro Panelist – Mentorship & Outreach
- Spaulding-Smith Panelist for 1st Year Graduate Students
- NSB Panelist for Incoming Graduate Students
June 2020
- Selected as a Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP) Associate through the Society for Neuroscience.
May 2020
- Early Career Award! Very honored to be nominated by such inspiring and supportive peers and my advisor.
April 2020
- CRF Travel Award Recipient
- CRF Grant Writing Program Acceptance
March 2020
- NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
February 2020
- I got rejected from almost everything I applied for! 🙂 Nice to share the failures too when so often we only see others successes
- Data Blitz Speaker – NEURON
November 2019
- Launched M.U.S.E. Mentorship website
September 2019
- Co-presenter at CNS Symposium
August 2019
- Spaulding-Smith Fellowship recipient
- On Ramp Program – UMass Amherst
Mélise Edwards 