Lindsay M. De Biase facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lindsay M. De Biase
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De Biase in 2018
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Yale University Johns Hopkins School of Medicine National Institute on Drug Abuse |
| Known for | Diversity of microglia in the brain parenchyma |
| Awards | 2019 Glen Foundation and American Foundation for Aging Research Grant, 2018 NARSAD Young Investigator Award, 2017 NIDA Women’s Science Advisory Committee, Excellence in Scientific Research Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neuroscience, glial biology |
| Institutions | University of California, Los Angeles |
Lindsay M. De Biase is an American brain scientist, also known as a neuroscientist. She studies special brain cells called glia and is a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. De Biase explores different types of microglia (tiny immune cells in the brain) found in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia. Her goal is to learn how these cells work so we can better treat brain diseases. Her early research showed that microglia are not all the same throughout the brain.
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Early Life and Education
Lindsay De Biase went to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut for her college degree. She studied how cells and molecules develop, earning her Bachelor of Science in 2003.
After Yale, De Biase worked as a research assistant at the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.. She looked at how genes change in a disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). She also studied different types of immune cells.
In 2005, De Biase started her advanced studies at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She focused on neuroscience, which is the study of the nervous system. Her research looked at how neurons (brain cells that send signals) connect with other special cells called oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs).
Discovering Neuron-OPC Connections
Dr. De Biase studied NG2+ cells, which are a type of OPC. She found that these cells, which later become oligodendrocytes (cells that support neurons), have unique features. They can receive signals from neurons and even form connections called synapses. This means they can "listen" to what neurons are doing.
Her work showed that OPCs can monitor brain activity very early in development. This happens before they fully change into oligodendrocytes. She also found that these connections change as the cells grow. This research helped us understand new roles for these OPC-neuron connections in brain development.
Career and Research
After finishing her graduate studies in 2011, Dr. De Biase did her postdoctoral work at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Here, she began to study the different types of microglia. Microglia are like the brain's immune cells. Her discoveries challenged the idea that all microglia in the brain were the same. This important work set the stage for her own research lab.
In 2018, Dr. De Biase became a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She leads the De Biase Lab, where her team studies the different types of microglia in the basal ganglia. This brain area is important for movement and learning.
Understanding Microglia Diversity
Scientists used to think that all microglia in the brain were similar because they come from the same origin. However, Dr. De Biase's research showed this isn't true. She found that microglia in different parts of the basal ganglia have different shapes, contents, and even different genes turned on.
These differences in microglia start to appear early in life, around the second week after birth. They are shaped by the local environment in each brain region. Her findings suggest that specific microglia types might be important for how different brain circuits work.
In her lab at UCLA, Dr. De Biase and her team continued to study how microglia become specialized. They found that the number of microglia changes in different brain areas at different times during development. This suggests that microglia are very active in shaping how brain circuits form. Understanding these different types of microglia could help scientists develop new treatments for brain diseases. These treatments could target specific microglia in certain brain areas.
Awards and Honors
- 2019 Glen Foundation and American Foundation for Aging Research Grant for Junior Faculty
- 2018 NARSAD Young Investigator Award
- 2017 NIDA Postdoctoral Fellow Mentoring Award
- 2017 NIDA Women's Science Advisory Committee, Excellence in Scientific Research Award
- 2014-2016 Fellows Award for Research Excellence, NIH
- 2009 Robert Goodman Scholars Award, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
