Experience
July 2021 - present
Postdoctoral scholar, Neurobiology Research Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
Supervisor: Prof Jeff Wickens
During my time at OIST I have worked on a number of projects, under the broad umbrella of understanding the roles of acetylcholine and dopamine in the striatum, and their contribution to cognitive flexibility. I conducted the pilot work for implementing the permanently photoconverting calcium sensor CaMPARI2 as a read out of neuronal activity during learning. I presented this data at SFN 2023. I also introduced a context based learning task to explore the contribution of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus accumbens to context recognition through lesioning. I presented this work at JNS 2024. Currently I am focusing on investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of dopamine during associative learning, using the genetic biosensor dLight. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of inhibiting acetylcholine on dopamine response during learning, probing whether cholinergic interneurons are involved in local regulation of dopamine. For this work I received a KAKENHI Early Career Grant.
Associated publications Sarpong, G., Pass., R., et al. (under review).
July 2020 - May 2021
Research Associate, Brain Repair Group, Cardiff University, UK
Supervisors: Dr Mariah Lelos and Dr Emma Lane
While my relocation to Japan was delayed due to the COVID pandemic, I was fortunate to join a collaboration with US biotech company ASPEN Neuroscience. Our team conducted the pre-clinical efficacy testing of their induced pluripotent stem cell product in a 6 OH-DA lesioned rat model of Parkinson’s disease as part of preparing an FDA submission. As with my previous position, this involved lesioning and cell transplantation, and subsequent behavioural and histological characterisation.
September 2018 - June 2020
Research Assistant, School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, UK
Supervisor: Dr Emma Lane
Whilst writing up my thesis, I joined Dr Lane’s group investigating the impact of various commonly prescribed drugs for Parkinson’s on human embryonic stem cell line transplantations in a 6 OH-DA lesioned (unilateral dopamine depleted) rat model of Parkinson’s disease. This work was used to inform the subsequent clinical trial involving these cells. I learned stereotaxic surgery, a battery of behavioural tasks and DAB staining. After acquiring baseline measurements I conducted the behavioural battery daily from transplantation until 19 weeks post transplantation, and administered drugs daily (IP or SC).
Associated publications Elabi, O., Pass, R., et al. (2022) and Pass, R., et al. (in prep).
Research Technician, Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, UK
Supervisor: Prof Adrian Harwood
I worked on a study which formed part of the Wellcome Trust DEFINE project investigating the impact of rare, but highly penetrant copy number variants (CNVs) associated with risk for psychiatric diseases. Using the CRISPR Cas/9 system I introduced mutations into the CYFIP1 gene, associated with increased risk for schizophrenia, into human induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSC) which I derived into neuronal cells.