From:
Dzerzhinsk, Russia
Education:
PhD: Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology
Graduate Program at UC Davis, Professor Laura Borodinsky
MS: Biomedical Sciences, Pushchino State University, Russia
Hobbies:
Kayaking, snowboarding, long-range shooting, and motorbikes
Research Interests:
Requirement of periconceptional folate (vitamin B9) intake to help prevent neural tube defects has been recognized more than three decades ago. I study the mechanisms involved in the protective effect of folate using Xenopus laevis embryos. My project is focused on folate binding protein - folate receptor 1 (folr1) and its function in neurulation. Current findings suggest a novel role of folr1 in neural tube morphogenesis via regulating endocytosis and trafficking of adhesion proteins.