People

Lin Tian, Ph.D.

I was born and raised in China. After graduating from University of Science and Technology of China, I joined a interdisciplinary PhD program at Northwestern University, where I studied the mechanisms of protein processing via ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in Dr. Andreas Matouschek's lab. I then moved to HHMI Janelia Farm as a postdoc. The highly collaborative environment at Janelia resulted in my multidisciplinary training under three principle investigators, Dr. Loren Looger, Dr. Karel Svoboda and Dr. Luke Lavis. There, my research focused on engineering optical probes for monitoring and controlling neural circuitry in living behaving animal. These new imaging techniques have greatly impacted the field of neuroscience, facilitating new types of biological experiments performed to address previously intractable questions. One indication of the impact of this particular project on the field is the fact that the published paper on this topic (Tian et al, Nature Methods, 2009) has been cited about 400 times.

I started at UC Davis in 2012.

Carolyn Davis

I graduated from UC Davis in 2017 with a Bachelors in Biomedical Engineering and joined Tian Lab in 2018. I am interested in the bioengineering side of biomedical engineering, and plan to do research on some aspect of cellular or tissue engineering.

I am very excited for this opportunity to work with neurological research and in vivo imaging. I am currently working to develop fluorescent norepinephrine sensors with Tommaso, to optimize platforms for imaging mouse neuronal activity in vivo, and to image neurons in vitro using microfluidic devices.

My hobbies include reading fantasy novels, deep sea fishing, and walking in the parks around Davis.

Chunyang Dong

I graduated from UC Davis in 2017 with B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Thanks to Dr. Tian for allowing me to join the lab as a research assistant when I was a sophomore undergraduate. The fluorescent protein-based intensiometric neurotransmitter indicator engineering topic drew my interest to this field. I later continued my research as a junior specialist for one year after graduation. I was accepted by the BMCDB graduate program at UC Davis in 2018, and now I am a Ph.D. student with Dr. Tian to continue engineering novel indicators to understand more about neuroscience and biochemistry and push the field forward with the technologies that we developed in Tian Lab.

David Jaffe

In late 2017, I decided to join Dr. Tian's lab due to its contribution to neuroscientific experiments. The brain is something I have always been interested in, especially from reading books by Henry Marsch, V.S. Ramachandran, and Oliver Sacks. Also, courses in neuroscience as a recent biological sciences graduate with a computational biology minor from U.C. Davis have steered me towards neuroscience. With my coursework, clinical experience, and my involvement in this lab, I hope to enter a dual degree program to become a physician scientist. In the lab, I am currently assisting on the development of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors for different neurotransmitters through a combination of screening and computational methods.

When not working, I love anything outdoors. Camping, hiking, backpacking, surfing, and skiing are all fantastic, and as long as I have only sky over my head I am happy! Other than this, I have a true passion for listening to all sorts of music and playing the piano.

Ruqiang Liang, Ph.D.

I got my BS in Biochemistry from Sichuan Univeristy in southwest China, and my Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, trained in fluorescence spectroscopy and protein thermodynamics. I did postdoc in studying gating mechanism of electromotility motor prestin in University of Kentucky, and changed into microRNA functional study in aging in University of Louisville. I join the Tian lab in Feb 2014, after working as a research scientist in Washington University on presbycusis study. My research interest is to engineer fluorescent protein sensors for neural activity. My long-term goal is to engineer a spectrum of fluorescent protein sensors to monitor live neuronal constellations in high tempo-spatial resolution. I like travel, movie, and reading after work.

Grace Or

I graduated from UCSD in 2010 with a B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience. Upon graduation until 2014 I worked at UCSF where I developed my love for science and research. Following that passion, I became a Ph.D. student in the Molecular and Cellular Integrative Physiology graduate group here at UC Davis in the fall of 2014. With exposure to many different aspects of neuroscience I became especially intrigued with the importance of understanding neural circuitry and thereafter joined the Tian lab.

In my free time I enjoy running, working out and spending time with my family, friends and puppy. I don't watch many movies nor TV shows because I'd rather dive into a book, but I do love watching the NBA. Go Spurs!

Tommaso Patriachi, Ph.D.

I graduated in 2011 from the University of Siena, Italy with a B.S. in Biotechnology and a M.S. in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Then, in May 2015 I completed a 3-year PhD program in Medical Genetics still at the University of Siena splitting my time between a research lab in Italy and in Davis, California. It is during these past three years, that I got hooked to neuroscience by discovering the incredibly complex and fascinating system that is the mammalian brain.

I also have a passion for fluorescent proteins and sensors, which are some of the most useful tools we have today to unravel the mysteries of neural communication. For these reasons I chose to join the Tian Lab!

Even though I speak fluent English and I even dream in English, I still consider myself 100% Italian – at least I can still master the Italian sign language, I drink my espresso religiously every morning, and I make great pasta, pizza and tiramisù!

Liz Unger, Ph.D.

I got my bachelors in French from UC Berkeley. After that I worked as a technician at Genetech, and then at UCSF for Allison Xu, where I studied energy homeostasis. I then did my PhD in biomedical science at UCSF in the lab of Nirao Shah where I studied innate social behaviors in mice. I joined the Tian lab in 2015 in order to develop fluorescent sensors for neurotransmitters.

In addition to science, I very much enjoy the great outdoors as well as photography, graphic design, and animation.

Joey Broussard

I'm Joey Broussard, a member of the Neuroscience graduate group. I joined the Tian lab in 2013. Currently, my research interests include developing novel tools-such as genetically encoded sensors of calcium and glutamate-for the purpose of imaging neural activity. I intend to use theses tools to analyze interactions within and among brain microcircuits at a systems level.

When not imaging brain activity, I can usually be found on road trips, hiking and camping my way through the the federal and state park systems. I also enjoy performing and listening to music.

Xiao Guan, Ph.D.

Stelios Papadopoulos

I recently graduated with a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from UC Davis and am currently creating novel constructs to image dissociated neurons in vitro. My current research interests center on studying the ion dynamics of neurons at the cellular and synaptic level. My long term goal is to work as a neurologist while researching novel mechanisms for brain/ machine interface.