Alicia Walker, a graduate student in the Shepherd Lab, has been awarded an NIH F31 fellowship to support her doctoral research on the role of intercellular communication in memory.
Walker’s project, titled “Investigating the dynamics and function of Arc intercellular transfer in memory,” focuses on Arc, a protein that plays an important role in neuronal function and memory-related processes. Her research will examine how Arc moves between cells and how that transfer may influence the brain’s ability to form, store, and regulate memories.
The NIH F31 fellowship supports promising predoctoral students as they develop into independent scientists through rigorous research training. Walker’s award recognizes both the strength of her proposed project and her potential as an emerging researcher in neuroscience.
Through this fellowship, Walker will continue investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that shape memory, contributing to a broader understanding of how neurons communicate and adapt during learning.