The research in my laboratory focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate brain development maintenance and function. I have a broad background in molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, and neurobiology. As a graduate student, I employed the invertebrate model organism C. elegans, and made significant contributions to the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) and the understanding of cell polarity and asymmetric division. After graduation, I became fascinated with how the brain works. As a Research Fellow at Harvard and postdoctoral fellow at Genentech Inc., I carried out neurobiological studies of the development of monoamine neurotransmitter systems, using the vertebrate model organism zebrafish Danio rerio. At UCSF, I have trained over 30 pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows, many of whom have developed successful scientific careers in academia or industry. I am committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in science.