Rafi Kohen, Graduate Student, Neuroscience (Giger Laboratory), University of Michigan Medical School

Although the field was originally named "neuro-science,” as it referred to the study of neurons (gold), the nervous system is actually composed of far more numerous helper glial cells (magenta). We now know that these glial cells are just as important for healthy and proper function of the nervous system as a whole. In fact, glial malfunction has been implicated in a plethora of neurodevelopmental, mental health, and neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, our focus has relatively recently shifted to neuron-glia interactions at different stages of development and in different disease states, with hopes of shedding light into the mechanisms underlying these pathologies.

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