Class of 2018
College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences major & Psychology minor
Hometown: Bethesda, MD
Under the mentorship of Dr. Nishimura, Chloe works as an undergraduate research assistant investigating microglia dynamics and neural interactions using a transparent, flexible and injectable silicone-based polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) cranial window. In order to explore brain function in vivo with imaging, it is necessary to have optical access to the neural tissue as well as a way to deliver drugs or electrodes. The PDMS window is a new kind of cranial window that offers high optical clarity, a simple fabrication process for size and window design, as well as easy accessibility for injections and electrophysiological recordings. The window allows for repeat penetrations of electrodes and pipettes into the neural tissue without jeopardizing the integrity of the cranial window, making it instrumental for chronic in vivo imaging and for analyzing neural functions and circuits. Investigating the role of supporting cells such as microglia and the vasculature will be important in understanding neurodegenerative diseases.
Previously, Chloe has interned at the NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Muenster, Germany.
Outside the lab, Chloe works as a medical scribe in the Cayuga Medical Center Emergency Department and is a teaching assistant for the Cornell Prison Education Program. She is part of the advisory board for Cornell Biology Service Leaders, a service incubator that connects students with community service projects in Ithaca. She is on the executive board for College of Arts and Sciences Peer Advisors and serves as a senior advisor for Cornell Illuminations Dance Troupe on campus. Chloe is trilingual and enjoys playing the guitar, singing in the shower and researching spots to add to her long bucket list of places to visit.
