Congratulations to postdoc, Maneeshi Prasad, PhD, for receiving a SOM Deans Research Fellowship! 

Dr. Maneeshi Prasad, an Assistant Project Scientist in the Division of Biomedical Sciences in the lab of Dr. Martin Garcia-Castro, has received a School of Medicine Dean’s Postdoc to Faculty fellowship. Dr. Prasad’s research focuses on studying the development of the neural crest cells – an embryonic stem cell-like population that contributes to the formation of much of the craniofacial skeleton, peripheral nervous system, pigment cells, as well as multiple other cell types throughout the body. Dr. Prasad has extensive expertise in studying neural crest cells over the past 15 years using multiple embryonic model systems including chick, frog, mouse, rabbit and human pluripotent stem cells. His research has resulted in a greater understanding of the early formation and differentiation of neural crest cells highlighted in multiple publications. This fellowship will allow Dr. Prasad to continue his research into areas of human health and use his expertise to study the underlying causes of neural crest related pediatric cancer using human pluripotent stem cells.

(Source: Facebook group for UCR Biomedical Sciences)