Prize Scholar: Jemima Becker

I am a graduate student reading for a DPhil in Physiology Anatomy and Genetics under the supervision of Dr Francis Szele, focussing on epigenetic regulation of neurogenesis in the healthy brain and in perinatal psychiatric illness.  My research focuses on the subtle molecular changes that can alter the generation of new neurons in the postnatal brain, and I am examining how metabolism and gene regulation intersect to modulate this process. In parallel I am examining how the process of neurogenesis can go awry in cases of postpartum depression (PPD). We have limited knowledge of the underlying neurobiology of PPD, so I am working to characterise the baseline impact of pregnancy on neurogenesis and identifying the point at which it is disrupted in PPD.

I am fascinated that we can know so much about the human body, yet there are still fundamentals of brain development that elude us, contributing to a lack of understanding of the underlying cause of psychiatric illness. By understanding the underlying molecular defects, we can design more targeted and effective therapeutics.

I am incredibly grateful to Merton College, for providing a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment in which I can explore these ideas to the fullest.