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Víctor Manuel, known by many as Víkko, is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate in the neuroscience program at Brandeis University. Under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Van Hooser, Víkko's thesis work centers around understanding the relationship between spatiotemporal changes and direction selectivity. Additionally, he aims to elucidate whether speed tuning, a function thought to be reserved for higher orders of visual processing in cortex, is able to be encoded in the primary visual cortex (V1).
His interests lie within the areas of biomedical research with a focus on understanding the mechanisms that underpin neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Outside of the lab, Víkko has served on a variety of committees for the university including the Task Force on Undergraduate Curriculum and Joint Biology and Neuroscience DEI Committee; he aims to improve the University climate to sustain a diverse student body and provide an equitable access to quality education regardless of race, creed, or gender.
Víkko aspires to give back to the scientific community and mentor fellow marginalized minorities like himself to pursue careers in the STEM field. To that end, he is an active mentor participating in organizations and efforts such as the Posse Foundation and the Galaxy program. Additionally, he incorporates equitable teaching pedagogy in the courses he teaches, winning the 2021 Pulin Sampat Memorial Award for the Division of Science.
Achievements
Achievements
Beginning as a Tech Transfer Fellow (internship) at the Office of Technology and Licensing at Brandeis University.
Selected as a SMDP 2023 Biotech Scholar!
Abstract accepted at IBRO 2023 - The International Brain Organization. See you in Grenada, Spain!
Selected to serve on Neuroscience Admissions Committee (Class of 2023) (Nov. 2022)
Submitted Juvenile Shank3 KO mice adopt distinct hunting strategies during prey capture learning to eNeuro!
Submitted preprint to BioRxiv, Juvenile Shank3 KO mice adopt distinct hunting strategies during prey capture learning (June 13, 2022)
Selected to join the 2022-2024 Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP) cohort as a fellow!
Recipient of the 2022 Harry S. Levitan Prize
Presented for the Brandeis MRSEC & WHS Science Pizza Talks (Feb 18, 2022)
Article Accepted! NDI: A Platform-Independent Data Interface and Database for Neuroscience Physiology and Imaging Experiments (Jan. 24th, 2022)
Resubmitted BioRxiv, NDI: A platform-independent data interface and database for neuroscience physiology and imaging experiments to eNeuro (Nov. 2021)!
Selected to serve on Neuroscience Admissions Committee (Class of 2022) (Nov. 2021)
Published 1st first-author paper (Suárez Casanova et al 2021, DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21551) (Sept. 2021)
Successfully defend inside exam - officially a Ph.D. Candidate! (July 2021)
Selected to serve on DEI Committee for both Biology and Neuroscience Programs (July 2021 - Current).
Selected as Posse Mentor for Atlanta Posse Scholars (June 2021)
Receipient of the 2021 Pulin Sampat Memorial Award for Outstanding Teaching for the Division of Science (May 6th, 2021)
Selected to serve as student stakeholder for Science 2A Project Planning (May 2021)
Submitted preprint to BioRxiv, NDI: A platform-independent data interface and database for neuroscience physiology and imaging experiments. (Feb. 2021)
Selected to serve on the Task Force for Undergraduate Curriculum (Jan 2021- Current)
Selected to serve on Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) Dean Search (Dec. 2020)
Joined the Van Hooser Lab (May 2020)
Matriculated into the Neuroscience Ph.D. program (May 2019)
Selected as a Galaxy Mentor (2019-2021)
Interim Gender and Sexuality Center Supervisor (2019)
Admitted to dual MS/MBA in Biotechnology and Healthcare Management at Brandeis University as a DEIS Scholar (2018).
Strengths
Strengths
Technical Skills
Immunohistochemistry
Confocal Microscopy
Cell and Bacterial Culture
Animal Husbandry (mice, rats, and ferrets)
Scientific Writing
Basic MATLAB
Histological Preparations
Viral Injections
Lesson Plan Preparation and Implementation
Holistic Grading Rubric Preparation
Soft Skills
Time management of individual (1-on-1) and group meetings
Goal orientated leadership style
Flexible and resilent to given task
Excellent Communicator (interpersonal, interdepartmental, etc).
Discussion facilitator from technical topics (science, research, work flow) to personal topics (imposter syndrome, microaggressions, pathway into STEM).
Goals
Goals
Improving proficiency with coding and data analysis.
Expanding on scientific knowledge of the visual system and current literature in the field.
Improving on presentation of data and interpretation.
Expanding neuroscience toolkit to include electrophysiology and 2-photon microscopy to a level of expertise.
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