Emilia Favuzzi, PhD

Principal Investigator | she/her

  • Emilia grew up in Italy and received a B.S. in Biology and a M.S. in Neurobiology from Sapienza University of Rome. She did her doctoral training in the lab of Beatriz Rico at the Institute of Neuroscience in Spain and at the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology at King’s College London working on inhibitory circuit development. In her postdoctoral work in Gord Fishell’s laboratory at Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute, Emilia discovered that specialized microglia differentially engage with specific synapse types. Over the years, Emilia was awarded numerous prizes such as the Beddington Medal from the British Society for Developmental Biology and the Krieg Cortical Kudos Scholar Award from the Cajal Club.

    In her free time, Emilia enjoys painting, traveling, bike rides, museums, and anything artsy.

Carolina Piletti Chatain

PhD Candidate, INP | she/her

  • Carolina is a Brazilian PhD student in the Yale Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biomedicine from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and received a double Master's degree in Neuroscience from Université de Bordeaux in France and Georg-August Universität Göttingen in Germany. With prior experience in neural circuits and behavior, she is excited to explore the field of neuroimmunology in the Favuzzi lab.

    In her free time, Carolina enjoys camping and hiking, as well as engaging in music-related activities - dancing, singing, and trying to play instruments. She is also passionate about science education and actively participates in different outreach and mentorship initiatives.

Zachary Gursky, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate | he/him

  • Zachary was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. He obtained his B.S in Psychology and Music Theory from Stony Brook University. He received his MS and PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Delaware examining the behavioral and neurobiological consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure. His work resulted in numerous publications and recognitions including a President’s Young Investigator Award from the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. He started his postdoctoral training by examining the glymphatic system with Helene Benveniste at Yale University. He is very excited to continue his postdoctoral training examining central-peripheral immune system crosstalk in the Favuzzi lab.

    In his free time, Zachary enjoys hiking, biking, trying new kinds of teas, and is passionate about the performing arts — especially music, ballet, and opera. He has recently begun teaching himself to play the trombone but (so far) has had much more success in other endeavors.

Patricia A. Colom Díaz

PhD candidate, IBIO (joint with Akiko Iwasaki’s lab) | she/her

  • Patricia was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She obtained her Bachelor's degree in Biology from University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. After graduation, she joined Dr. Jennifer Trowbridge’s Lab at The Jackson Laboratory where she worked as a Postbacc Fellow studying the process of clonal hematopoiesis and its implications in leukemia. As a PhD student in the Immunobiology Department at Yale, she is interested in studying neuroimmune interaction during viral infections. She is also passionate about education, outreach and inclusion, actively volunteering in various outreach programs at Yale.

    In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places/food, gardening, reading historical fiction books, and hiking. Fun fact: she has hiked a glacier and a volcano!

Shi Tang

PhD student, INP | she/her

  • Shi grew up in Beijing, China, before obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from Mount Holyoke College. As an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Marta Sabariego’s lab, she studied working memory deficits and hippocampal cytokine expression in a rat model of ADHD. After graduation, she joined Dr. Bernardo Sabatini’s lab at Harvard Medical School, where she worked as a research assistant with Dr. Kimberly Reinhold to investigate the role of the striatum in sensorimotor association learning. As a PhD student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program at Yale, Shi hopes to continue dissecting the circuit mechanisms underlying complex behaviors. In the Favuzzi lab, she is interested in how different neuronal cell types interact during immune challenges using two-photon imaging, and how immune-responsive circuits might lead to downstream behavioral effects.In her free time, Shi enjoys traveling and exploring new places in New Haven. Her favorite restaurant in the city is NOA. She also enjoys playing tennis when the weather is nice, and spending time at home with her cat, Pepper. She is currently waiting for the opening of a new pottery studio in New Haven so she can begin her pottery collection.

Alan Zhang

PhD student, INP (joint with Noah Palm’s lab) | he/him

  • Alan was born and raised in San Francisco, California, and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Nanoengineering from the University of California, San Diego. Following graduation, he worked in Dr. Li Ye’s lab at the Scripps Research Institute, where he studied hypothalamic regulation of feeding behavior and metabolism. Now a PhD student in Neuroscience at Yale, Alan is broadly interested in brain-body communication. His research focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of neuroimmune interactions and exploring why such cross-talk between the brain and immune system exists in the first place. Outside of lab, he enjoys spending time attempting to find things to do in New Haven. He also enjoys playing tennis when he can find someone to play with (accepting applications), and raising his street cat, Pumpkin.

Amanda Wu

Undergraduate student | she/her

  • Amanda Wu is an undergraduate in Yale College (CO '28) from Seattle, Washington. She is hoping to study neuroscience on the pre-med track, although she is also interested in chemistry and computer science! Outside of class, Amanda plays the viola in the Yale Symphony Orchestra, works on secretariat for Yale MUN conferences, and volunteers at the HAVEN free clinic. She also loves going on long-distance runs with Yale Club Running, working out at Payne-Whitney, and hiking! Amanda is beyond grateful to be a part of the Favuzzi lab and can't wait to learn from the accomplished mentors here. 

Adriana Kell

Undergraduate Student | she/her

  • Adriana is a Yale undergraduate student majoring in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology with a Spanish certificate. She is Chilean/American and grew up in San Antonio, Texas.  During high school, she had the opportunity to work for two vascular surgeons, an experience which jumpstarted her interest in medicine and scientific research. When she is not in the lab, she enjoys participating in the Yale club tennis and ski teams.  Adriana also loves to travel, go to concerts, bake and is always looking for people to join her on those adventures.

Daniel Camacho, MD, PhD

Psychiatry Resident | he/him

  • Daniel (Dan) F. Camacho is a Yale Psychiatry resident in the Neuroscience Research Training Program. He attended the University of Michigan, where he received a BS in Chemistry, with distinction, and an MS in Biomedical Engineering. He earned his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago’s Medical Scientist Training Program with a specialization in immunology.

    Dan’s professional interests include patient care, research, science communication, and science outreach. His previous research has advanced our understanding of how allergic responses are triggered and how communication between cells of the body can allow cancer cells to grow unchecked. His current research aims to help us understand how interactions between immune cells and the nervous system contribute to mental health and psychiatric illness.

Former Trainees & What They Did Next

Ivy Sun (she/her)

High school student, Summer Intern 2023; Now: undergraduate student at the University of Michigan.

What Ivy thinks of her experience in the lab:

I learned so much, and this experience really piqued my interest in the fascinating field of neuroimmunology. More importantly, I loved being part of an environment that was so supportive and inclusive. I am continually awed by your unwavering commitment to fostering a space where I not only felt encouraged, but also empowered to learn, grow, and contribute to our collective goals.

I feel incredibly lucky to be able to learn from your leadership and I appreciate the effort you put into creating such a positive and nurturing environment. Additionally, I really identify with your values surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. My parents immigrated to the US during their adulthood, and I too as a result have experienced some of the struggles that come with the immigrant experience (ex. Language barrier, cultural differences). I really appreciate that you explicitly discuss & take action to make your lab a supportive and positive environment, as I feel like these values are sometimes brushed under the rug in the science community. I have always felt welcome in the lab, and I feel like I've not only become a better scientist, but a better collaborator under your mentorship.

  • Ivy graduated from Hopkins High School in New Haven in 2024, and she will be attending Boston University next. Her intended major is Neuroscience.

Chenxin Liu

Visiting undergraduate student, 2023-2024;

Now: PhD student at Zhejiang University

  • Chenxin obtained her BSc from the Chu Kochen Honors College of Zhejiang University, China, majoring in Basic Medical Sciences. In 2024 she will start her PhD in Translational Medicine at Zhejiang University and the Institute of National Center of Biomedical Analysis.

  • I dedicated a significant portion of my final year as an undergraduate student in Emilia Favuzzi’s lab, where I gained invaluable knowledge and experiences that have greatly shaped my academic and personal growth. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Emilia Favuzzi and my fellow lab members, Carolina Chatain, Dan Camacho, Emory Farrell, Shaoyu Fang and Zack Gursky, for their support and collaboration throughout this journey. Their guidance and encouragement not only strengthened my research skills but also fostered a friendly vibe that made our lab feel like a family. Dr. Favuzzi’s mentorship was instrumental in my development as a researcher. Under her guidance, I had the opportunity to individually conduct a project on how microglia respond to peripheral inflammation, delving into the field of neuronimmunology. This experience not only enhanced my research abilities but also sparked a deep interest in microglial biology and neuron-peripheral inflammation interactions. I am particularly grateful for her emphasis on experimental design, including the importance of control groups, and interpreting results with caution, which will undoubtedly benefit me a lot in my future endeavors.

Shao-Yu Fang

Postgraduate associate, 2024;

Now: PhD student at WashU

  • Shao-Yu obtained her BSc from the Department of Biological Resources, National Chiayi University and a MSc from the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University. She then worked as a postgraduate associate in Dr. Sidi Chen's lab at Yale focusing on CRISPR-based gene editing and high-throughput screening techniques in primary immune cells and chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Next, she acquired neuroscience-specific knowledge in our lab. In 2024, she will start her PhD in Molecular Genetics & Genomics at Washington University in St. Louis, we are proud of her and wish her all the best!

  • It has been a privilege to work with Emilia and every member of the lab. As an international applicant and student, feeling safe and included can be challenging, and I have encountered such hurdles. However, joining Emilia’s lab has been a transformative experience for me. Emilia goes above and beyond to support and understand our needs, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where I can fully focus on my research. I always feel encouraged to express my ideas and opinions without any fear of judgment. The support and encouragement from each lab member have made me feel truly valued as part of the team.
    During my time in Emilia’s lab, I learned numerous neurological techniques and acquired valuable knowledge that I intend to integrate into my future graduate studies. Emilia also provided me with the opportunity to refine and showcase my previous molecular skills, particularly in establishing cloning procedures and AAV purification protocols for the lab. This experience not only enhanced my technical abilities but also strengthened my skills in tutoring and mentoring, which are essential for an independent researcher and a Ph.D. student.
    The experience of working under Emilia’s guidance has been pivotal in my research journey. I deeply appreciate her dedication to empowering and nurturing scientific curiosity, which has profoundly stimulated my intellectual growth and prepared me for my future graduate studies. I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned to my next journey and delve deeper into the field of neuroimmunology.

Bryanna Vilnaigre

BP-ENDURE Program Undergraduate student | Summer 2024 |

Now: Incoming PhD student at Rutgers University

 “I am so grateful for Emilia and the lab environment that she has cultivated. Not only did I contribute to exciting and innovative research, but I also gained a supportive community of wonderful people. Without a doubt, my experience in the Favuzzi lab will directly contribute to my success as a neuroscientist!”
—Bryanna

Ahilya Singh

Yale Pathways High School Intern | Summer 2024 |

Now Wilbur Cross High School ’25

Joy Buraima

Postgraduate associate, 2024-2025; Now: Incoming PhD student at SUNY

  • Joy grew up in Côte d’Ivoire before moving to the U.S to pursue a bachelor's degree in Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience at Ohio Wesleyan University. After graduating, she joined Dr. Butter's lab at Nationwide Children's Hospital where she worked as a clinical research coordinator facilitating management and recruitment into a variety of neurodevelopmental studies. In the Favuzzi lab, she studied how specific cortical neurons respond to allergies. In 2025, Joy will start her PhD at SUNY in Brooklyn!