Heather Van Epps, Ph.D.

Departmental Information

(2009) Assistant Professor
Phone: 360-650-2016
Office: BI 161
Email: Heather.VanEpps@wwu.edu

Education

Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Washington, 2004
B.S. Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, 1997

Teaching Philosophy

My goal is to give students the courage to ask questions, the means to answer them, and the skills to be confident in what they find.

Research Interests

Molecular pathways of circuit formation.

The complexity of the human brain is astounding. A human brain contains at least 100 billion neuronal cells and trillions of connections. These connections must be properly built and maintained, yet they must be plastic in order for us to respond to our environment and learn.

My lab uses the model organism C. elegans (a microscopic nematode) to dissect the molecular pathways of brain circuit formation. Many of the molecules that control neuronal development are conserved from worms to humans, including human disease genes. C. elegans provides an ideal model organism to identify not just the role of single genes, but entire molecular pathways important for neural development in vivo. The simplicity and accessibility of the C. elegans nervous system allows analysis at single-cell and single-synapse resolution in living animals.

The Van Epps lab is working to answer the following questions:
* What are the molecular pathways that regulate synapse and neurite formation and
    how do they work?
* How does regulation of mRNA 3’ processing specifically control synapse and
   neurite formation?

About Me

Undergraduate research solidified my interest in basic science. Via teaching, mentorship, and research in my lab I hope to help students gain a strong appreciation and understanding of science. Hopefully, some students will go on to pursue a life of research asking the questions that drive them. But more importantly I want to help create a strong foundation for future scientists, health professionals, and citizens that are critical thinkers who seek to understand their world.

Links

Page Updated 09.11.2009