Driven by a deep passion for human neurodevelopment and the genetic abnormalities that disrupt early brain formation, Dr. Sebastian’s research focuses on uncovering the complex mechanisms behind neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. She specializes in human stem cell disease modeling, especially by leveraging stem cell-derived brain organoids as a tool to mimic early stages of human brain development in various disease background.
She completed her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences before earning a Master’s in Biology with an emphasis in Neuroscience under Dr. Jason Newbern at Arizona State University. Inspired by her master’s research, she pursued a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she studied the impact of rare copy number variations (CNVs) in neurodevelopmental diseases under the mentorship of Dr. ChangHui Pak.
Apart from her scientific work, Dr. Sebastian is an avid foodie who loves exploring new culinary experiences. She also enjoys outdoor activities like playing pickleball and hiking.
Awards & Distinctions
- PhD in Neuroscience
- MS in Biology
- BS in Biomedical Sciences