Amanda Vanderplow, PhD

By Marena Keci

In their first high school biology course, Amanda Vanderplow was squeamish about dissecting frogs. Fast forward to today when this Stritch post-doctoral candidate recently received the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Library of Medicine.

This award aims to enhance the research training of promising post-docs, guiding them to become productive, independent investigators in scientific and health-related research fields.

Vanderplow's academic path began with undergraduate studies in psychology at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Seeking to broaden their horizons, they added French as a second major. "While I enjoyed it, I didn't find it academically challenging enough, so I added a second major in French,” said Vanderplow. “Despite this, I still felt something was missing,” they said.

Their true turning point came during their second year of college. "I started listening to the 'Naked Scientist' podcast and found myself particularly interested in episodes about neurobiology," Vanderplow recalled. This newfound interest led them to take biology courses in their junior year, progressing from basic biology to more advanced courses like neuroscience. "By my last year of undergrad, I knew I wanted a career in science – I just wasn’t sure how to pursue one,” they said.

Despite their nontraditional background, their college advisor recommended pursuing a master's in science to explore the field further. "I applied to various master's programs and found a Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Valerie Hedges, at Northern Michigan University, who was willing to take a chance on me despite my lack of wet lab experience," they said. "This is where my science career truly began. I fell in love with lab work, animal studies, troubleshooting scientific methods, and exploring brain-related questions,” said Vanderplow."

In 2015, when they began their master's, they noticed a significant gender disparity in research. Studies were often conducted exclusively on males and presumed applicable to females. Passionate about rectifying this, they dedicated their PhD studies at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) to addressing this issue, focusing on reproductive hormones and proving that men and women needed to be studied separately.   Despite earning their PhD in Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology in 2022, they felt their science education was incomplete.

Determined to continue their studies, Vanderplow explored various post-doc positions. They found a perfect match with Rocco Gogliotti, PhD, assistant professor in the Stritch Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience. His scientific goals and supportive mentor-mentee relationship resonated with them.

Gogliotti encouraged Vanderplow to apply for the NRSA award. Because the application process was challenging, they relied heavily on Gogliotti, lab mates, and former PIs for support. "It was mentally exhausting, but it was a great learning experience and helped me grow professionally and personally," they said. Vanderplow received the notice of award in May 2024.

"Writing a compelling story that convinces people of what you’re trying to prove or say, framing your research in an engaging way that shows what your work can do, and focusing on a clear and concise message, is key to writing a successful research proposal," they noted. With the NRSA grant, Vanderplow can focus their time and energy on their work without worrying about funding.

“Anybody who has ever talked science with Amanda would not be surprised to learn that they were awarded an NRSA,” said Gogliotti. “Amanda has a natural curiosity and a passion for pulling at the threads of a project until the whole story is unraveled. When combined with their natural drive to develop new methods of treating patients, you can see what a powerful and talented young scientist Amanda is. The NIH reviewers saw what I saw during Amanda’s interview to join my lab, that this is someone with limitless potential,” he said. 

Their research focuses on Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) associated disorders, specifically Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the gene mutation of MeCP2, resulting in the protein's loss of function. MeCP2 regulates many processes, such as gene regulation and protein synthesis. It is difficult to target effectively due to its narrow therapeutic window, given its involvement in many vital brain processes.

Vanderplow’s main goal: to increase MeCP2 levels without overshooting and causing MeCP2 duplication syndrome, another neurodevelopmental disorder. Their strategy involves carefully adjusting MeCP2 levels by preventing other molecules from binding to it, allowing them to incrementally increase MeCP2 levels. This method, using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) therapeutics, has been shown to boost MeCP2 levels within a safe range. ASOs are small, single-stranded nucleic acids that help block mutation sites, enabling MeCP2 to effectively target specific regions in the genetic code. When cells are treated with ASOs, MeCP2 expression significantly increases within the narrow therapeutic window. MeCP2 is involved in various disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders. Their work on controlling MeCP2 expression with ASOs holds promise for developing precision medicine approaches for any disorder involving MeCP2.

Vanderplow is extremely fond of Gogliotti’s lab. "He promotes a humane, collaborative, people-centered lab environment by encouraging well-being, treating lab members equally as teammates, and respecting work hours. Dr. Gogliotti normalizes failures and celebrates successes. He has truly set a great example of who I would want to be as a PI if I had the opportunity," they said.

July 2024