The Neuroscience Training Program is proud to announce and congratulate its NTP alumni, Whitney A. Stevens-Sostre, and her mentor, Dr. Mrinalini Hoon (Associate Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and an NTP faculty) for receiving the prestigious Hanna H. Gray Fellowship Award from Howard Hughes Medical Institute. During her PhD training, Whitney was previously mentored by Dr. Gail Robertson, Professor at the Department of Neuroscience and also an NTP trainer.
Whitney Stevens-Sostre investigates how distinct populations of voltage-gated ion channels – integral membrane proteins that detect changes in voltage and regulate the flow of ions – shape the stimulus responses, connectivity, and intrinsic excitability of retinal neurons. Using single-cell electrophysiology and high-resolution microscopy, she aims to uncover the functional roles of voltage-gated ion channels in regulating retinal responses to light cues at different developmental stages.
Whitney is the first UW-Madison post-doc to receive this highly competitive and coveted award given to outstanding early career scientists. This award will support Whitney’s research during her mentored phase, as well as her transition to independence.
For the full story on the Hanna H. Gray Fellowship Award, see: https://www.hhmi.org/news/hhmi-names-2024-hanna-gray-fellows