By Emily White
Dr. Elena Kandror, a Postdoc in Abbas Rizvi’s Lab in the Department of Neuroscience, enjoys many things in life—learning languages, helping students, and studying different contributions to metabolic dysfunction. Kandror was born in Russia to two biochemists who instilled many values that she carries to this day. She has used those values to put her nose to the grindstone and study hard. She earned her Undergraduate degree in Biology and Economics at Boston University before obtaining her PhD in an integrated program in Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Studies at Columbia University.
“I studied how single cell topological data analysis (scTDA) can be applied to single cell transcriptomics to study the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)…this novel application of traditional TDA allowed us to see the unique and sometimes surprising trajectories of cellular stress and degeneration as disease burden increased over time.”
Kandror has provided a more in-depth look into her research.
What are the main goals of your research?
Metabolic dysfunction is a fundamental pathology of neurodegeneration; however, it is not clear how cells in the central nervous system adapt to or drive this biochemical disturbance. The current goal of my research is to understand how metabolic redistribution is spatiotemporally regulated in ALS. I am particularly interested in the unique ways that different cell types contribute to the altered metabolic flux, and how this shapes local cellular networks towards creating a microenvironment promoting neuronal resilience or vulnerability to degeneration.
What system or technology do you focus on?
In the Rizvi lab, we develop and use a wide variety of techniques to answer our questions. In this project, I am using both a mouse model and stem cell-derived cultures to model ALS. I directly measure metabolite spatial distribution and abundance in the spinal cord using mass-spectrometry imaging. I then register these data with spatially resolved single cell transcriptomics of adjacent spinal cord sections to study the molecular underpinnings and consequences of metabolic redistribution patterns. Computational frameworks that model metabolic flux allow me to bridge biochemical measurements of metabolic change with molecular measurements of cellular adaptation, creating a biological rationale for spatiotemporally ordered metabolic dysfunction in ALS.
What are the big-picture questions and significance of this work?
A healthy metabolic environment is critical for homeostatic cellular function. Understanding the drivers and consequences of metabolic disturbance in ALS will provide strong insight into the molecular underpinnings of disease onset and progression. It may also afford a biochemical rationale for sporadic ALS, which accounts for almost 95% of all cases and currently has no known genetic or environmental trigger.
Is your current work related to your past training/trajectory?
While my current project is a natural continuation of my interest in the molecular underpinning of neurodegeneration, the techniques that I am developing and the direction my project has taken are far beyond what I imagined when I first started working on this topic. Being a part of Abbas’ lab has promoted incredible scientific growth. He constantly encourages me to think outside the box, and helps me explore and make sense of the limitless biological and biochemical foundations of cellular dynamics. My previous training may have prepared me to be a “sequencing jock”, but my current work with Abbas is training me to be a scientist.
What advice would you have for a young person interested in graduate school or research?
Go for it! Give it all you’ve got. Being a scientist is hard, and you need to know that. Sure, you’ll make progress if you just follow a protocol and check the boxes, but that’s not being a scientist and that’s not what you came here for. You came here to learn and to discover, right? So hold on to your curiosity and really think through problems for yourself. Find a supportive lab, because the people you work with make all the difference in the world. The thrill of discovery is better when you have people to share it with. When you feel drained or tired or intimidated, don’t give up on yourself – if you stay the course, I promise you will grow into a stronger person than you ever believed yourself to be. There is no job in the world as fulfilling as being part of an active and enthusiastic lab, so put in your honest best work, and leave no stone left unturned.
Kandror’s parents had a great influence on her trajectory in life. As biochemists themselves, they inspired her to value knowledge, education, and commitment. “They taught me to stay rational in my thinking; because they support me unconditionally,” she says. Kandror always envisioned becoming a person like them: someone that “would make fundamental discoveries and teach with the purpose of making science interesting and clear.”
Kandror has looked into more than just the science side of life. Learning a foreign language is hard, but there’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from learning more than just the words. “I find languages fascinating,” she says. “The words in a language tell you a lot about what is valued in a society, and communication syntax can be so wildly different!”
Her future endeavors involve teaching future generations of scientists. “I love the mental ‘click’ that happens when I understand something for the first time,” she says, “and helping students to those moments of clarity is a great feeling.”