This #TraineeTuesday, we are delighted to introduce Ray Vaca, a graduate student in the Yogev Lab who was recently awarded the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program!
Despite challenges, I continued to move forward and sought out challenging opportunities that changed the trajectory of my life. Receiving this award felt like I was seen and that my story was valued, which served as a reminder that I’m where I belong, doing what I should be.
Ray is in the Yogev Lab, which investigates the fundamental cell biology of neurons. The researchers use the microscopic worm C. elegans to study synapse formation, the neuronal cytoskeleton, and axonal transport. When Ray first joined the lab, he studied the mechanisms underlying neuronal polarity and motor protein recycling at the axon tip. More recently, he has become interested in using C. elegans to study the cellular mechanisms of psychedelic drugs, focusing on how these substances affect the neuronal cytoskeleton to promote synapse formation.
Ray relies on in vivo imaging to address these questions. Although his findings are still preliminary, he believes there is strong potential to discover how these drugs might function in mammalian systems and gain new insights into serotonin signaling and the broader cell biology of neurons. This research also aligns with renewed interest in psychedelics for their therapeutic potential for treating psychiatric conditions such as depression.
Recent studies have shown that these drugs cause neuroplasticity, which has been proposed as a potential mechanism by which these drugs exert their therapeutic effect. However, the exact mechanism underlying these neuroplastic effects are unknown, though there are a number of competing hypotheses. My work has the potential to fill some gaps in our understanding of how these drugs work by using a simpler yet living animal.
Ray was born and raised in Fontana, California. In high school, he excelled in science, but growing up in an underserved area with limited opportunities, he had little exposure to careers in the field. However, still determined to create a name for himself, he attended University of California, Los Angeles, initially aspiring to become a psychiatrist after witnessing friends and family members struggle with addiction and mental health challenges. With this goal in mind, he majored in Human Biology and pursued a pre-medicine route.
As a senior, Ray accidentally enrolled in an upper-division cellular neuroscience course. At first, he attended a few lectures out of curiosity, but he quickly became captivated on the subject. He was “obsessed” with all aspects of the class, yet what inspired him the most was the realization that, despite the dense slide decks filled with protein names, signaling pathways, and intricate neural circuit diagrams, many fundamental questions remained unanswered. Just two weeks into the course, Ray changed his major to neuroscience.
Also around this time, Ray joined the X. William Yang Lab at UCLA as a work-study student. Although his role was limited, he was deeply engaged in the research, seizing every opportunity to ask questions and learn from the scientists around him. His curiosity and dedication would eventually pay off -- upon graduation, he was offered a full-time research position in the lab.
Over the next three years, Ray contributed to multiple projects investigating the pathogenesis of Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s Disease. One of his studies, which examined anxiety-like behavior in mice, was published in Neuron. He also worked on a project exploring the role of DNA mismatch repair proteins in the progression of Huntington’s Disease.
To complement his experience studying Huntington’s Disease, he then joined a team investigating methods to alleviate Alzheimer’s Disease symptoms in a mouse model by reprogramming microglia through the overexpression of human TREM2, a protein primarily found on the surface of immune cells in the brain. As a part of his work, he helped characterize a novel model, which was recently published in a preprint on bioRxiv.
Ray recalls that his most impactful experiences came while spending time at the microscope. Seeing a neuron up close deepened his appreciation for its beauty and complexity, ultimately inspiring him to shift away from neurodegeneration research to study fundamental neuronal biology in the Yogev Lab at Yale. Here, he was also awarded the Gruber Fellowship. Beyond the research itself, the supportive and collaborative student community in the graduate program INP played a significant role in Ray’s decision to come to Yale.
Graduate school can feel isolating at times, but I’m lucky to have such a strong support system of friends and amazing scientists. It’s surreal to have some of the world’s experts in neuroscience only a few doors -- or bridges -- away, and I’m thankful that so many faculty are eager to talk with students about their work.
At Yale, Ray is actively involved in outreach efforts within the local New Haven community. Through INP Outreach and Brain Education Day, he visits public schools to lead demonstrations that showcase the wonders of the brain.
He also finds great fulfillment in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion as an Empowerment Fellow -- and soon-to-be Empowerment Chair -- of the Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC). For Ray, building a community that welcomes students from all backgrounds is a priority, and he feels fortunate to work alongside fellow graduate students who share his commitment to this mission.