This #TraineeTuesday, we introduce Sydney Cason, PhD, a Postdoctoral Associate in the De Camilli Lab! She was recently awarded the Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF) Postdoctoral Fellowship, a prestigious private award that provides three years of salary and research allowance.
I was honored and thrilled to be selected for this award. I am deeply grateful for the Foundation’s time and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s generosity to fund my project.
Sydney Cason, PhD
In the lab, Sydney conducts research exploring how lipid transfer between membrane is regulated within neurons. Lipids—fat molecules—play a dynamic role in cell structure, function, and energy storage. They are essential for maintaining membrane identity, curvature, and overall integrity.
Her current research builds on the work she began during her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, under the guidance of Erika Holzbaur, PhD. There, she focused on axonal transport, the processes by which molecular motors like kinesin and dynein move essential cargo – such as proteins and organelles – along neuronal highways.
Many neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders share a common thread: defects in intracellular transports, whether of proteins, organelles or lipids. By combining her background in axonal transport with this new focus on lipid trafficking, Syndey aims to piece together how small imbalances at the cellular level can accumulate into large-scale neuronal dysfunction.
Sydney’s journey to neuroscience did not initially start with pipettes and microscopes. She initially entered college as a Vocal Performance major at Depaw University’s School of Music. Realizing a career in opera was not her calling, she explored psychology and sociology before taking a neuroscience lab position – an experience that ignited her passion for scientific discovery.
Now, in my fifth lab, I still love that each experiment could reveal a fundamental truth no one has known before.
Sydney Cason, PhD
Beyond her work at the bench, Sydney is an active member of Yale’s scientific community. She participates in journal clubs and Research in Progress (RIP) seminars, where she exchanges ideas and troubleshoots experiments with peers. She serves on committees such as the Yale Neuroscience Postdoc Committee (YNPC) and the Cell Biology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, where she helps foster collaboration and inclusivity.
I think the best science is done in community with one another, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate in ways big and small.
Sydney Cason, PhD
Despite her recent success, Sydney is open about the funding challenges involved in a research career.
This was one of ten postdoctoral fellowships I applied for, and I was rejected from all the others. It’s daunting and heartbreaking, but each application is an opportunity to improve how you communicate your research. I encourage other trainees to persevere.
Sydney Cason, PhD
Looking ahead, Sydney envisions a career in academic science that blends research with mentorship. She envisions a career that not only pushes the boundaries of cellular and molecular neuroscience through leading her own lab but also fosters an environment where young researchers can thrive.
Congratulations to Sydney Cason on her LSRF Fellowship! We look forward to following her journey.