Email

melanie.samuel@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor

Department of Neuroscience, Huffington Center on Aging
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

CPRIT Scholar

Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas

Member

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States

Principal Investigator

Duncan NRI
Texas Children’s Hospital
Houston, TX

Education

PhD from Washington University School of Medicine

St. Louis, Missouri United States

Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard

Cambridge, Massachusetts United States

BS from the University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho United States

Summa Cum Laude, Biochemistry and Microbiology

BA from The University of Idaho

Moscow, United States

Summa Cum Laude, English

Professional Interests

• Neuronal development and maintenance of selective resiliency in the context of neurological diseases
• Protective and pathological roles for microglia in development and disease
• Molecular interplay between the vasculature and specialized neuronal populations
• Neuronal plasticity in neuromodulator production in development, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases

Professional Statement

The Samuel Lab focuses on understanding neuronal and glial communication and resilience. We integrate analyses of human and mouse brain models for advancing disease treatments.

Recent breakthroughs in understanding brain disorders have highlighted surprising roles for non-neuronal cells—such as glial cells and blood vessels—in neuron health and resilience. In the Samuel Lab, we investigate how interactions between neurons and these other brain cell types affect development and disease outcomes. Our research combines genetic, molecular, and cellular approaches using human-derived brain models and in vivo systems. By uncovering shared mechanisms across neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy, we aim to identify conserved therapeutic targets for broad-impact interventions
One of our key research areas involves microglia, a type of glial cell that plays a crucial role in the brain's immune defense. While microglia protect the brain, they can also contribute to damage in some disease conditions. We have identified a neuron-derived signal that instructs microglia on whether to preserve or target neurons and their connections. Our research is exploring how to harness this signaling pathway to prevent disease progression. Ultimately, we aim to develop treatments that target microglial activity to safeguard neurons.

Another imporant aspect of our work focuses on understanding how the brain’s need for constant energy is supported by communication between blood vessels and neurons. This relationship is known as neurovascular coupling, and it is essential for brain health. We study how disruptions in vessel coupling are linked to aging and diseases like Alzheimer’s, where reduced blood flow and impaired clearance of harmful proteins promotes disease progression. Our discoveries have also highlighted unexpected roles for neuromodulators, such as dopamine, in regulating blood vessel function, which could impact a broad range of brain disorders.

Finally, we investigate how neurons form precise connections with one another, a process essential for thinking, learning, and memory. Disruptions in these connections, or synapses, often serve as early indicators of brain disease. Using advanced techniques like nanoscopic imaging, we explore how neurons establish the right connections within various brain circuits involved in vision, feeding, and dopamine production. Additionally, we aim to uncover pathways that enhance neuronal resilience in critical neural circuits, with the goal of improving the survival of both vulnerable endogenous neurons and transplanted neurons in preclinical therapeutic approaches.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Albrecht NE, Alevy J, Jiang D, Burger CA, Liu BI, Li F, Wang J, Kim SY, Hsu CW, Kalaga S, Udensi U, Asomugha C, Bohat R, Gaspero A, Justice MJ, Westenskow PD, Yamamoto S, Seavitt JR, Beaudet AL, Dickinson ME, Samuel MA. "Rapid and Integrative Discovery of Retina Regulatory Molecules." Cell Reports. 2018 Aug 28;24(9):2506-2519. Pubmed PMID: 30157441
• Greer P, Samuel MA. "Becoming a Principal Investigator: Designing and Navigating Your Academic Adventure." Neuron. 2019 Sep 25;103(6):959-963. Pubmed PMID: 31557459
• Burger CA, Alevy J, Casasent AK, Jiang D, Albrecht NE, Liang JH, Hirano AA, Brecha NC, Samuel MA. "LKB1 coordinates neurite remodeling to drive synapse layer emergence in the outer retina." Elife. 2020 May 7; Pubmed PMID: 32378514
• Burger CA, Albrecht NE, Jiang D, Liang JH, Poche RA, Samuel MA. "LKB1 and AMPK instruct cone nuclear position to modify visual function." Cell Reports. 2021 Feb 2;34(5) Pubmed PMID: 33535040