Rebecca received her PhD in neuroscience from the University of Southern California, where she studied the molecular basis of synaptic diversity and plasticity in Drosophila. Her graduate research focused on active zone scaffold proteins and how presynaptic mechanisms contribute to synaptic transmission, providing foundational insights into how neurons maintain and adapt their connections.

As a postdoctoral fellow in the Stanford Center on Longevity, Rebecca is working with Dr. Erin Gibson to investigate oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) — an understudied glial cell type — and their interactions with neurons across the lifespan. Her research examines how OPC-neuron relationships change in healthy and aging brains and may be relevant to conditions including multiple sclerosis and certain brain cancers. By characterizing these interactions, Rebecca aims to identify new strategies for supporting neuronal health and function during aging.