Ashley Brandebura, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Brandebura grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, where she developed a love for all Pittsburgh sports teams. She completed PhD training at West Virginia University in the lab of Dr. George Spirou studying the development of the calyx of Held synapse. For postdoctoral training Dr. Brandebura went to the lab of Dr. Nicola Allen at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where she developed expertise in astrocyte biology. Dr. Brandebura is interested in understanding how astrocyte communication with other cell types is altered in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease. Outside of the lab, Dr. Brandebura enjoys hiking, being in nature, biking and spending time with her cat, Cali, who was adopted in San Diego, CA, but now loves bird watching and squirrel watching in the wooded landscape of Charlottesville!
Sophia Menna
Laboratory Technician
Sophia grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and moved to Charlottesville, VA in 2021 to attend college. She graduated from UVA in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. As an undergraduate, she was a member of the Sontheimer Lab where she investigated glioma/astrocyte interactions in mouse models. In July 2025, she began working as a research technician in the Brandebura Lab and is interested in investigating astrocyte dysfunction in neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases. After gaining more research experience, Sophia plans to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, hiking, reading, and traveling!
Mary Lampton
Undergraduate Researcher
Michael Tartaglione
Undergraduate Researcher
Daniel Heller, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dan is originally from Las Vegas and opted for a scientific career path instead of becoming a professional poker player. He completed his doctoral training at the University of South Florida, where he investigated the role of spontaneous activity during neural circuit formation. As a side project in Dr. Spirou’s lab, he investigated developmental axonal-glia contact at the ultrastructural level, piquing his interest in glial biology. In the Brandebura lab, he is interested in understanding how impaired GABAergic dysfunction contributes to physiological and morphological impairment in Down Syndrome. Outside of the lab, Dan enjoys hiking, as long as it’s not too hot, and seeing live music.
Susanna Kast
Undergraduate Researcher
