Melanie Samuel, Ph.D.

Melanie Samuel is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and CPRIT Scholar in the Huffington Center on Aging and the Department of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. She is a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, having obtained three bachelor's degrees from the University of Idaho. Dr. Samuel continued her academic journey by completing her Ph.D. in neuro-immunology at Washington University under the mentorship of Michael Diamond. During her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University with Joshua Sanes, she made significant discoveries in the field of neural resiliency, including uncovering crucial molecular pathways that influence neural preservation in the context of aging.

Dr. Samuel leads an interdisciplinary research group dedicated to discovering molecular regulators at brain cell interfaces, primarily in visual circuits. Her work is driven by the goal to understand the mechanisms that drive circuit development and maintain cellular interactions in the context of disease. Her extensive contributions have earned her recognition from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the Brain Research Foundation, a Pathway to Independence Award from the NIH, and the NIH Director's New Innovator Award. She is also the recipient of the Norton Rose Fulbright Award, a Mallinckrodt Scholar Award, and maintains several active R01 awards.