Laura Berkowitz

Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University

lolaBerkowitz - 0000-0002-4285-2995
Laura_Berkowitz -

Currently

Elucidating relationship between epileptiform activity and blood flow in models of Alzheimer’s disease
Characterizing hippocampal-entorhinal alterations in models neurodegeneration and its role in memory impairment.
Detailed behavioral analysis using DeepLabCut and ASOID
Development of closed-loop systems to prevent epilepsy and improve memory.

Research interests

My research focuses on understanding the physiological and neural mechanisms underlying memory impairment in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. I am interested in elucidating the relationship between aberrant neural activity, such as epileptiform discharges, and changes in cerebral blood flow, as well as how these disruptions contribute to cognitive decline. Using advanced techniques, I characterize alterations in the hippocampal-entorhinal network—a critical circuit for memory—and investigate how neurodegeneration disrupts its function. I employ detailed behavioral analysis tools to quantify and interpret complex behavioral patterns in disease models to bridge neural activity with behavior. Additionally, I am actively involved in developing closed-loop systems designed to modulate neural activity, prevent epilepsy, and improve memory function. By integrating these approaches, my work aims to uncover the mechanisms linking neural dysfunction to memory impairment and to pioneer innovative therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Education

2017 - 2021 PhD Psychology, minor Statistics, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

2015 - 2017 MSc. Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

2009 - 2014 BSc. Neuroscience (Special Major), California State University, Sacramento.

Experience

2021 - present Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University, Mentors: Chris Schaffer and Nozomi Nishimura

Mechanisms of memory consolidation are rescued by preventing capillary stalling with anti-Ly6G antibodies

2015 - 2021 Graduate Student, University of New Mexico, Mentor: Benjamin J. Clark

Attractor dynamics in anterior thalamic and postsubicular head direction cells in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer’s disease

2013 - 2015 Clinical Research Coordinator, UC Davis MIND Institute, Mentor: Randi J. Hagerman

Investigation of genotype-phenotype relationships of the fragile X premutation and fragile X-associated tremor ataxia disorder.
Phase 2b clinical trial of RG1662 in adults and adolescents with Down Syndrome (Clematis)
New approach for transitioning pediatric patients with special health care needs to adult care.

2013 - 2015 Volunteer Research Assistant, UC Davis MIND Institute, Mentor: Randi J. Hagerman

Investigation of genotype-phenotype relationships of the fragile X premutation and fragile X-associated tremor ataxia disorder.
Efficacy of Cogmed working memory training in children with fragile X syndrome.

2011 - 2015 Laboratory Technition, California State University, Sacramento, Mentor: Jeffrey L. Calton

Effects of glutamate atagonism on Head Direction cell anchoring in novel environemnts

Additional Education

2020 Neuromatch Academy Interactive Track

2019 MIND Computational Summer School: Cognitive Maps, Dartmouth College

Awards

‘2022-2023’

Cornell Neurotech Mong Fellowship

2019

Doctoral Conference Presentation Award, University of New Mexico
Travel Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology

2018

Travel Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology

2017

Travel Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology
Nomination Sarah Brown Belle Community Service Award, University of New Mexico
Honorable Mention NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Student Conference Award Program Travel Award, University of New Mexico, Office of Career Services
Community Service Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology

2016

Travel Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology
Community Service Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology
Nomination Sarah Brown Belle Community Service Award, University of New Mexico

2015

Grice Graduate Fellowship, University of New Mexico
Travel Award, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychology

2013

Volunteer Research Award, UC Davis MIND Institute

Publications

Matthew Isaacson, Hongyu Chang, Laura Berkowitz, Rick Zirkel, Yusol Park, Danyu Hu, Ian Ellwood, Chris B Schaffer (2025). MouseGoggles: an immersive virtual reality headset for mouse neuroscience and behavior

Harvey RE., Berkowitz, LE., Savage, DD., Hamilton, DA., Clark, BJ. (2020). Altered hippocampal place cell representation and theta rhythmicity following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Current Biology. link

Harvey RE., Berkowitz, LE., Hamilton, DA., Clark, BJ. (2019). The Effects of Developmental Alcohol Exposure on the Neurobiology of Spatial Processing. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. link

Xu Z., Wu W., Winter SS., Mehlman ML., Butler WN., Simmons C., Harvey RE., Berkowitz, LE., Chen Y., Taube JS., Wilber AA., Clark BJ. (2019). A Comparison of Neural Decoding Methods and Population Coding Across Thalamo-Cortical Head Direction Cells. Frontiers in Neural Circuits. link

Berkowitz, LE., Harvey, RE., Clark, BJ. (2019). Spatial Navigation and Alzheimer’s disease. In: Martin & Preedy (Ed.). The Neuroscience of Dementia: Genetics, Neurology, Behavior, and Diet. link

Clark BJ., Simmons, CM., Berkowitz, LE., Aaron A Wilber (2018). The Retrosplenial-Parietal Network and Reference Frame Coordination for Spatial Navigation. Behavioral Neuroscience. link

Berkowitz, LE., Harvey, RE., Drake, EN., Thompson, SM., & Clark, BJ. (2018). Progressive impairment of directional and spatially precise trajectories by TgF344-Alzheimer’s disease rats in the Morris Water Task. Scientific Reports. link

Thompson, SM., Berkowitz, LE., & Clark, BJ. (2017) Behavioral and neural subsystems of rodent exploration. Learning and Motivation.link

Pentkowski, N., Berkowitz, LE., Geck, EN., Olguin, C., & Clark, BJ. (2017). Anxiety-like behavior as an early endophenotype in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. Neurobiology of Aging.link

Berkowitz, LE., Ybarra, I. , Jessicah A. Jones, Michele E. Amato, Annette M. Rodriguez and Calton, JL. (2015). NMDA Blockade Inhibits Experience-dependent Modification of Anterior Thalamic Head Direction Cells. Behavioral Neuroscience. link

Housh, AA., Berkowitz, LE., Ybarra, I. , Kim, E., Lee, BR., & Calton, JL. (2014). Impairment of the Anterior Thalamic Head Direction Cell Network Following Administration of the NMDA antagonist MK-801. Brain research bulletin. link

Au, J., Berkowitz-Sutherland, LE., Andrea Schneider, Schweitzer, JB., Hessl, D., & Hagerman, RJ. (2014). A feasibility trial of Cogmed working memory training in fragile X syndrome. Journal of Pediatric Genetics. link

Au, J., Scott R. Akins, Berkowitz-Sutherland, LE., Tang, H. T., Chen, Y., Boyd, A., … & Hagerman, R. (2013). Prevalence and risk of migraine headaches in adult fragile X premutation carriers. Clinical genetics. link

Conference Posters

Gabaldon-Parish, M., Berkowitz, LE., Harvey, RE.., Sneddon, E., Clark, BJ. (2019). Distributed home base behavior in TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. Poster presented at UNM Neuroscience day, Albuquerque, NM.

Goncalaves-Garcia, M., Donaldson, T., Berkowitz, LE., Harvey, R.E., Gabaldon-Parish, M., Sanchez, L.,Goss, J.K., Wagner, J., Davies, S., Tofighi, D., Savage, D.D., Clark, B.J. (2019). The effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure on the organization of exploratory behavior by adult female rats. Poster presented at UNM Neuroscience day, Albuquerque, NM.

Harvey, RE., Berkowitz, LE., Savage, DD., Hamilton, DA., & Clark, BJ. (2018). Spatial and temporal stability in CA1 hippocampal place cells following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Poster presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference. San Diego, CA.

Harvey, RE., Berkowitz, LE., Savage, D. D., Hamilton, DA., & Clark, BJ. (2018). Spatial and temporal deficits in hippocampal place cells following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Poster presented at FASD Awareness Day. Albuquerque, NM.

Harvey, RE., Berkowitz, LE., Savage, D. D., Hamilton, DA., & Clark, BJ. (2018). Altered spatial coding of hippocampal place cells following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Poster presented at the International Conference on Learning and Memory. Huntington Beach, CA.

Berkowitz, LE., Harvey, RE. & Clark, BJ. (2018). Characterization of Head Direction Cells in the TgF344-AD Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Poster presented at the International Conference on Learning and Memory. Huntington Beach, CA.

Harvey, RE., Berkowitz, LE., Savage, D. D., Hamilton, DA., & Clark, BJ. (2018). Reduced Spatial Coding of Hippocampal Place Cells Following Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Poster presented at the Gordon Research Conference. Galveston, TX.

Harvey, RE., Goss, JK., Rigg, T., Berkowitz, LE., Lilliana M. Sanchez, Jennifer L. Wagner, Savage, DD., Hamilton, DA., Clark, BJ. (2017) Reduced spatial coding of hippocampal place cells following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure. Poster presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference. Washington, DC.

Berkowitz, LE., Thompson, SM., Drake, EN., John T. Madden, Elizabeth A. Sneddon, Harvey, RE., & Clark, BJ. (2017) Sex specific spatial navigation and spatial memory impairment in the TgF344-ad rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. Poster presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference. Washington, DC.

Berkowitz, LE., Yang, Y., Geck, EN., Thompson, SM., Sillerud L., & Clark, BJ. (2016) Longitudinal assessment of Papez circuit structural change and spatial disorientation in the TgF344-AD transgenic rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. Poster presentation at Neuroscience Day, University of New Mexico.

Berkowitz, LE., Yang, Y., Geck, EN., Thompson, SM., Laurel Sillerud & Clark, BJ. (2016) Longitudinal assessment of Papez circuit structural change and spatial disorientation in the TgF344-AD transgenic rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. Poster presentation at Psychology Research Day, University of New Mexico.

Pastor, IA., Ybarra, I., Berkowitz, LE., Calton, JL. (2015) Absence of light-dependent magnetic field modulation of the head direction cell circuitry. Poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference, Chicago, Il.

Amato, ME., Annette M. Rodriguez, Berkowitz, LE., Ybarra, I. , Jessicah A. Jones, Pastor, IA., Calton, JL. (2014). NMDA blockade and disorientation disrupts the establishment of a stable head direction signal. Poster presentation at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference, Washington DC.

Ybarra, I. , Berkowitz, LE., Jones, JA. , Amato, ME. , Rodriguez, AM., Housh AA., and Calton, JL. (2013). Blockade of NMDA transmission interferes with the stability of the head direction cell network during locomotion into a novel environment. Poster Presentation at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.

Au, J., Schneider, A., Berkowitz-Sutherland, LE.., Hessl, D., Hagerman, RJ., & Schweitzer, JB. (2012). Evaluation of Cogmed Working Memory Training in Fragile X Syndrome. Poster session presented at the 13th International Fragile X Conference, Miami, FL.

Berkowitz-Sutherland, LE., Housh, A., Kim, E., Zafar, T., Ramon, C., Ybarra, I., and Calton, JL. (2012) The role of NMDA transmission in the experience-dependent plasticity of thalamic head direction cells. Poster Presentation at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Kim, E., Housh, A., Berkowitz-Sutherland, LE., and Calton, JL. (2011) Dose-dependent effect of NMDA blockade on the Head Direction System. Poster Presentation at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference, Washington DC.