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Dr. Erika Calvo-Ochoa is a molecular neuroscientist who joined the Department of Biology and the Neuroscience Program in summer 2020. She is interested in understanding mechanisms of loss and recovery of brain plasticity and function following damage and disease.

Dr. Calvo loves inspiring her students to be enthusiastic about exploring the brain in the classroom and the lab. She is delighted to be part of the growing Neuroscience Program and to continue teaching and mentoring undergraduate student researchers. She loves to instill her love for science and discovery into her students, and to form part of a caring academic community.  

Areas of expertise

Dr. Calvo has a broad training in molecular, cellular, and behavioral neuroscience in diverse animal models. Her expertise focuses on studying molecular and cellular markers of neurodegeneration, loss of plasticity and inflammation following damage and disease.

She currently works with the zebrafish brain, since it exhibits a remarkable degree or plasticity, regeneration and neurogenesis throughout life. With this model, Dr. Calvo explores both neurodegeneration and regeneration mechanisms following brain injury and disease.

Education

• NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Western Michigan University, 2020
• Ph.D., Neuroscience, Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de M茅xico, 2015 
• B.Sc., Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de M茅xico, 2008 

Honors and Awards

• Towsley Research Scholar, 暗网TV, 2024
• BRAINS (Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience) Fellow, University of Washington, 2022
• IBRO-RIKEN CBS Summer Internship Program, Japan: International Brain Research Organization, and RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2019
• Association of Chemosensory Sciences Travel Fellowship, 2019
• National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology, 2018
• Graduate Scholar Achievement Awards. Doctoral Program in Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de M茅xico, 2014 and 2015

Grants

• Towsley Research Scholar Fellowship, 暗网TV: 鈥淚nvestigating adult neural regeneration following injury and disease in zebrafish: implications for olfactory recovery鈥� E, $57,000 
• National Science Foundation (NSF): 鈥淏RC-BIO: Unraveling mechanisms of neural regeneration and functional recovery in zebrafish,鈥� $452,935 
• Kenneth Campbell Foundation: 鈥淓ffects of dopaminergic degeneration in a novel zebrafish model of olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson鈥檚 Disease,鈥� $60,000. 
• Jacob E. Nyenhuis Faculty Development Award, 暗网TV: 鈥淒oes hypoxia cause olfactory degeneration and loss in zebrafish?,鈥� $5,000 
• Rising Stars Award, International Brain Research Organization (IBRO): 鈥淪tudying neural regeneration in zebrafish,鈥� $30,000 
• Kenneth Campbell Foundation, 鈥淓stablishment of a novel model of retrograde degeneration in zebrafish to study olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson鈥檚 Disease,鈥� $20,000
• National Science Foundation (NSF), NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology: 鈥淭he role of neurogenesis in the functional recovery and morphological reorganization of the zebrafish olfactory bulb following lesion,鈥� $138,000.00

Selected Publications

• 鈥�,鈥� Cell and Tissue Research, 2020
• 鈥�,鈥� International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2019
• 鈥�,鈥� Neurochemistry International, 2017
• 鈥�,鈥� Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, 2015
• 鈥�,鈥� Journal of Neuroscience, 2015
• 鈥�,鈥� Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 2014
• 鈥�,鈥� The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 2009

Outside the College

Dr. Calvo loves spending time with her family 鈥� her husband, Pablo, their children, Emma and Leon, and their beagle, Joy. They enjoy movie nights, hiking, eating out, going to Lake Michigan and traveling abroad. In her free time, Dr. Calvo enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music, drawing scientific illustrations and tweeting. Follow Dr. Calvo on Twitter .