Hello, I'm Jaskaran Singh

Research Interests

PhD Research Focus

My doctoral research is centered on the study of the pathogenesis of neuromuscular and neurodevelopmental disorders. The primary focus is on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that typically manifests in mid-life, leading to motor neuron loss and ultimately, death by respiratory failure within 2-5 years of clinical onset. I am employing a range of techniques, including genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, electrophysiology, single-cell assays, and bioinformatics tools, to dissect the molecular mechanisms leading to the pathogenesis of ALS. Given that the molecular and cellular signatures of ALS parallel a syndrome rather than a disease, my approach involves studying the disorder from various angles, from the brain to the spinal cord.

Data Analysis and Tool Development

I have a keen interest in large data analysis and the development of tools and pipelines for automated data acquisition and data analysis. I have utilized various programming languages, such as Python, R, ImageJ Macro, and MATLAB, to develop new algorithms/functions for analyzing the data generated through my experiments. Notably, we recently published a research article where we developed a novel method to automatically and unbiasedly analyze Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ) morphology in zebrafish, which is seen to be impaired in neuromuscular disorders, including ALS (Singh et al., 2023). Additionally, we have created an ImageJ macro to automatically quantify the swimming angle of adult zebrafish over time (unpublished), aiding in the quantification of swimming defects (i.e., motor defects) observed in most cases of neuromuscular disorders. During one of my undergraduate internships, I also developed a MATLAB program to track hand movements in 3D space. I am applying my programming and data analysis skills to interpret and integrate the muti-omics data I generate and using my knowledge of Python, R and bioinformatics to effectively analyze the HiC, ATAC-Seq and Single-cell RNA sequencing data we generated for my PhD projects.

Educational Background and Previous Research Experiences

My previous research experiences have provided me with a strong foundation in neuroscience and genetics. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Science, which encompassed a broad range of subjects including Biology, Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. In addition to these core subjects, I also undertook interdisciplinary courses in Python programming, Electronics, etc. During my undergraduate studies, I sought out and participated in various research internships across a diverse array of fields from experimental biology to computational biology, providing me with a well-rounded experience and a solid foundation for my future research endeavors. I completed my Master’s degree in Biology, with a particular focus on the field of neuroscience.

Interest in Repeat-Associated Disorders

I am also interested in exploring the origin of repeat expansions in repeat-associated disorders. Repeat expansion disorders are a class of genetic diseases caused by expansions in DNA repeats. Major examples of repeat-associated disorders include Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Huntington’s, and Spinocerebellar Ataxia. I am keen to explore the process and origin of the amplification of these repeats in the DNA that lead to various repeat-associated disorders.