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Hi all,
I’m Dan Logan and am a senior Biology major at Haverford College. Currently, I am working in Andrea’s lab with a focus on axon guidance in the frog, specifically the role of α6β1 integrin, a laminin-1 (an extracellular matrix protein) receptor. As with my research, my background is mainly focused on a cellular approach to NBS, thus I am excited for the opportunity to broaden my perspective. As far as long term plans go, I want to take some time off from school and work in a field related to medicine, but eventually I would like to go to a joint MD/MBA program. I’m not quite certain where that will lead, perhaps into business, civil service, or health policy.

Though I am primarily interested in the biological happenings in the brain, what also transfixes my curiosity is the translation of biological processes to behaviors, particularly how consciousness arises out of a neural network. However, after class I realized that I had not even considered the possibility that non-pharmacological approaches to psychological treatment could have a biological result. I, for one, had never heard of talk therapy, nor considered it as a method of altering the chemical balance. I think it is wise that we have alternate treatment for psychosis than drugs, but I have to admit, I am skeptical. Have any particular therapies been shown to specifically target certain biological targets? Also, how were these therapies developed? With drugs, one can examine the effects in animal models and clinically, which we are unable to do with talk therapy. As a side note, I would like to agree with those above who mention an interest in genes as they translate to phenotypes; I am also interested not only in how genes affect later pathology, but also the extent to which they factor in to one’s personality. Hopefully, we will explore some or all of the issues throughout the course of the semester!