Gabrielle Mey, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Sebastian Werneburg, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, is the recipient of two prestigious postdoctoral fellowships. Both fellowships are awarded to promising scientists in the early stages of their careers, providing critical funding and support for their research. Dr. Mey’s research focuses on multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, including the brain, retina, optic nerve, and spinal cord. MS is an autoimmune disorder in whichthe body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues — specifically, the protective covering (myelin) that surrounds nerve fibers. While there is currently no cure for MS, existing treatments and therapies can help manage symptoms and slow disease progression.

Department of Defense Early Investigator Research Award

With this two-year postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Mey will explore the mechanisms underlying neural circuit issues in multiple sclerosis using the visual pathway. “Specifically, we are asking what role a cell stress signaling pathway—the integrated stress response—plays in neural circuit dysfunction and neuron and glial cell interactions,” she says. “The hope is that we could manipulate this pathway in order to improve neuron function and visual circuit function in the context of multiple sclerosis.”

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Research Program Fellowship

Dr. Mey’s three-year postdoctoral fellowship will begin during the year following her Department of Defense grant. “The main focus of my research is the continuation of work on the stress signaling pathway in MS, emphasizing repair and remyelination,” she says. “We are focused on how this pathway can help us promote remyelination, using medication, to see how this pathway works to promote repair.” Dr. Mey has a longstanding commitment to MS research. She earned her Ph.D. in molecular medicine at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. She also participated in the T32 Vision Research Training Program from July 2023 to June 2024. “This program was an integral part of my early postdoc career development, enabling me to apply for and receive these future awards,” says Dr. Mey. Alongside her dedication to research, Dr. Mey finds time to mentor graduate and undergraduate students in the laboratory, aiming to inspire their interest in science. “I love having the chance to work with the students, and hopefully inspire them to love research as much as I do, and to watch them grow and learn,” she says. In her professional life, Dr. Mey notes that what she enjoys most is asking questions, finding unexpected answers, and learning daily. “I hope these two fellowships will help me become an independent MS researcher focused on neuron protection and vision restoration.”