Levi Todd, PhD
Assistant Professor

I started at the Center for Vision Research at SUNY Upstate in October 2023. Prior to this I completed my PhD at The Ohio State University with Andy Fischer in 2018. Following that, I spent five years at the University of Washington in Thomas Reh’s laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow. My motivation revolves around all things glia and mentoring the next generation of scientists and thinkers.

Jugasmita Deka
PhD student - Neuroscience

I am from Assam, India and am a third year PhD student trying to regenerate retinal neurons in the aged nervous system. I completed my undergraduate and masters degree in Biotechnology from Amity University, Noida, India.

I enjoy cleaning and organizing things in and outside lab (especially Levi’s bench), and striking things off my to-do list keeps me motivated. Other than work, I love roaming around aimlessly on the street clicking pictures, taking videos and I love being active on social media.

Fun fact about me: Dancing is my happy place and I can create dance routines faster than experimental designs!!

Sucheta Bhattacharya
PhD student - Neuroscience

I earned my Bachelor’s in Zoology and my Master’s in Biophysics and Molecular Biology from the University of Calcutta. I love problem-solving and using my curiosity and creativity to work through them. Science keeps me hooked because it gives me something new to learn every day and a chance to put my grey cells to work in meaningful ways.

Outside the lab, I enjoy drawing and exploring new places (though I’m not much of a fan of big cities). I’m also a bit of a tech nerd and love staying up to date with the latest in technology. Fun fact: as a kid, I wanted to be a detective and solve mysteries—maybe I’m doing the same thing now, just in a different setting!

Ying Han
PhD student - Neuroscience

I am a currently a second year PhD student working on stimulating neurogenesis in degeneration models of the brain and retina. I graduated from Lake Forest College where I studied neuroscience and computer science.

I like visiting new places and thrifting random items. I enjoy reading occasionally and love food. I don’t watch horror movies. I am trying to build discipline.

Samantha Sutton
Lab Manager

I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biology and Neuroscience from Syracuse University. In my free time, I enjoy going on monthly hikes, cooking and baking new gluten-free recipes, and spending time with my two dogs, Sophie and Ranger.

I also like planning, organizing, and playing solitaire. A unique fact about me is that I have an excellent sense of direction — you won’t need a GPS if I’m around. I value exploring new places, and one of my long-term goals is to visit all 50 states and eventually travel the world.

Maggie Endres
Undergraduate Researcher

Maggie is a senior studying neuroscience at Syracuse University and started in our lab in September 2024. She is a Renee Crown Honors student and doing her senior thesis in our lab investigating neutrophils in retinal degeneration and regeneration.

Emma Blake
Technician

Emma graduated from Fordham University and is currently working in our lab studying brain and retinal regeneration prior to beginning medical school..

Alumni