The University of Texas at San Antonio · BiologyBaboons and Epilepsy Research Lab
Melanie Carless · San Antonio, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Melanie Carless's lab focuses on understanding epilepsy by studying baboons, which have similar genetic and anatomical features to humans. The lab aims to develop better treatments for epilepsy by creating in vitro models using stem cells from baboons. This innovative research could lead to breakthroughs in how we approach epilepsy in humans, particularly for forms that are difficult to treat with current medications.
epilepsybaboon modelsgenetic researchcerebral organoidsneurobiologywhole genome sequencingCRISPRtranscriptomicsstem cell biologyneuroanatomy
Research Aims
3AIM 01Characterize genetic risk variants associated with epilepsy in baboons.
AIM 02Quantify gene expression levels in epileptic and healthy baboon brains using snRNA-Seq.
AIM 03Develop CRISPR-edited cerebral organoids from baboons to study synaptic function alterations.
Skills the Lab Values
single nuclei RNA sequencingCRISPR gene editinginduced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culturecerebral organoid developmentgenome sequencingRNA expression profilingneuroimaging techniqueselectroencephalographyanimal model studiesdata analysis in genomics
Output against the department
Publications141top 49% of dept.501st of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations7.0kbottom 49% of dept.531st of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.