Karenna Meyermann is a neuroscience major in WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine whose fascination with the brain began before arriving on campus and has only grown through hands-on research. Working in the lab of Dr. Travis Brown, she studies how diet and exercise affect the brain and hopes to build a career that combines neuroscience research with patient care as a physician. She shares more about her academic journey and future goals below.
Why did you choose to major in neuroscience?
I chose neuroscience (partially) by accident. Originally, I was planning to major in biology, and when I was a high school senior I came to WSU over spring break to attend an Experience WSU event. My mom and I ended up at a presentation about the CVM majors (I’m not sure how, since I was a bio major), but I realized becoming a neuroscience major was a possibility. I always thought the brain was fascinating, but I’d never considered I could study it in college. So, when I got home, I immediately changed my major and never looked back. I think the brain is the coolest organ. I love learning about human physiology, but the brain is so weird that I can’t not study it (I mean, it named itself). I think consciousness drew me to neuroscience when I was younger and how the brain is responsible for making you you, but now pretty much everything about the brain fascinates me, and there’s just so much to discover.
What interests you most about the field of neuroscience?
Everything! But I’m most interested in how neuroscientific discoveries are made. For example, how does a scientist discover the existence of a tiny sodium channel, let alone figure out how it’s responsible for neuronal signaling? That’s why I joined Dr. Travis Brown’s lab, and now I not only get to see how the science is done, but I get to take part in it too!
Are there any particular facets of neuroscience that you are passionate about researching?
In Dr. Travis Brown’s lab, I am researching how exercise after consumption of a high fat diet affects perineuronal nets (PNNs), a net-like structure that surrounds inhibitory neurons within the prefrontal cortex responsible for modulatingneural plasticity. Iam specifically looking at microglia, which are macrophages known to degrade damaged PNNs, and their role in the changes we see to PNNs after exposure to a high fat diet and exercise. I hope these findings prompt further research into therapeutic avenues for obesity treatment, and I really think the underlying mechanisms behind changes seen in the brain with obesity are fascinating.
What are your career goals or aspirations with your degree?
My goal is to get into medical school and become a physician, likely one who specializes in the brain. I am deeply interested in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuro critical care. I would also like to continue researching the brain, alongside practicing patient care, to contribute to the knowledge base.