The Whitehall Foundation supports scholarly basic research in neurobiology that investigates the neural mechanisms involved in sensory, motor, and other complex functions of the whole organism as these relate to behavior. A fundamental question in neuroscience is how connectivity in the brain, which controls behavior, is formed. This connectivity is established during critical periods of development, however our knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying this process is limited. Dr. Kristy Welshhans, assistant professor in our Department, was just awarded a $300,000, three year grant for her project titled "Coordinated control of local translation mediates brain development". Her project will investigate how local translation of proteins within developing neurons is essential for establishing brain connectivity that supports adult cognitive behavior. Kristy's work will notably examine a critical yet unexplored link between the extracellular matrix and intra-axonal signaling, and provide unique insight into complex molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of neural circuits. This research will enable a broad, mechanistic understanding as to how local translation contributes to the establishment of neuronal connectivity, and increase our knowledge about the intricate nature of brain development.  Congrats Kristy!